Soy Compound Helps Builds Bone: Study

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In the study, those who took genistein did not have increased endometrial thickness, which can be a problem with some hormone treatments for decreased bone density, according to the researchers. The genistein group did have more gastrointestinal side effects than the group that did not take it.

Soy has potential for bone-building, but more research is still needed, added Dr. Frank Sacks, professor of medicine at Brigham and Women's Hospital and the Harvard School of Public Health in Boston. "There are safety issues with soy phytoestrogens" related to breast and uterine cancer, he stressed.

"This study would not change the overall view [among many experts] that soy phytoestrogen supplements should not be taken," Sacks said.

More information

To learn more about soy and its health effects, visit the American Heart Association.