Eating soy-based foods lessens the progress of osteoporosis in women after menopause, when hormonal changes can rapidly thin bones and increase the risk of fractures, researchers say.
In the study, a sampling of 24,000 women participating in the three-year Shanghai Women’s Health Study found post-menopausal women who ate the most soy protein had a 37% lower risk of bone fracture compared to women who consumed the least soy.
The women were divided into five categories of soy consumption, with those in the highest consuming group eating at least 13 grams per day, while the low-consuming group ate 5 grams per day. Average consumption was 8.5 grams, based on the reported consumption of soy products such as soy milk, tofu, soy sprouts and fresh soybeans.
Soy protein has been found to have beneficial effects on other symptoms of menopause, and may reduce the risks of cardiovascular disease and hormone-related cancers, the report said. But like oestrogen, it may stimulate growth of certain cells that may heighten the risk of breast cancer.