Abstract:
The objective of this study is to evaluate the efficacy of soybean isoflavones extract on bone turnover markers in postmenopausal women with osteopenia. The incidences of osteoporosis in post-menopausal women are higher than women at the age before menopause. The observational studies suggested that estrogen replacement therapy (ERT) is considered to be an effective method to prevent menopausal symptoms and restore the protective effects on bone. However, many serious side effects in long term ERT used including cancerous events (breast cancer and endometrial cancer etc.). Many researchers have been attempting to study the alternative hormone replacement therapy (HRT) in order to find the safer therapeutic agents. Phytoestrogens, plant-derived estrogen like substances, possess the varying degree of estrogenic activity and estrogen-like molecular structure. This study a randomized clinical trial was carried out in 2007. Eighty postmenopausal women with osteopenia. The first group (n = 40) received isoflavones 100 mg/d (2 capsules-twice/day).The second groups (n = 40) was given placebo (2 capsules-twice/day) for 12 weeks.Analysis for bone resorption and bone formation markers was assayed by Electrochemiluminescence method using ß-crosslaps and N-MID osteocalcin. This study found that treatment with flava soy, isoflavones extract, Between group analyses in osteocalcin showed that isoflavones group decreased from baseline values 21.86 ± 6.5 to 17.48 ± 6.7 ng/ml. at 12 weeks and placebo group decreased from baseline values 22.89 ± 8.8 to 19.34 ± 8.2 ng/ml. at 12 weeks but had not statistical significance difference between group and ß-crosslaps, isoflavones group decreased from baseline values 0.49 ± 0.17 to 0.32 ± 0.15 ng/ml. at 12 weeks and placebo group decreased from baseline values 0.48 ± 0.18 to 0.36 ± 0.19 ng/ml. at 12 weeks. This results indicate that isoflavones decreased levels of bone resorption markers and bone formation markers but had not statistical significance difference compared with placebo.