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Menopause: Soy may reduce fracture risk in postmenopausal women
Is soy beneficial for postmenopausal women?
It is according to a new study from China. But before you grab your keys and rush out to the shops to stock up on soy foods, there's one little soy secret you need to know.
Reduced fracture risk
First we'll take a quick look at the Chinese study, conducted by joint team from the Shanghai Cancer Institute and Vanderbilt University School of Medicine in Nashville, in the US.
Based on previous evidence that soy intake may increase bone mineral density in postmenopausal women, the Shanghai/Nashville team conducted a population-based study to examine the effect of soy consumption on bone fracture risk. More than 24,000 women over the age of 40 were recruited from the Shanghai Women's Health Study. Soy food intake for each subject was evaluated at the outset of the study and during a follow up period that lasted more than four years. By the end of the study period, nearly 1,800 fractures had been reported.
The results:
* A high intake of soy foods was significantly linked with a reduced risk of fracture
* Risk was reduced by nearly 30 percent among women who had the highest soy intake and had been menopausal for more than a decade
* Risk was reduced by almost 50 percent among women in early menopause with the highest intake of soy
The results were all computed after taking into account potential mitigating factors such as osteoporosis risk, age, other nutrients in the diet and socioeconomic status. But one very important mitigating factor was not considered: where the women lived.
Avoid over processed soy
Soy contains phytates that block absorption of proteins and minerals, such as calcium. So how could the Shanghai women who consumed the most soy foods have the lowest risk of fractures when they weren't absorbing calcium adequately?
Answer: fermentation.
US HSI Panelist Dr Allan Spreen explains that the phytates in soy are deactivated when soy is fermented. When soy sauce, tempeh and miso are made by the traditional method (which calls for fermentation), the phytates are neutralised, allowing the proper absorption of nutrients.
So what is the soy secret you need to know?
Fermented soy foods are the norm in Asia, but not in the West. So in a typical cohort of 24,000 Western women, those who had the greatest soy intake from soy sauce, tofu or soy milk produced in the US or UK, would almost certainly not enjoy any reduction in fracture risk. In fact, they might very well be at greater risk.
And to make matters worse, they might also have a higher risk of developing kidney stones. Research published in the US Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, showed how soybeans, tofu, and commercially processed soy products contain an extremely high amount of oxalate, a compound that binds with calcium in the kidneys, increasing the risk of kidney stone development.
Make sure the soy you buy isnt genetically modified and try to choose organic brands. You should be able to find good quality soy at Asian supermarkets.
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