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“Introduction PERK inhibitor Estrogen deficiency

is regarded as a leading cause of bone loss and osteoporosis in postmenopausal women. Although hormone therapy (HT) in postmenopausal women has been found to be efficacious in mitigating bone loss and preventing bone fractures [1, 2], the results of the recent check details Women’s Health Initiative trial suggest that a combination of estrogen plus progestin taken for more than 5 years may increase the risk of invasive breast cancer and cardiovascular events, including coronary heart disease

and stroke [3]. A trial using an estrogen-only arm in hysterectomized women also demonstrated a higher risk of cerebrovascular events [4]. Phytoestrogens exhibit weak estrogenic activity, on the order of 10−2–10−3 that of 17 β-estradiol [5, 6]. The three major chemical types of phytoestrogens that have been identified are isoflavones, lignans, and coumestans. The primary isoflavones in aglycone form are genistein, daidzein, and glycitein. They are found in soybeans and have been considered by some, but not all, researchers as potential alternatives to HT [7]. When the study was first planned in mid-2003, many investigations evaluating the effects of isoflavone-containing soy protein or isolated isoflavones on bone health this website of peri-menopausal or postmenopausal women had already been published. Only a few of those studies were double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled

trials [8–12]. They were characterized by small sample size (≦175 cases), short-term selleck chemical duration (≦12 months), and low daily dose (≦99 mg aglycone equivalents). The parameters observed were bone mineral density (BMD) and/or bone turnover markers, and the results were inconsistent. In an attempt to better understand the effects of soy isoflavones on bone health, this study was designed to examine the effects of soy isoflavones on BMD of Taiwanese postmenopausal women with bone loss, employing a larger sample size, a higher dose of isoflavone, and a follow-up of longer duration. Methods Study design This study was designed as a 2-year, parallel group, placebo-controlled, double-blind, two-arm clinical trial conducted simultaneously at three medical centers in Taiwan: the National Taiwan University Hospital (NTUH), Changhua Christian Hospital (CCH), and National Cheng Kung University Hospital (NCKUH).