Soy isoflavone supplementation improves longitudinal bone growth and bone quality in growing female rats

The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of soy isoflavone on tibia length, bone mineral density (BMD), and structural parameters in growing female rats.

Three-week-old female Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly assigned to four experimental groups: control (CON: distilled water gavage); low-dose isoflavone (low-IF: 10 mg/kg body weight [BW]/d gavage); high-dose isoflavone (high-IF: 50 mg/kg BW/d gavage); and 17 β-estradiol (E2: subcutaneous injection of 10 μg). All animals received a soy-free diet and vaginal opening was monitored daily. After an 8-wk treatment period, bone-related parameters (alkaline phosphatase [ALP], osteocalcin [OC], N-terminal telopeptide [NTx], bone length, failure load, stiffness, BMD, and structural parameters) were analyzed.

Serum ALP levels of the high-IF group were higher than those of the CON group (P < 0.05); however, serum OC levels of the high-IF group were lower than those of the CON, low-IF, and E2 groups (P < 0.05). The tibias and femurs of the low-IF group were longer than those of the CON and high-IF groups (P < 0.05). Bone volume, trabecular number, and BMD of trabecular bone of the high-IF and E2 groups were higher than those of the CON and low-IF groups (P < 0.05). The trabecular thickness of the high-IF group was higher than that of the CON and low-IF groups (P < 0.05). The failure load of the high-IF group was higher than those of the CON group (P < 0.05). Age and body weight at vaginal opening of the E2 group were significantly lower than those of the CON, low-IF, and high-IF groups (P < 0.05).

This study suggests that 8 wk of low-dose supplementation with soy isoflavone stimulates longitudinal bone growth. Additionally, high-dose supplementation with soy isoflavone may improve bone quality (BMD and structural parameters) in growing female rats.