High Isoflavone Intake Increases BMD in Postmenopausal Women NEW YORK, (Reuters Health) Dec 13 - Postmenopausal women with a high intake of dietary isoflavone have higher bone mineral density (BMD) than women whose isoflavone intake is low. However, isoflavone intake has no effect on the BMD of premenopausal women, Chinese researchers report. Dr. Annie W. C. Kung, and colleagues from the University of Hong Kong, collected data for 650 Chinese women between 19 and 86 years of age. The researchers used a food frequency questionnaire to determine the intake of isoflavone. They also measured the women's BMD at the lumbar spine and hip. After adjusting for age, height, weight, years since menopause, smoking, alcohol intake, hormone replacement therapy use, and daily calcium intake, postmenopausal women who had the highest intake of isoflavone had significantly higher BMD compared with postmenopausal women who had the lowest intake of isoflavone. Mean BMD at the lumbar spine was 0.820 g/cm2 for postmenopausal women with the highest isoflavone intake compared with 0.771 g/cm2 for those with the lowest isoflavone intake (p < 0.05), the researchers found. This difference was also seen at Ward's triangle (0.450 g/cm2 versus 0.415 g/cm2, p < 0.05). However, among premenopausal women, with high endogenous estrogen levels, no link between isoflavone intake and BMD was found, according to the report in the November issue of the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism. Dr. Kung and colleagues conclude that "customary high isoflavone intake may help to reserve the state of secondary hyperparathyroidism associated with estrogen withdrawal and, hence, lower the rate of bone turnover in postmenopausal women." J Clin Endrocrinol Metab 2001;86:5217-5221. J Nutr, 12/02 Remember we are NOT Doctors and have NO medical training. This site is like an Encylopedia - there are many pages, many links on many topics. Support our work with any size DONATION - see left side of any page - for how to donate. You can help raise awareness of CAM.