FDA Approves Soy Health Claims for Heart Disease Clinical data indicate that it is justified to encourage the incorporation of soyfood into the diet in women concerned about their bone health. Soy protein may protect against bone loss. Diets high in soy compared to animal protein may reduce urinary calcium loss. Animal protein is more hypercalciuric than soy protein based on human studies probably due to its lower sulfur-containing amino acid content. Recent human studies found that isoflavone-rich soy intake may attenuate bone loss from the lumbar spine in post-menopausal women, who may otherwise be expected to lose 2 to 3% yearly. This attenuation of loss, particularly if continued throughout the postmenopausal period, could translate into reduced lifetime risk of osteoporosis. Studies have shown that soy and/or its isoflavones can as well inhibit bone resorption or stimulate bone formation. Clinical data suggest that 60–90 mg/d of isoflavones may be effective. This translates into ~2–3 servings of traditional soyfoods. Several soyfood products are also enriched in calcium which provide an additional beneficial effect on bone health. ### References Messina M,Suzanne Ho and Lee Alekel. Skeletal benefits of soy isoflavones : a review of the clinical trial and epidemiologic data. Current Opinion in clinical Nutrition and Metabolic Care 2004,7 : 649-658 Setchell K, Lydeking-Olsen E. Dietary phytoestrogens and their effect on bone : evidence from in vitro and in vivo, human observational and dietary intervention study. Am J Clin Nutr 2003;78(suppl):593S-609S Ho SC,WooJ,LAm S,Chen Y,Sham A,LauJ . Soy protein consumption and bone mass in early postmenopausal Chinese women. .Osteoporos Int. 2003 Oct;14(10):835-42. Ho SC, Chan SG, Yi Q, Wong E, Leung PC. Soy intake and the maintenance of peak bone mass in Hong Kong Chinese women. J Bone Miner Res. 2001 Jul;16(7):1363-9. Potter SM, Baum JA, Teng H, Stillman RJ, Shay NF, Erdman JW Jr. Soy protein and isoflavones: Their effects on blood lipids and bone density in postmenopausal women. Am J Clin Nutr 68:1375S-1379S, 1998. Dalais FS, Rice GE, Wahlqvist ML, Grehan M, Murkies AL, Medley G, Ayton R, Strauss BJG. Effects of dietary phytoestrogens in postmenopausal women. Climacteric 1:124-129, 1998. Alekel DL, St.Germain A, Peterson CT, Hanson KB, Stewart JW, Toda T. Isoflavone-rich soy protein isolate attenuates bone loss in the lumbar spine of perimenopausal women. Am J Clin Nutr 72:844-852, 2000. Somekawa Y, Chiguchi M, Ishibashi T, Aso T. Soy intake related to menopausal symptoms, serum lipids, and bone mineral density in postmenopausal Japanese women. Obstet Gynecol 97:109-115, 2001. Arjmandi BH, Smith BJ. Soy isoflavones' osteoprotective role in postmenopausal women: mechanism of action. J Nutr Biochem. 2002 Mar;13(3):130-137 Morabito N, Crisafulli A, Vergara C, Gaudio A, Lasco A, Frisina N, D'Anna R, Corrado F, Pizzoleo MA, Cincotta M, Altavilla D, Ientile R, Squadrito F. Effects of genistein and hormone-replacement therapy on bone loss in early postmenopausal women: a randomized double-blind placebo-controlled study.J Bone Miner Res. 2002 Oct;17(10):1904-12. Lydeking-Olsen E, Beck-Jensen J-E, Setchell KDR, Holm-Jensen T. Soymilk or progesterone for prevention of bone loss: A 2 year randomized, placebo-controlled trial. Eur J Nutr 43:246-257, 2004. Zhang X, Shu XO, Li H, Yang G, Li Q, Gao YT, Zheng W. 2 Prospective cohort study of soy food consumption and risk of bone fracture among postmenopausal women.Arch Intern Med. 2005 Sep 12;165(16):1890-5. Squadrito F et al. Effects of the phytoestrogen genistein on bone loss,cardiovascular risk prevention and climacteric symptoms: a two year double blind placebo controlled study. Interim evaluation at one year. Oral presentation and abstract 6th Int symposium on the role of soy in preventing and treating chronic diseases Nov2005 Louvrien F et al. Effects of long term soy dietary supplementation on bone mineral density. Oral presentation and abstract 6th Int symposium on the role of soy in preventing and treating chronic diseases Nov2005 Breslau NA, Brinkley L, Hill KD, Pak CYC. Relationship of animal protein-rich diet to kidney stone formation and calcium metabolism. J Clin Endocrinol Metabol 66:140-146, 1988.