Soy Consumption, Markers of Inflammation, and Endothelial Function
A cross-over study in postmenopausal women with the metabolic syndrome
- Leila Azadbakht, PHD12,
- Masoud Kimiagar, PHD3,
- Yadollah Mehrabi, PHD4,
- Ahmad Esmaillzadeh, PHD12,
- Frank B. Hu, MD, PHD56 and
- Walter C. Willett, MD, DRPH56
- 1Department of Nutrition, School of Health, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran
- 2Nutrition Research Center, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran
- 3Department of Human Nutrition, School of Nutrition and Food Science
- 4School of Public Health, Shaheed Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
- 5Department of Nutrition, Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts
- 6Department of Epidemiology, Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts
- Address correspondence and reprint requests to Leila Azadbakht, Department of Nutrition, School of Health, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran. E-mail: lazadbakht{at}hotmail.com
Abstract
OBJECTIVE—To determine the effects of soy consumption on markers of inflammation and endothelial function in postmenopausal women with the metabolic syndrome.
RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS—This randomized cross-over clinical trial included 42 postmenopausal women with the metabolic syndrome. Participants were randomly assigned to consume a control diet (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension [DASH]), soy protein diet, or soy nut diet, each for 8 weeks. Red meat in the DASH diet (one serving/day) was replaced by soy protein in the soy protein diet and by soy nut in the soy nut diet.
RESULTS—For nitric oxide levels, the difference from the control diet was 9.8% (P < 0.01) on the soy nut and −1.7% (P = 0.10) on the soy protein diets. The difference from the control diet for serum E-selectin was −11.4% (P < 0.01) on the soy nut consumption and −4.7% (P = 0.19) on the soy protein diet. Soy nut consumption reduced interleukin-18 compared with the control diet (difference from the control diet: −9.2%, P < 0.01), but soy protein did not (difference from the control diet: −4.6%, P = 0.14). For C-reactive protein, the difference from the control diet was −8.9% (P < 0.01) on the soy nut diet and −1.6% (P < 0.01) on the soy protein diet.
CONCLUSIONS—Short-term soy nut consumption reduced some markers of inflammation and increased plasma nitric oxide levels in postmenopausal women with the metabolic syndrome.
- CRP, C-reactive protein
- DASH, Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension
- IL, interleukin
- sICAM-1, soluble intercellular cell adhesion molecule-1
- sVCAM-1, soluble vascular cell adhesion molecule-1
- TNF, tumor necrosis factor
Footnotes
-
A table elsewhere in this issue shows conventional and Système International (SI) units and conversion factors for many substances.
The costs of publication of this article were defrayed in part by the payment of page charges. This article must therefore be hereby marked “advertisement” in accordance with 18 U.S.C Section 1734 solely to indicate this fact.
-
- Accepted December 29, 2006.
- Received October 15, 2006.
- DIABETES CARE
