Osteoporosis Treatment

Soy can guard against osteoporosis. Soy's protein enhances the body's ability to retain and better absorb calcium in the bones, while its isoflavones slow bone loss and inhibit bone breakdown, which helps prevent osteoporosis. There is evidence to suggest that isoflavones may also assist in creating new bone. As well, if you use soy to make tofu using coagulators like gypsum, you can increase the amount of calcium you're getting - in a safe way with none of the side effects of traditional dairy-based beverages.

According to Brynna Grogan, "Over-consumption of protein and salt, NOT under-consumption of calcium, may be the most important factors contributing to osteoporosis.

World health statistics show that the disease is most common in countries where dairy products are consumed in large quantities. Good vegetarian sources of calcium are kale, dried legumes, sesame meal, blackstrap molasses, leafy green vegetables, carob, soy flour, tofu made with calcium salts (most commercial tofu is curded with this), dried fruit, nutritional yeast, corn tortillas and masa harina, acorn squash, and sea vegetables. If you are still concerned about calcium, take calcium carbonate, the cheapest, most concentrated, and easily absorbed form.

Isoflavones also play an important role in protecting and maintaining strong and healthy bones. Evidence shows that genistein and daidzein prevent bones from breaking down. Independent studies conducted at the University of Illinois and the University of Hong Kong concluded that consuming soy isoflavones can increase bone mineral content and bone density. Another study at the University of Texas suggested that isoflavones may also stimulate bone formation. By preserving bone health, increasing bone mass and inducing bone turnover, researchers noted the potential role of soy isoflavones in osteoporosis treatment by preventing, and possibly even reversing, the effects of osteoporosis.

All these findings suggest eating soy foods, natural sources of isoflavones, can protect and enhance your overall health. Isoflavones work together with soy protein in fighting disease. Studies show that isoflavones account for approximately three-fourths of soy's protection, while its protein is responsible for about one-fourth. The best way to consume isoflavones is in food form, so that you can benefit from all of soy's nutrients and beneficial compounds. The highest amounts of isoflavones and soy protein are found in tempeh, whole soybeans (like edamame), textured soy protein, soynuts, tofu and soymilk. Researchers recommend consuming at least one to two servings a day. A serving is equal to 1 ounce of soynuts; 4 ounces of tempeh, textured soy protein (cooked), or edamame; or 8 ounces of soymilk."

Two studies have revealed that soy may play an important role in the prevention and treatment of osteoporosis, a disease that can affect 24 million Americans. Osteoporosis causes the loss of bone mass and strength. It affects both men and women, but is primarily found in post-menopausal women.

A study by the Division of Nutritional Science, University of Illinois at Champaign-Urbana, entitled "Short-Term Effects of Soybean Isoflavones on Bones in Post-Menopausal Women," found that post-menopausal women with high concentrations of soy in their diet had stronger bone health. Dr. John W. Erdman, Jr., author of the study, found that "results indicated significant increases in both bone mineral content and bone density in the lumbar spine" for women with a high soy diet.

The study, reported at the Second International Symposium on the Role of Soy in Preventing and Treating Chronic Disease, concluded that "these results indicate a potential role for the soybean isoflavone in maintaining bone health."In another report, Dr. Bahram Arjmandi, leading soy researcher of the Department of Human Nutrition and Dietetics, University of Illinois at Chicago, also found in several recent studies that soy protein may lead to a "natural" therapy for osteoporosis sufferers.

Dr. Arjmandi's latest study, "The Ovarian Hormone Deficiency-Induced Hypercholesterolemic Is Reversed by Soy Protein and the Synthetic Isoflavone, Ipriflavone," examined whether soy protein isolate would prevent or slow bone loss. Dr. Arjmandi's study, reported in Nutrition Research, a newsletter for health professionals, found that soy protein "can effectively prevent the ovarian-hormone-deficiency-associated rise in serum cholesterol."

"We found that while bone density increased with the consumption of soy isolate, more importantly, bone quality was improved. This is very important to the growing population of Americans confronting the onset of osteoporosis," he said. Dr. Arjmandi noted that additional long-term study is needed to further determine soy protein's effects on human health.

"If long-term studies in humans demonstrate that ipriflavone (similar to estrogen and soy protein isolate) is free of undesirable side effects, then it might be considered a desirable alternative for dealing with post-menopausal women's increased risk of coronary heart disease and osteoporosis," he said. Soy protein, which comes from the soybean, contains a compound called isoflavones. Isoflavones have been described as "possessing a myriad of biological properties that can affect many biological and physiological processes." Many scientists attribute the soybean's positive health effects to its high concentration of isoflavones, which are found only in the soybean.

A recent issue of the Mayo Health Clinic Health Letter noted that studies on soy have shown promising results in the prevention of heart disease, stroke, cancer, and hot flashes during menopause, as well as benefits for osteoporosis. The newsletter said that rates of heart attacks, cancer and osteoporosis are lower in "cultures where soy is the main source of protein," such as Asia and the western world, which has led to increased study of soy. "While it may be too early to make specific health claims for soy, there is evidence that adding soy to your diet makes good nutritional sense," the newsletter concluded.

Traditional sources of soybeans and soy protein include tofu, bean curd, tempeh, soy milk, miso and soy sauce. There are a growing number of soy-based products available, such as soy-burgers (veggie-burgers), soy hotdogs, soy-based cheese, soy ice cream, and soy yogurts. Soy products contain all three "macro-nutrients" for good nutrition -- protein, carbohydrates and fat -- and many micro-nutrients, including vitamins, minerals, calcium, folic acid and iron.

Source: PR Newswire/Foods for the Future

If you like to get the best nutrition available and know exactly what's in the soymilk and tofu you're consuming to help protect yourself and your bones, why not buy a SoyQuick Soymilk Maker. You can get a tofu maker with that, using a calcium-rich coagulator if you want. Gypsum can even be mixed with nigari before using to get a smooth tofu with extra calcium. Why not find out about cooking tofu?