• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.36 no.7
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• pp.667-674
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• 2003

The study was performed to investigate the effects of isoflavone and/or grape seed oil supplementation on serum and liver lipid profiles and bone strength in ovariectomized female rats. Female Spraque-Dawley rats were assigned into 4 groups of ovariectomized (O), isoflavone (0.085 mg/100 g b.w/day) in ovariectomized rats, grape seed oil in ovariectomized rats and isoflavone and/or grape seed oil in ovariectomized rats. After 8 weeks, biochemical profiles of serum, liver and bone were analyzed. Total food intakes, body weight gains and FER (food efficiency ratio) were not statistically significantly different among groups. Total cholesterol, triglyceride and LDL-cholesterol levels in serum were decreased by fed of isoflavone and/or grape seed oils. However, crude lipid and total cholesterol contents in liver were not affect of isoflavone and/or grape seed oil. The hepatic glutathione contents were increased by isoflavone and/or grape seed oil fed. The hepatic glutathione-S-transferase activity in isoflavone and/or grape seed oil supplemented groups were higher than that O group. Bone (scapular and femur bone) dry weight, femur of max weight and bending strength were no significant difference among groups. Our finding suggest that isoflavone/grape seed oils might have potential role for serum lipid profiles improvement and bone strength in vivo.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.38 no.3
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• pp.203-210
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• 2005

Many young women suffer from premenstrual syndrome (PMS). The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of isoflavone on serum sex hormone and PMS during the luteal phase of the menstrual cycle. We investigated the incidence of PMS in 116 Korean female college students. The incidence of PMS was $19.8\%$. Among them, 9 PMS and 13 control were given 90 mg isoflavone per day during 2 menstrual cycles. The changes in anthropometric measurements, dietary intakes, serum parameters including sex hormones, and PMS symptoms were observed. Isoflavone supplementation did not affect anthropometric measurements. However, SBP and DBP were significantly decreased in control. Dietary intakes were not changed after supplementation of isoflavones. Serum SHBG was lower in PMS group than in control and significantly decreased in control with isoflavone supplementation. PMS symptoms such as backache, sweet, salty, and fatty food craving, coffee/tea drinking, and anxiety were significantly lessened. Based on these results, isoflavone supplementation may benefit young women by reducing some of PMS. Further studies of soy isoflavones effect on sex hormone and PMS may help to prepare for PMS management.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.40 no.7
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• pp.630-638
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• 2007

This study was performed to examine the combined effects of L-carnitine and isoflavone supplementation on weight reduction and body fat distribution in overweight women. Overweight/obese women (body mass index > $23kg/m^2$) who were not diagnosed any type of diseases were included in this study and sixty subjects ($41.1{\pm}1.5$ years, $25.9{\pm}0.3kg/m^2)$ were randomly assigned to a placebo (n=30) or a supplement group (n=30, L-carnitine 300 mg+isoflavone 40 mg/day). We measured anthropometric parameters, abdominal fat distribution by computerizd tomography and blood components before and after the 12 week intervention period. After the 12 weeks of supplementation, subjects in L-carnitine and isoflavone supplement group showed a significant reduction of body weight (p < 0.001), body fat % (p < 0.05), and waist to hip ratio (p < 0.01) whereas placebo group did not show any changes. In a CT-scanned results, total fat area at L4 level was significantly reduced by 8.1% (p < 0.01) with the reduction of visceral fat area (-11.1%, p < 0.001) and subcutaneous fat area (-7.0%, p < 0.05) in the supplement group. The supplementation of L-carnitine and isoflavone showed the significant improvement of HDL-C (p < 0.01) and apoB (p < 0.05) concentrations, however, change values in those markers were not significant compared with those of the placebo group. In addition, a significant increase of adiponectin level (p<0.001) was observed in the supplement group after the intervention. The result of present study demonstrated that supplementation of 300 mg L-carnitine and 40 mg isoflavone per day fur 12 weeks can give beneficial effects on weight reduction and visceral fat accumulation. These potential antiobesity supplement can produce more favorable effects when combined with lifestyle modification.

