Oestrogens are important for bone

Oestrogen is well recognised for helping to maintain bone mass ¹¹ . Oestrogen down regulates the activity of bone-dissolving cells, known as osteoclasts.

Phytoestrogens have been suggested as having the potential to reduce bone loss due to their similarity to oestrogen and as demonstrated with the clinical use of the medication Ipriflavone. Ipriflavone is a synthetic isoflavone that is approved in countries such as Italy and Japan ¹² for the treatment of osteoporosis. It is strikingly similar to genistein and daidzein (the isoflavones found in soy) and one of its metabolites is, in fact, daidzein. To be most effective on bone, Ipriflavone needs to be metabolised to daidzein ¹³ .