title: Effects of soy milk and bifidobacterium fermented soy milk on lipid metabolism in aged ovariectomized rats.
abstract: The effects of soy milk and fermented soy milk on lipid metabolism were studied in aged ovariectomized rats. Twenty 8-mo-old Wistar rats were randomly assigned to four treatment groups: sham-operated + control diet (sham-C); ovariectomized (OVX) + control diet (OVX-C); OVX + soy milk diet (OVX-SM); and OVX + fermented soy milk diet (OVX-FSM). The rats were fed on these diets for 6 weeks. Ovariectomy induced an increase in the plasma cholesterol level by 40%. The plasma total cholesterol level of the OVX-FSM rats was decreased by 20% compared to that of the OVX-C rats. The plasma total cholesterol level of the OVX-SM group was not significantly different from that of the OVX-C and sham-C rats. The plasma triglyceride level of the OVX-FSM rats was lower than that of the sham-C rats. The liver cholesterol content in OVX-SM and OVX-FSM rats was lower than that of the OVX-C rats. The liver triglyceride contents of the sham-C, OVX-SM, and OVX-FSM groups were lower than that of the OVX-C group. Fecal steroid excretion did not differ among the groups. Ovariectomy decreased the uterus weight. The OVX-SM and OVX-FSM groups had the same uterus weights as those of the OVX-C group. Thus, the diet including fermented soy milk prevented the cholesterol elevation induced in rats by ovarian hormone deficiency.
authors.affiliation: Yakult Central Institute for Microbiological Research, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kikuchi-Hayakawa
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Onodera
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Matsubara
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Yasuda
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Chonan
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Takahashi
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Ishikawa
mesh_terms: D000375:Aging / Q000378:metabolism*; D000818:Animals; D001644:Bifidobacterium / Q000378:metabolism*; D001835:Body Weight; D004063:Digestion; D005260:Female; D005285:Fermentation; D050356:Lipid Metabolism; D008099:Liver / Q000378:metabolism; D009929:Organ Size; D010052:Ovariectomy; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D013025:Glycine max / Q000378:metabolism*; D014599:Uterus