• Proceedings of the Korea Society of Poultry Science Conference
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• 2005.11a
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• pp.31-43
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• 2005

Isoflavones are naturally occurring plant chemicals belonging to the 'phytoestrogen' class. The isoflavones are strikingly similar in chemical structure to natural estrogens. The phenolic ring is a key structural element of most compounds that bind to estrogen receptors. Dietary components that recently have received attention for their action as phytoestrogens are soy isoflavones. Soy products are the most significant dietary sources of isoflavones. Recently It is concerned clinical nutrition of isoflavone that is driven by reason of alternative sources of exogenous estrogen are constantly being needed. Estrogen therapy after the menopause offers protection from cardiovascular disease, reduces the extent of osteoporosis and relieves menopausal symptoms. Exogenous estrogen treatment is a fear of possible increased risk of developing breast cancer and because of side effects. Daily intake of soybean or soy food can affirmative effect to disease occurrence, that is based on mechanical investigation, experimental results of animals and human. Research into isoflavone is going on various field to relieve hormone - dependent disease such as cancer, menopausal symptom, cardiovascular disease and osteoporosis. Isoflavone is plenty in soybean meal, soy by-product, but only limited information is available on isoflavone efficacy into animal husbandry. Thus we conducted three experiments to investigate the effects of dietary isoflavone on productivities, antioxidative responses and bone metabolism in poultry. Dietary supplementation of isoflavone resulted in preventing the lipid oxidation of plasma and egg yolk. Dietary isoflavone improved bone development in egg-type growing chicks and broilers in terms of tibial strength. It was suggested that the proper use of feed additives such as isoflavone might provide means of improving antioxidative effect, skeletal strength, egg and eggshell quality.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.20 no.11
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• pp.1683-1690
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• 2010

There is an increasing interest in the potential of isoflavone in reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease and cancer, however, although several effects of isoflavone as a component of soy protein are well established, the hypolipidemic and antioxidant effects of purified isoflavone are still controversial. This study was to investigate the effects of isoflavone on serum lipid profiles and antioxidant status in rats. 7-week old male Sprague Dawley rats were fed one of the following diets for 8 weeks: basal diet (B), basal+0.3% isoflavone (BI), basal+0.5% cholesterol (BC), or basal+0.3% isoflavone +0.5% cholesterol (BIC). Two-way ANOVA was used to test the effects of dietary isoflavone and cholesterol supplementation and their interaction on variables. Serum lipid profiles and total antioxidant status (TAS) were examined spectrophotometrically. Degree of serum lipid peroxidation was measured by malondialdehyde (MDA) assay. The activities of serum antioxidant enzymes (GSH-Px, total-SOD) was determined. Levels of serum total cholesterol, VLDL+LDL-cholesterol and Atherogenic index were significantly lower in BI than those levels in group B (p=0.0002, p<0.0001, and p=0.0042, respectively). Serum total antioxidant status (TAS) levels were significantly higher, in both isoflavone supplemented groups (BI, BIC) compared to those levels in each control group (B, BC) (p<0.0001). Activity of total-SOD was significantly higher in BI compared to the activities in group B (p=0.0317). There was no interaction between isoflavone and cholesterol supplementation. In conclusion, isoflavone supplementation showed positive effects on the serum lipid profiles and total antioxidant activities in both conditions, either when fed a diet with or without cholesterol. These effects of isoflavone were independent of cholesterol supplementation.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.36 no.6
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• pp.603-612
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• 2003

