Genistein Teams Up With Calcium, D on Heart Risks

MESSINA, Italy—The phytoestrogen genistein may favorably impact several predictors of cardiovascular disease (CVD), including blood sugar levels and inflammatory markers, according to a randomized, double blind, placebo-controlled trial reported in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism (2007 Aug;92(8):3068-75).

Researchers from University of Messina and La Sapienza University, Rome, studied 389 osteopenic, postmenopausal women at three Italian university medical centers. After a four-week stabilization on a standard isocaloric, fat-reduced diet, participants were randomly assigned to receive genistein (n = 198) or placebo (n = 191) daily for 24 months. Both intervention and placebo contained calcium and vitamin D3. Researchers measured blood lipid profiles, fasting glucose and insulin, homeostasis model assessment for insulin resistance, fibrinogen, soluble intercellular adhesion molecule-1, soluble vascular cellular adhesion molecule-1, F2-isoprostanes and osteoprotegerin at baseline and after 12 and 24 months of treatment.

After both 12 and 24 months, genistein significantly reduced fasting glucose and insulin, as well as homeostasis model assessment for insulin resistance. However, compared to placebo, genistein administration did not affect blood lipid levels, although it did significantly decrease fibrinogen, F2-isoprostanes, soluble intercellular adhesion molecule-1, and soluble vascular cellular adhesion molecule-1 after 24 months. Serum osteoprotegerin was higher in the genistein group compared with placebo. And, at 24 months, the genistein group showed no change in endometrial thickness compared with placebo. Researchers noted most treatment-related adverse events were moderate and composed of gastrointestinal side effects.

The scientists said results suggest intervention with 54 mg/d genistein, plus calcium, vitamin D3 and a healthy diet, was associated with favorable effects on both glycemic control and some CVD risk markers in osteopenic, postmenopausal women.

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