Dietary soy protein and isoflavones: Minimal beneficial effects on bone and no effect on the reproductive tract of sexually mature ovariectomized Sprague-Dawley rats

Janice M. Bahr, Masaaki Nakai, Alexander Rivera, Jane Walsh, Glenda L. Evans, Sutada Lotinun, Russell T. Turner, Molly Black, Elizabeth H. Jeffery

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

Objective: The present study was conducted to determine the effects of dietary soy protein and isoflavones on bone and the reproductive tract in the absence of the ovary. Design: Three-month-old Sprague-Dawley rats (n = 56) were either sham-operated or ovariectomized and then fed diets containing casein or soy protein ±isoflavone extract for 12 weeks. The amounts of casein, soy protein, and extract (per kg diet) in each group were as follows: (1) Ovariectomy, 200 g of casein; (2) Ovariectomy+low soy, 100 g of casein + 100 g of soy protein; (3) Ovariectomy+high soy, 200 g of soy protein; (4) Ovariectomy+low extract, 200 g of casein + 17.2 g of extract; (5) Ovariectomy+high extract, 200 g of casein + 34.4 g of extract; (6) Ovary intact, 200 g of casein; (7) Ovariectomy+estradiol-17β, 200 g of casein. Diet consumption, body weight, uterine weight, urine deoxypyridinoline, and bone mineral density of the femur and lumbar vertebrae were measured. The femur rigidity was evaluated by histomorphometry. The reproductive tract (uterus, vagina, and cervix) was studied histologically. Results: The Ovariectomy group showed significant increases in body weight, diet consumption, and deoxypyridinoline, decreases in uterine weight and bone mineral density, and negative changes in histomorphometry compared with the Ovary intact group. Neither soy protein nor extract diets abrogated these alterations, except for the Ovariectomy+high extract group that showed statistically significant positive changes in histomorphometric parameters. There were no histological differences in the reproductive tract among Ovariectomy, Ovariectomy+soy, and Ovariectomy+extract groups. The estradiol-17β replacement abrogated ovariectomy-induced alterations. Conclusion: Dietary intake of isoflavones by sexually mature ovariectomized rats has a minimal beneficial effect on bone with no effect on the reproductive tract.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)165-173
Number of pages9
JournalMenopause
Volume12
Issue number2
DOIs
StatePublished - 2005

Keywords

  • Bone
  • Isoflavones
  • Ovariectomized rat
  • Reproductive tract
  • Soy

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Obstetrics and Gynecology

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