ARS | Publication request: Osteoporosis prevention using soy: the OPUS study

Submitted to: Journal of Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: February 15, 2008
Publication Date: April 6, 2008
Citation: Wong, W.W., Lewis, R.D., Steinberg, F.M., Murray, M.J., Cramer, M.A., Amato, P., Young, R.L., Barnes, S., Ellis, K.J., Shypailo, R.J., Fischer, J., Fraley, J.K., Konzelmann, K.L., Smith, O.E. 2008. Osteoporosis prevention using soy: The OPUS study [abstract]. Journal of Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology. 22:303.2.

Technical Abstract: Soy isoflavones are believed to have anti-osteoporotic properties. To evaluate the effect of soy isoflavones on bone loss, 403 early postmenopausal women (54.0+/-4.0 y) were enrolled in an intent-to-treat, multi-site, 2-year follow-up, randomized, double-blind study with 1/3 on placebo, 1/3 on 80 mg/d of isoflavones, and 1/3 on 120 mg/d of isoflavones along with 1,000 mg/d of CaCO3 and a daily multivitamin with 400 IU of vitamin D. Bone mineral density (BMD) of the whole body (WB), hip and spine and serum bone turnover markers (osteocalcin, bone specific alkaline phosphatase, and cross-linked N-telopeptides of type 1 collagen) were measured at baseline and annual intervals. Baseline characteristics were similar in the three groups. A significant protective effect on the decrease in WB BMD was observed with 120 mg/d of soy isoflavones vs. placebo after 1 y (p=0.027) and 2 y (p=0.048) of supplementation. No differences were observed in regional BMD measurements or in bone turnover markers. In conclusion, soy isoflavone supplementation reduces the loss of WB BMD at the highest supplementation level, but was not protective at the regional sites.