Abstract
The research of valuable sources of calcium is important for the prevention of osteoporosis. Japan is increasingly becoming an aged society, consequently this research is becoming more and more important. It is known that various food components affect calcium metabolism. In this study the effect of soybean milk on bone metabolism in ovariectomized osteoporotic rats was examined. Soybean milk is an excellent source of protein and it has a high mineral content.
Six-week-old SD-strain female rats were ovariectomized and were fed a low Ca diet (0.01% Ca, 0.3% P) for 28 days. Thereafter the rats were divided into 2 groups. A control group was fed a “Casein diet (0.3% Ca, 0.3% P), ” and the experimental group was fed a “Casein-Soybean milk diet (0.3% Ca, 0.3% P)” ad libitum for 27 days.
The results were as follows : in comparison with the control group the casein-Soybean milk group showed significant increases in,
(1) Bone Mineral Density (BMD (tested by DEXA Hologic's QDR-1000)) of the tibial proximal metaphysis, a mainly trabecular bone, and BMD of the tibial diaphysis, a mainly cortical bone,
(2) the breaking force and energy of the femur.
These results suggest that soybean milk could be effective in increasing BMD, breaking force and energy in osteoporotic model rats. They could have a practical, application, as it is easy to supplement a diet with soybean milk and/or soybean milk products.
