title: Association between dietary phyto-oestrogens and bone density in men and postmenopausal women.
abstract: Phyto-oestrogens have been associated with a decreased risk for osteoporosis, but results from intervention and observational studies in Western countries have been inconsistent. In the present study, we investigated the association between habitual phyto-oestrogen intake and broadband ultrasound attenuation (BUA) of the calcanaeum as a marker of bone density. We collected 7 d records of diet, medical history and demographic and anthropometric data from participants (aged 45-75 years) in the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer-Norfolk study. Phyto-oestrogen (biochanin A, daidzein, formononetin; genistein, glycitein; matairesinol; secoisolariciresinol; enterolactone; equol) intake was determined using a newly developed food composition database. Bone density was assessed using BUA of the calcanaeum. Associations between bone density and phyto-oestrogen intake were investigated in 2580 postmenopausal women who were not on hormone replacement therapy and 4973 men. Median intake of total phyto-oestrogens was 876 (interquartile range 412) μg/d in postmenopausal women and 1212 (interquartile range 604) μg/d in men. The non-soya isoflavones formononetin and biochanin A were marginally significant or significantly associated with BUA in postmenopausal women (β = 1·2; P < 0·1) and men (β = 1·2; P < 0·05), respectively; enterolignans and equol were positively associated with bone density in postmenopausal women, but this association became non-significant when dietary Ca was added to the model. In the lowest quintile of Ca intake, soya isoflavones were positively associated with bone density in postmenopausal women (β = 1·4; P < 0·1). The present results therefore suggest that non-soya isoflavones are associated with bone density independent of Ca, whereas the association with soya or soya isoflavones is affected by dietary Ca.
authors: Department of Food and Nutritional Sciences, University of Reading, Whiteknights, PO Box 226, Reading RG6 6AP, UK. g.g.kuhnle@reading.ac.uk
authors: Gunter G C
authors: GG
authors: Kuhnle
authors: Heather A
authors: HA
authors: Ward
authors: Anna
authors: A
authors: Vogiatzoglou
authors: Robert N
authors: RN
authors: Luben
authors: Angela
authors: A
authors: Mulligan
authors: Nicholas J
authors: NJ
authors: Wareham
authors: Nita G
authors: NG
authors: Forouhi
authors: Kay-Tee
authors: KT
authors: Khaw
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D015519:Bone Density / Q000187:drug effects*; D002136:Calcium, Dietary; D004032:Diet; D005247:Feeding Behavior; D005260:Female; D005504:Food Analysis; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D048789:Phytoestrogens / Q000494:pharmacology*; D017698:Postmenopause
chemical_list: D002136:Calcium, Dietary; D048789:Phytoestrogens