Soy protein improves tibial whole-bone and tissue-level biomechanical properties in ovariectomized and ovary-intact, low-fit female rats.

•Ovariectomized low-capacity running (LCR) rats exhibit cancellous bone loss characteristic of human menopause.•Soy protein improved tibial whole-bone and tissue-level biomechanical properties in ovariectomized and ovary-intact rats.•Advanced glycation end-product (AGE) content of the femoral diaphysis was not affected by ovariectomy or soy protein.•Estrogen receptor-α-independent mechanisms might be responsible for the improvements in cortical strength observed with soy.