Soy isoflavones lower blood cholesterol levels

Consuming soy products high in isoflavones significantly helps lower blood cholesterol levels in people with hypercholesterolemia. And the higher the cholesterol levels, the greater the drop.

These are the conclusions of a study conducted among 167 men and women whose cholesterol level was over 140 ml per decilitre of blood. The group was split in two. Half consumed soy protein with no isoflavones, while the other half consumed 3, 27, 37, or 62 mg of isoflavones per day for nine weeks. Those who consumed 37 and 62 mg of isoflavones saw their total cholesterol level drop by an average of 4% to 8% and even as much as 9% in individuals whose blood cholesterol level was over 164 mg/dL. The cholesterol level of participants who consumed soy with no or 3 mg of isoflavones remained unchanged.

Isoflavones belong to the phytoestrogen family, and many studies have demonstrated their positive effect on blood cholesterol levels and the risk of heart disease.
Conclusions of the current study show that consumption of soy protein with isoflavones helps lower cholesterol levels more significantly than a diet including only 300 mg of cholesterol per day and less than 30% of calories from fat, including 8% to 10% from saturated fat.

Crouse JR 3rd, Morgan T, Terry JG, Ellis J, Vitolins M, Burke GL. A randomized trial comparing the effect of casein with that of soy protein containing varying amounts of isoflavones on plasma concentrations of lipids and lipoproteins. Arch Intern Med. 1999 Sep 27;159(17):2070-6.