Soy Isoflavones Lower Postmenopausal CVD Risk

READING, England--High intake of soy may reduce levels of C-reactive protein (CRP) in postmenopausal women, thereby reducing their risk of developing cardiovascular disease (CVD), according to a study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition (82, 6:1260-68, 2005).

A multi-national European research team conducted a randomized, double blind, placebo-controlled, crossover dietary intervention trial on 117 healthy postmenopausal European women. For eight weeks, the women consumed cereal bars enriched with 50 mg soy isoflavones, with a genistein-to-daidzein ratio of 2-to-1, or placebo cereal bars, with a washout period of eight weeks before crossover. Plasma inflammatory biomarkers were measured at baseline and eight weeks of each study arm. Isoflavones improved CRP concentrations compared with placebo, but had no significant effects on other plasma inflammatory markers.

The researchers concluded isoflavones have beneficial effects on CRP concentrations, but not on other inflammatory biomarkers of cardiovascular disease risk in postmenopausal women.

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