New combination may improve effect of calcium and vitamin D

Supplements containing a soy compound called genistein – a type of isoflavone – may help increase bone mass in post-menopausal women, according to research in Italy. Researchers at the University of Messina have found that a combination of genistein, calcium and vitamin D helps protect bone density better than the simple combination of calcium and vitamin D. They say in the Annals of Internal Medicine that studies so far on the effects of soy-based foods on bone mass after menopause have been inconsistent. Dr Francesco Squadrito, the senior author, says his team’s research is different in that it uses a near-pure chemical that cannot be obtained in sufficient quantities by simply eating soy products.

Reuters