Diet rich in soya can improve bone health in women, says study

Researchers say soy can help to curb negative effects of menopause and improve metabolic health.

Debjani Arora | Published: August 18, 2018 1:25 pm

Healthy diet and exercise can be beneficial for post-menopausal women. © Shutterstock

Pre-menopause women have the advantage of estrogen which protects them from various health crises and keep their skeletal health in great shape. In other words, estrogen keeps their bones strong. But post menopause most women suffer from deteriorating bone health as the estrogen levels hit a low. This is why diet becomes a crucial pillar of health for menopausal women. Eating foods that are rich in protein and estrogen (many plant based foods have phytoestrogen which is converted into estrogen after metabolism) does women a great deal of good and boosts overall health. We have always know that soya is a protein rich food that is high in phytoestrogen and makes for a good food choice for women post menopause, scientist now just confirmed it. A recent study said that a diet rich in soy protein may help curb the negative effects of menopause and strengthen a woman’s bone and metabolic health.

However the effects of soya are not just limited to menopausal women it can improve bone density of women of all ages. The study was conducted by researchers of the University of Missouri in Columbia. Osteoporosis is common in women post menopause which makes the bones brittle and porous.

This study was conducted on rats by the researchers. Two groups of rats were assigned for the study. One group of rats were fed a soy-based diet and the other a corn-based diet of equal calories for 30 days. The researchers then found that the bones (in the limbs) of soy-fed rats were stronger than the bones of the rats that were fed a corn-based diet. The blood samples, bone strength test and body composition assessment confirmed the bone strength alterations. Lead author of the study Pamela Hinton said the study showed that women might improve bone strength by adding some soy-based whole foods to their diet. Soy proteins such as foods found in vegetarian diets, could help strengthen bones. “Bottom line, this study showed that women might improve bone strength by adding some soy-based whole foods to their diet,” Hinton said. “Our findings suggest that women don’t even need to eat as much soy as is found in typical Asian diets, but adding some tofu or other soy, for example, foods found in vegetarian diets, could help strengthen bones.”

The study used rats that were selectively bred to have low fitness levels. Rats were then divided into groups of those with and without ovaries to confirm that women can benefits from soy-based diets.

Image source: Shutterstock

Published: August 18, 2018 1:25 pm

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