Postmenopausal women are at an increased risk of developing coronary artery disease. This is due to primarily dyslipidemia accompanying the loss of estrogen secretion. Soy isoflavones are known to have weak estrogenic effects. The purpose of this study is to investigate whether isoflavone supplement improves the risk of cardiovascular disease in hypercholesterolemic postmenopausal women. Subjects consisted of 39 Korean postmenopausal women with hypercholesterolemia (total cholesterol $\geq$ 200 mg/㎗ or LDL cholesterol $\geq$ 130 mg/㎗). Subjects were divided into 2 groups; placebo group (PG), isoflavone supplement group (IG). During 12 weeks, subjects were given placebo and 80mg isoflavone daily. Anthropometric measurement, blood sample analysis and dietary intake measurement were taken at baseline and after 12 weeks. After 12 weeks, systolic blood pressure was decreased significantly (p ＜ 0.01) and plasma HDL cholesterol level was increased significantly (p ＜ 0.05) in IG. But there were no significant changes in plasma total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol and triglyceride levels after isoflavone supplementation. There was a negative correlation between initial plasma HDL cholesterol level and the extent of plasma HDL cholesterol reduction in IG (r＝-0.572, p＝0.012). Atherogenic index (AI), total-/LDL- cholesterol ratio and LDL/HDL cholesterol ratio were improved significantly after isoflavone supplementation. In subjects whose initial plasma LDL cholesterol level were above 160 mg/㎗, plasma malondialdehyde (MDA) level were decreased and total antioxidant status (TAS) were increased significantly after isoflavone supplement (p ＜ 0.05). However there were no significant changes in flow-mediated dilator (FMD), the marker of endothelium-dependent vasodilation and nitroglycerine-mediated dilator (NMD), the marker of endothelium-independent vasodilation and the extent of DNA damage after isoflavone supplement. In conclusion, these results indicate that isoflavone supplement may decrease the risk of cardiovascular disease via improving blood pressure, HDL cholesterol level and AI in hypercholesterolemic postmenopausal women. Futhermore, in case of subjects with elevated LDL cholesterol level, isoflavone supplementation may have more antiatherogenic effects via improving antioxidant status.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.36 no.12
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• pp.1544-1552
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• 2007

The present study evaluated the effects of isoflavone-rich bean sprout on the lipid metabolism in ethanol-treated rats. Fifty male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into five groups: normal control, alcohol control, low soybean sprout+ethanol (low SS), high soybean sprout+ethanol (high SS) and isoflavone extract+ethanol (IE). They were fed experimental diets based on Lieber-DeCarli liquid diet for 40 days. Body weight, food intake and feed efficiency ratio (FER) of ethanol-treated groups were significantly suppressed compared with that of the normal control group. Among the ethanol-treated groups, high SS group showed in significant increase in the body weight, food intake and FER. Supplementation of isoflavone-rich soybean sprout powder or isoflavone extract significantly decreased plasma triglyceride (TG), total cholesterol (TC), atherogenic index (AI) and increased the ratio of HDL-cholesterol to TC. Supplements also significantly decreased total lipid, TG and TC in liver tissue compared with that of alcohol control. There was a significant decrease in hepatic lipid peroxidation products in IE group compared with other ethanol-treated groups. This results suggest that supplementation of isoflavone-rich bean sprout powder may exert beneficial effects on lipid metabolism in chronically alcohol-treated animals by improving lipid profiles in plasma and liver tissues.

• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• v.16 no.sup1
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• pp.147-159
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• 2022

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Complementary and alternative medicines can be used to alleviate climacteric symptoms that significantly affect the quality of life of postmenopausal women. Isoflavones are the most common plant-based therapies for postmenopausal changes, but the results of previous studies have been controversial. MATERIALS/METHODS: To investigate whether isoflavones would affect menopausal symptoms as well as ovarian hormones, we performed a systematic review and meta-analysis. The PubMed and EMBASE databases were used to perform the systematic search. Included studies were limited to randomized controlled trials (RCTs) assessing the impact of isoflavone supplementation on menopausal symptoms. RESULTS: Eleven studies were included for the final quantitative assessment. Isoflavone intervention was varied between 49.3 and 135 mg of isoflavones per day for 12 wk-2 yrs. The meta-analysis showed that supplementation of isoflavones significantly increased the estradiol levels (standardized mean difference [SMD] = 0.615, P = 0.035) and Kupperman index (SMD = 3.121, P = 0.003) but had no significant effect on hot flashes, follicle-stimulating hormone, and luteinizing hormone. However, both estradiol and the Kupperman index showed significant heterogeneity among studies (I² = 94.7%, P < 0.001 and I² = 98.1%, P < 0.001, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: Although the results showed a significant SMD in estradiol and the Kupperman index, the results should be interpreted with caution due to the high heterogeneity. Further validation with a larger RCT will be necessary. Overall, isoflavone supplementation has distinct effects on the climacteric symptoms and hormonal changes in postmenopausal women.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.36 no.2
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• pp.154-166
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• 2003

