Could soy in infancy build stronger bones through gut bacteria?
NCT ID NCT05763589
First seen Sep 17, 2026 · Last updated Sep 18, 2026 · Updated 1 time
Summary
Researchers are studying whether eating soy during pregnancy and infancy is linked to changes in gut bacteria that support children's bone development. The study follows 105 mother-child pairs from a Hong Kong cohort, tracking maternal soy intake alongside infants' gut microbiome and children's bone density and bone formation markers. The goal is to understand whether early soy exposure could one day be used as a simple dietary step to help build stronger bones.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.
- What this could lead to
- If the link holds up, it could support simple dietary advice, such as eating soy during pregnancy and infancy, to help children build stronger bones.
- What could go wrong
- This is an observational cohort study, so it can show associations but not prove that soy causes better bone growth. Diet, genetics, and many other factors could explain any link, and the findings may not apply beyond the Chinese families studied.
This is an AI summary of the original study and may miss details. Read our disclaimer.
Study facts
What this study's own registry entry says, in plain language.
- Participants
-
105 people
The number who actually took part.
- Started
-
Dec 2022
- Finished
-
May 2026
- Lead sponsor
-
Other sponsor
The registry's catch-all category, for sponsors it does not file as a company, a government agency, or a research network.
Who can take part
This study's own entry requirements. Only the study team can say for certain whether you qualify.
Who is studied
120 mother-child pairs
- Ages
-
3 to 45 years
- Sex
-
Anyone
Show the full entry requirements Hide the full entry requirements
Copied word for word from the study's registry entry, so the wording is the study team's rather than ours.
Inclusion Criteria for healthy pregnant women: 1. Chinese mothers aged 18 - 45 years who were in the first trimester of pregnancy 2. Singleton pregnancy 3. Participate voluntarily and capable of giving informed consent Inclusion Criteria for babies: The baby of enrolled pregnant women and parents signed written informed consent prior to the initiation of this study. Exclusion Criteria: 1. Significant medical conditions especially those required long term medications, such as oral steroid, antihypertensive drugs, diabetic medications and lipid-lowering agents, during or before pregnancy 2. History of chronic inflammatory or neoplastic diseases involving the gastrointestinal tract (e.g. inflammatory bowel disease, coeliac disease, colorectal cancer) 3. Significant pregnancy complications, such as intrauterine foetal demise/stillbirth, extreme prematurity, or pre-labour rupture of membranes before 24 weeks 4. Mother with mental incapacity such that they are not able to give informed consent 5. Foetal chromosomal or clinically significant structural abnormalities 6. The current pregnancy is a conception through either sperm or ovum donation
Get updates
Get notified about this study
Sign up to get updates when this study changes or when new studies for Child development are added.
By submitting, you agree to our Terms of use
As listed by the trial registrant
The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.
Contacts and locations
Locations
-
The Hong Kong Polytechnic University
Hong Kong, China
More trials for these conditions
Other studies related to the condition(s) this trial covers.
- 150,000 children to be tracked from birth to old age in massive health study
- Can diet and exercise in pregnancy shape a Child's health for years?
- One 90-Minute session may help parents steady young Kids' mental health
- Can training teachers in mental health skills help young children thrive?
- Can a gentler anesthesia cocktail protect a child's developing brain?
- Can playful movement training make kids faster and more flexible?