title: Can soy prevent male osteoporosis? A review of the current evidence.
abstract: The Asian population whose soy intake is higher compared to Western populations shows a significantly lower incidence of osteoporotic fracture. Several meta-analyses have revealed that supplementation of soy isoflavones improve bone health status in women. This review examined the current evidence as to whether soy could exhibit similar bone protective effects on the male population. In vivo studies revealed that supplementation of soy protein or soy isoflavones improved bone health in both normal and osteoporotic male rodents. Cell culture studies showed that soy isoflavones influenced osteogenesis and osteoclastogenesis through mechanisms such as estrogen receptor binding activity, antiinflammatory activity and anti-parathyroid hormone activity. Soy isoflavones also affected calcium channel signaling and might exhibit direct effects on the osteoblastogenesis modulator, core binding factor 1. However, limited clinical trials involving soy intervention in males generally showed insignificant results. This could be attributed to the short duration of intervention, characteristics of the subjects or method of bone health assessment. More well-planned clinical trials are required to establish possible bone protective effects of soy in men.
authors.forename: Kok-Yong
authors.initials: KY
authors.lastname: Chin
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Jalan Raja Muda Abdul Aziz, 50300 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. imasoel@medic.ukm.my.
authors.forename: Soelaiman
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ima-Nirwana
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D020013:Calcium Signaling / Q000187:drug effects; D002460:Cell Line; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D006801:Humans; D007529:Isoflavones / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male; D010006:Osteoblasts / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D010010:Osteoclasts / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D010012:Osteogenesis / Q000187:drug effects; D010024:Osteoporosis / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D010281:Parathyroid Hormone / Q000378:metabolism; D011960:Receptors, Estrogen / Q000378:metabolism; D030262:Soybean Proteins / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D013025:Glycine max / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D007529:Isoflavones; D010281:Parathyroid Hormone; D011960:Receptors, Estrogen; D030262:Soybean Proteins