How much soy do you need for bone benefits?

Although the evidence is not all in, the simple and inexpensive addition of soy foods (or isoflavone supplements) appears to offer a non-pharmacological intervention for reducing bone loss and preventing osteoporosis, and may be particularly important for the large number of women that are now choosing not to take hormone replacement therapy (HRT). The recommended dose might deliver at least 80-90 mg ³⁸ isoflavones per day and soy seems most beneficial for women approaching the menopause and in the early menopausal period (less than 10 years after menopause) rather than reversing established bone loss. The impact of lower doses of life long and habitual soy food intake, as observed in Asian countries, is yet to be determined as is the individual responsiveness to soy foods.