title: Soy protein supplementation does not cause lymphocytopenia in postmenopausal women.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The health benefits of soy isoflavones have been widely investigated; however, there are some concerns as to whether soy isoflavones, similar to ipriflavone, a synthetic isoflavone, cause lymphocytopenia in postmenopausal women. Hence, the purpose of this study was to investigate the extent to which 12-month supplementation of 25 g soy protein containing 60 mg isoflavones alters lymphocyte counts or other hematological parameters in postmenopausal women who were not on hormone replacement therapy.
  
  
  METHODS
  Eighty-seven postmenopausal women were randomly assigned to receive either soy protein or an equivalent amount of control protein devoid of isoflavones. Fasting venous blood was collected at baseline and at the end of twelve month study period for complete blood count analyses.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Between the two treatment groups, the percent changes in hematological parameters, including lymphocytes, were not different. While women consuming the soy supplement had an increase in mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration (MCHC) and red cell distribution width index (RDW; a marker of reticulocytes), women consuming the control diet had higher percentage of only MCHC.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Overall, the results of the present study indicate that consumption of 25 g soy protein containing 60 mg isoflavones daily for one year does not cause lymphocytopenia.
authors.affiliation: Department of Nutrition, Food and Exercise Sciences, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL, USA. doyu@okstate.edu
authors.forename: Do Y
authors.initials: do Y
authors.lastname: Soung
authors.forename: Anagha
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Patade
authors.forename: Dania A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Khalil
authors.forename: Edralin A
authors.initials: EA
authors.lastname: Lucas
authors.forename: Latha
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Devareddy
authors.forename: Kathryn A
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Greaves
authors.forename: Bahram H
authors.initials: BH
authors.lastname: Arjmandi
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D001491:Basophils; D004032:Diet; D004909:Erythrocyte Indices; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007529:Isoflavones / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects; D007958:Leukocyte Count; D008231:Lymphopenia / Q000139:chemically induced*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009000:Monocytes; D010976:Platelet Count; D017698:Postmenopause; D030262:Soybean Proteins / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000737:chemistry
chemical_list: D007529:Isoflavones; D030262:Soybean Proteins