July 31, 2014 - Blog
New research shows women who consume soy throughout their lives may experience improved heart health, including healthy cholesterol levels and less atherosclerosis—hardening or narrowing of the arteries.
The study looked at the effects of soy consumption on heart health in women, and specifically looked at the effects of lifelong soy consumption versus soy consumption after menopause.
The researchers found consuming soy throughout life produces the least atherosclerosis. Switching to a Westerndiet after menopause leads to just as much atherosclerosis as a lifelong Western diet, and switching to soy from a Western diet after menopause helps only if there isn't much atherosclerosis already.
For the study, researchers at Wake Forest School of Medicine fed premenopausal monkeys a diet with protein derived mainly from animal sources or a diet with protein from high-isoflavone soybeans. After having their ovaries removed, mimicking human menopause, one group of monkeys continued to eat a soy diet, another switched from animal protein to soy, a third group stuck with animal protein, and a fourth switched from animal protein to soy.
After 34 months, cholesterol levels were good in the monkeys who ate soy before and after menopause. And for those that switched to a soy protein diet after menopause, similar to some North American women concerned about their heart health, cholesterol levels did improve significantly (with lower total, LDL, and VLDL and higher HDL). But when it came to how much plaque progressed in the arteries, there weren't any statistically significant differences, despite trends favoring a lifelong soy diet and the switch to soy after menopause.
As far as the total amount of atherosclerosis was concerned, monkeys eating a lifelong soy diet showed a much lower proportion of complicated plaque in the arteries than the other monkeys.
There was a big advantage to a postmenopausal switch to soy for some of the monkeys, however. For those that had small plaques in the arteries at the time of menopause, the switch to soy after menopause markedly reduced the progression of plaque in the arteries.
In addition to its benefits to heart health, soy protein, along with other protein ingredients, can promote satiety, aid in weight loss and support development. Currently, soy protein is the dominant non-animal protein source. For a closer look, check out this FoodTech Toolbox report, “Protein: A Plant-Based Look at This Power Macronutrient."
The study looked at the effects of soy consumption on heart health in women, and specifically looked at the effects of lifelong soy consumption versus soy consumption after menopause.
The researchers found consuming soy throughout life produces the least atherosclerosis. Switching to a Westerndiet after menopause leads to just as much atherosclerosis as a lifelong Western diet, and switching to soy from a Western diet after menopause helps only if there isn't much atherosclerosis already.
For the study, researchers at Wake Forest School of Medicine fed premenopausal monkeys a diet with protein derived mainly from animal sources or a diet with protein from high-isoflavone soybeans. After having their ovaries removed, mimicking human menopause, one group of monkeys continued to eat a soy diet, another switched from animal protein to soy, a third group stuck with animal protein, and a fourth switched from animal protein to soy.
After 34 months, cholesterol levels were good in the monkeys who ate soy before and after menopause. And for those that switched to a soy protein diet after menopause, similar to some North American women concerned about their heart health, cholesterol levels did improve significantly (with lower total, LDL, and VLDL and higher HDL). But when it came to how much plaque progressed in the arteries, there weren't any statistically significant differences, despite trends favoring a lifelong soy diet and the switch to soy after menopause.
As far as the total amount of atherosclerosis was concerned, monkeys eating a lifelong soy diet showed a much lower proportion of complicated plaque in the arteries than the other monkeys.
There was a big advantage to a postmenopausal switch to soy for some of the monkeys, however. For those that had small plaques in the arteries at the time of menopause, the switch to soy after menopause markedly reduced the progression of plaque in the arteries.
In addition to its benefits to heart health, soy protein, along with other protein ingredients, can promote satiety, aid in weight loss and support development. Currently, soy protein is the dominant non-animal protein source. For a closer look, check out this FoodTech Toolbox report, “Protein: A Plant-Based Look at This Power Macronutrient."
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