Dietary phytoestrogens and bone health

The role of soy phytoestrogens in preserving bone health has to date not been studied in large randomised controlled studies. These bioactive naturally occurring compounds are viewed as potential selective oestrogen receptor modulators based on their structural similarity to oestradiol, in vitro mechanisms of action and hormonal effects in human subjects. Much of the evidence for a role in bone health has stemmed from animal data, as most of the available human studies are of short duration and have used either bone biomarkers or bone mineral density as end point measures. However, recent data from a long-term study suggest these compounds have a bone conserving effect in menopausal women but to accurately examine the relative importance of these compounds for bone health in postmenopausal women an assessment of consumption on fracture rates will be critical.