Journal of Korean Society of Osteoporosis  2013;11(3):105-113

Phytoestrogens and Bone Metabolism

Gyun Ho JEON 1 ; Byung Moon KANG

Affiliations

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Keywords

Osteoporosis; Phytoestrogens; Postmenopause

Country

Republic of Korea

Language

Korean

Abstract

Although most gynecologists had prescribed estrogen with or without progestin for their menopausal patients before the publication of Women's health Initiative (WHI) trial findings, only 35 to 40% of women ever started hormone therapy (HT) and many discontinued it, because of perceived side effects and discomfort. HT will not likely to be regularly prescribed in the future given the recommendations by several groups against long-term use for chronic diseases after the release of the findings of the WHI. Consequently, many postmenopausal women have turned to botanical dietary supplements containing phytoestrogen as an alternative to HT. Although there are numerous studies in the literature over the last decade trying to address the efficacy of phytoestrogens on bone health in animal models and in humans, the efficacy of phytoestrogens as bone-protective agents in vivo remains unclear. Differences in the bioactivities of individual phytoestrogens, differences in bioavailability and metabolism of phytoestrogens within different study populations, and imprecise reporting of the form and dose of phytoestrogens provided in intervention studies may have leaded to the disparity in study results. However, the preventive effect of phytoestrogens for bone loss is promising. This review discusses the effects of phytoestrogens on bone metabolism and their roles on the prevention and treatment of postmenopausal osteoporosis.