At the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill, Dr. Anderson's current research focuses on calcium and bone metabolism, as influenced by dietary intake. In human studies he is exploring the effects of calcium supplementation on total body BMC and BMD of young adult women in their early 20s in a prospective, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial; the effects of varsity sports participation and amenorrhea or oligomenorrhea on bone BMC and BMD and injuries in a four-year prospective investigation of female athletes at UNC-CH; and other issues. Experimental laboratory studies include the use of ovariectomized rat models and eternal cell lines to examine the effects of phytoestrogens.In the last decades, scientists have focused on the possibility that a group of compounds known as phytoestrogens found in plants that exhibit some of the metabolic functions normally associated with animal-derived hormones may explain the role of soy products in providing many health benefits, especially in the etiology of both cancer and heart disease. This article provides an overview of our current knowledge of food sources, consumption patterns, metabolic pathways, functions, health benefits, mechanisms of action, and practical applications of these flavonoids.