To investigate the effects of isoflavone supplementation on both bone mineral density and hormone variation in premenopausal women who had decreased bone mass, the 24 subjects were divided into two groups: one was the underweight group, consisting of 13 subjects, and the other was the normal weight group consisting of 11 subjects. For each group, we investigated the effects of isoflavone supplementation of 90 mg/day on both bone mineral density and hormone variation during 3 menstrual cycles. Anthropometric measurements, dietary recall, and analyses of blood and urine were assessed from baseline to post-treatment. The results were as follows: The average age of the underweight group was 21.8 years old and that of the normal weight group was 23.2 years old. The comparative results for the two groups at baseline were as follows: Onset of menarche, menstrual cycle, and menstrual length were not significantly different between the groups. Serum protein, total, HDL-, LDL-cholesterol, triglyceride, Ca, P, Mg, Cu, and Zn level were not significantly different between the groups. Serum estradiol, SHBG, LH, and FSH level were also not significantly different between the groups. Lumbar spine BMD by T scores of the underweight group was significantly lower than that of the normal weight group. Serum osteocalcin, urinary DPD, and urinary pH were not significantly different between the groups. The comparative results for the two groups at post-treatment were as follows: From baseline to post-treatment, the intake of energy, nutrients and isoflavone in food did not significantly change in either group. Serum protein, total cholesterol, HDL-, LDL-cholesterol, and triglyceride levels did not significantly change in either group. Serum Ca, Cu, and Zn levels were significantly lower in both groups and serum Mg level significantly decreased only in the underweight group. Serum estradiol levels were significantly lower in both groups, but serum SHBG, LH, and FSH levels did not significantly change in either group. Lumbar spine BMD by T score of the underweight group significantly increased to 15%, but that of the normal weight group did not significantly change. Serum osteocalcin of the underweight group significantly increased to 28%, while that of the normal weight group significantly increased to 40%. Urinary DPD of the normal weight group significantly increased to 12%. The results show that the BMD of the underweight group was lower than that of the normal weight group. Therefore, the underweight group had a disadvantage in obtaining maximum bone mineral density. The results also show that isoflavone supplementation during 3 menstrual cycles was effective in increasing the bone mineral density of the lumbar spine and affected bone metabolism markers in premenopausal underweight women. Therefore, it can be concluded that sufficient intake of isoflavone could be helpful in preventing decreases in bone mass among premenopausal women, especially underweight women.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.43 no.2
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• pp.123-131
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• 2010

This study was performed to examine the combined effects of gamma linolenic acid and isoflavone supplementation on menopausal symptoms and serum lipids in 73 postmenopausal women. A total subjects were randomly assigned to isoflavone (30 mg) + gamma-linolenic acid (110 mg) group or placebo group. We measured menopausal symptoms by modified Kupperman Index (KI) and oxidized LDL, lipid peroxides, blood components and anthropometric parameters before and after the 12 week intervention period. After the 12 weeks of supplementation, supplement group and placebo group showed a significant reduction of modified kupperman index (p < 0.001). Isoflavone (30 mg) + gamma-linolenic acid (110 mg) supplement group showed a significant reduction of oxidized LDL cholesterol concentration (p = 0.006) whereas placebo group did not show significant change. Isoflavone and gamma-linolenic acid consumption did not significantly affect plasma concentrations of total, LDL, HDL cholesterol, triglyceride, apo A1, B and blood components. The result of present study demonstrated the supplementation of 30 mg isoflavone and 110 mg gamma-linolenic acid per day for 12 weeks may protect LDL cholesterol from oxidative stress.