title: Dietary inclusion of whole soy foods results in significant reductions in clinical risk factors for osteoporosis and cardiovascular disease in normal postmenopausal women.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine the effects of dietary inclusion of soy foods on clinical markers for cardiovascular disease (CVD) and osteoporosis in normal postmenopausal women.
  
  
  METHODS
  This was a single open-group prospective clinical intervention. Forty-two normal postmenopausal women consumed three daily servings for 12 consecutive weeks of whole soy foods containing approximately 60 mg/d of isoflavones. Blood and urine specimens were obtained at baseline and after 12 weeks of dietary intervention.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Serum and urine levels of individual and total isoflavones increased significantly (7-19 fold, p < 0.001) from baseline. A significant increase (9.3%, p < 0.05) in the mean lag-time of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol oxidation was seen and was positively correlated with serum phytoestrogens (p < 0.05). Significant increases were found in mean levels of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDLc) (3.7%, p < 0.05) and serum osteocalcin (10.2%, p < 0.025). Significant decreases were observed in total cholesterol:HDLc ratios (5.5%, p < 0.006) and mean urinary N-telopeptide excretion (13.9%, p < 0.02). Urinary excretion of total isoflavones was negatively correlated with very-low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, triglycerides, and total cholesterol:HDLc ratios (p < 0.04). No significant changes from baseline in HDLc peroxidation, total cholesterol, triglycerides, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, very-low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, bone-specific alkaline phosphatase, follicle-stimulating hormone, or estradiol levels were observed.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Dietary inclusion of whole soy foods containing 60 mg/d of isoflavones results in significant serum levels of phytoestrogens and reductions in several key clinical risk factors for CVD and osteoporosis in normal postmenopausal women. Long-term, placebo-controlled clinical trials are needed to evaluate the effect of phytoestrogens on the clinical endpoints of CVD and osteoporosis in this population.
authors.affiliation: Departments of Obstetrics & Gynecology, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, USA.
authors.forename: M D
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Scheiber
authors.forename: J H
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: M T
authors.initials: MT
authors.lastname: Subbiah
authors.forename: R W
authors.initials: RW
authors.lastname: Rebar
authors.forename: K D
authors.initials: KD
authors.lastname: Setchell
mesh_terms: D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D008076:Cholesterol, HDL / Q000097:blood; D008078:Cholesterol, LDL / Q000097:blood; D004968:Estrogens, Non-Steroidal / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005260:Female; D005502:Food; D006801:Humans; D007529:Isoflavones / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D015663:Osteoporosis, Postmenopausal / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D048789:Phytoestrogens; D028321:Plant Preparations; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors
chemical_list: D008076:Cholesterol, HDL; D008078:Cholesterol, LDL; D004968:Estrogens, Non-Steroidal; D007529:Isoflavones; D048789:Phytoestrogens; D028321:Plant Preparations