Maintaining healthy teeth and bones is integral to your health. Consuming nutrients such as calcium and vitamin D can help to strengthen your teeth and bones. However, research has shown that soy can be an effective nutrition source to address bone health, especially in women. Learning more about soy and its benefits can help you to integrate soy into your diet or increase your intake of it.
Osteoporosis
Osteoporosis is a medical condition characterized by the deterioration or loss of bone mass. Severe cases of osteoporosis can cause the bones to become very brittle, leading to a rise in the occurrence of bone fractures. Osteoporosis can affect anyone, and it is usually caused by deficiencies in calcium and vitamin D. Recovery from a fracture related to osteoporosis is usually difficult and can take longer than from a standard fracture.
Osteoporosis and Menopause
As a woman ages, her body chemistry changes. Some of these changes increase her risk for developing osteoporosis. For example, when a woman approaches menopause, her body begins to lose the hormone estrogen. This loss of estrogen contributes directly to the bone loss because hormones support growth functions in the body, including those related to bones.
Soy and Menopause
To combat the negative effects of the loss of estrogen, many women turn to hormone replacement therapy, or HRT. However, like other medications, HRT can have negative side effects that outweigh the symptoms of menopause. At the direction of a healthcare provider, some women take soy supplements as a natural alternative to HRT to treat the symptoms of menopause and reduce the risk of osteoporosis. If you are considering taking soy supplements, you should work closely with your physician to determine whether they are an appropriate treatment choice for you and to identify the proper dosage.
Nutritional Sources of Soy
In order to prevent the development of osteoporosis and try to ward off some of the effects of menopause, you can incorporate soy-based foods into your diet as sources of nutrition. Common soy products include soy milk, tofu, soy beans or edamame, meat alternatives made from soy or tofu.
