Estrogen replacement therapy is beneficial for heart disease risk factors as well as for bone density. However, a large proportion of postmenopausal women are not compliant with therapeutic regimens. Phytoestrogens are naturally occurring compounds found in plants and soy products that have estrogenic effects, and may represent an alternative treatment for the prevention of heart disease and osteoporosis in postmenopausal women. However, few intervention trials have examined the extent to which it is possible to improve heart disease risk factors, bone density, and quality of life in postmenopausal women through use of a dietary supplement of phytoestrogen.