Soy protein reduces fatty liver toxicity and insulin resistance

The September 2005 issue of Journal of Lipid Research published the findings of research showing that a diet rich in soy protein helps protect against hepatic steatosis (fatty liver). Fatty liver disease is characterized by an increased production of fatty acids in the liver. The condition is associated with the development of insulin resistance, and can result in liver enlargement and chronic liver disease. There is currently no treatment for this potentially fatal condition.

For 160 days, researchers fed soy protein diets to rats bred to develop diabetes and fatty liver. Although the rats developed obesity and hyperinsulinemia as expected, they failed to exhibit an accumulation of cholesterol and triglycerides in their livers. The effects of the soy diet appeared to be due to a low expression of genes involved in the synthesis of fatty acids and triglycerides in the liver. Additionally, the soy-rich diet also increased the breakdown of fatty acids in the liver, further lowering the accumulation of fat in the liver.

Although more research is needed on the subject, researchers believe the results indicate that consumption of soy protein could reduce insulin resistance and its resulting damage to the liver and kidneys.

J Lipid Res. 2005 Sep;46(9):1823-32

Soy associated with reduced fracture risk in postmenopausal women

A study published in the September 12 2005 issue of the journal Archives of Internal Medicine found that postmenopausal women whose dietary intake of soy was high had a lower risk of bone fracture than women whose intake was comparatively low.

Researchers analyzed data from women who took part in the Shanghai Women's Health study, which included approximately 75,000 Chinese women aged 40 to 70.

Women consuming 13.27 grams or more per day had a 37 percent lower risk of fracture than those whose soy intake was less than 4.98 grams per day. Isoflavones from soy were found to provide a similar protective benefit. Those with the highest intake of isoflavones had a 35 percent reduced risk of fracture compared to the risk of women whose intake was the lowest. The inverse association was more pronounced among women in early menopause.

Diets high in soy may reduce the risk of bone fracture in postmenopausal women, particularly during the early years following menopause. Arch Intern Med. 2005;165:1890-1895.

Folic Acid reduces risk of hypertension in women

Folic acid supplements, widely used by women to prevent birth defects, may prevent hypertension in women, possibly due to its ability to relax blood vessels and ease blood flow. In a study published earlier this year in the January 19th issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association, researchers analyzed health data collected from over 150,000 women participating in the Nurses Health Study. Researchers found that the women aged 27 to 44, who consumed at least 1,000 micrograms of folic acid daily -- from foods and supplements -- had a 46 percent decreased risk of developing hypertension compared with those who consumed less than 200 micrograms a day. And in the women aged 43 to 70, those with a high intake had an 18 percent reduced risk of developing hypertension.

Folate occurs naturally in substances such as orange juice and leafy green vegetables, and is added to certain food products, but getting the vitamin from foods alone failed to lower the risk of hypertension. Higher total folate, obtained from both diet and supplements, reduced the risk of hypertension, particularly in younger women.