• Preventive Nutrition and Food Science
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• v.7 no.3
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• pp.278-281
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• 2002

The objective of the current study was to determine the influences of dietary proteins and methionine on plasma lipid concentrations. Thirty growing male Sprague-Dawley rats were fed diets similar in all respects except that dietary protein was from either casein, soy protein isolate, or soy protein isolate supplemented with L-methionine (0.24 %). The animals were fed experimental diets ad libitum for nine weeks. Plasma total-cholesterol concentrations were unaffected by the protein source or methionine supplementation. Plasma triglyceride concentrations were lower in rats of methionine supplemented soy protein diets (76 mg/dL) than in the rats fed casein or soy diet (120 mg/dL, 109 mg/dL, respectively). These results indicate that soy protein reduces plasma triglycerides relative to casein in rats fed cholesterol free diets, and that methionine-supplemented soy diets decrease plasma triglyceride concentrations more than soy protein alone.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.27 no.9
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• pp.883-891
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• 1994

The number of diabetics in Korea is about 3 to 5 percent of the population, and the incidence is increasing yearly due to changes of life style and food intake. Diet is a key element in the management of diabetes, yet the appropriate diet for diabetes remains controversial. We have recently shown that a diet rich in protein of animal origin(casein) seems beneficial to controling plasma glucose and lipids in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats. It therefore seemed desirable to find out whether the beneficial effect of high casein diet in experimental diabetes could also be reproduced with a vegetable source of protein(soy). The purpose of this study is to compare these results with the results of our previous study. In the present study, non-diabetic and streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats were studied in order to examine the effects of altering the level(20% vs 60%) of dietary soy protein on blood glucose, lipids, and hormones. Results of the present study showed that a high soy protein diet decreased triglyceride concentration in diabetic rats. However, diabetic rats fed a high soy protein diet were not hypocholesterolemic compared to rats fed a control diet. Moreover, diabetic rats fed a high soy protein diet had significantly increased plasma glucose concentration compared to rats fed a control diet. This study was not able to discern a specific effect of dietary protein level on insulin, glucagon, or insulin/glucagon ratio. Except for the hypotriglyceridemic effect, the results were not similar to the findings of our previous study which showed a beneficial effect on streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats fed a high casein diet.