Efficacy of Soy-Based Formulas in Alleviating Gastrointestinal Symptoms in Infants With Milk-Based Formula Intolerance: A Randomized Clinical Trial.

A randomized, blinded pilot clinical study was conducted to assess gastrointestinal (GI) tolerance in healthy, full-term infants (2-9 weeks old), whose pediatricians recommended a formula change due to perceived cow's milk formula intolerance. Infants were randomized and exclusively fed either a commercial control soy formula (SF; n = 22), an experimental partially hydrolyzed SF (10% hydrolyzed, n = 23), or a 5% hydrolyzed SF (n = 26) for 2 weeks. Age-matched reference cohorts (n = 72) with no GI intolerance on milk-based formula were assessed in parallel. Results indicated that all SF-fed groups contributed to reduction (P < .05) in common GI tolerance symptoms to levels not different from the non-symptomatic reference cohort at study end. The control SF group had more reduced fussiness, gas, and crying and higher formed stools versus hydrolyzed SF groups. In conclusion, the study suggests that SFs reduced GI intolerance symptoms in otherwise healthy infants with poor tolerance on milk-based formulas.

Phytosterols Supplementation Reduces Endothelin-1 Plasma Concentration in Moderately Hypercholesterolemic Individuals Independently of Their Cholesterol-Lowering Properties.

Experimental and clinical studies have demonstrated the effect of phytosterols (PS) on reducing plasma levels of cholesterol and LDL-c, but the effects of plant sterols beyond cholesterol-lowering are still questionable. Since inflammation and endothelial dysfunction are involved in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis, this study aims to evaluate the effect of PS on biomarkers involved in atherosclerosis progression and whether these effects are independent of alterations in plasma LDL-c levels. Thirty-eight moderately hypercholesterolemic volunteers (58 ± 12 years; LDL-c ≥ 130 mg/dL) were randomly assigned to consume 400 mL/day of soy milk or soy milk + PS (1.6 g/day) for 4 weeks in a double-blind, placebo-controlled, cross-over study. Blood samples were collected and lipid profiles and biomarkers for inflammation and endothelial dysfunction determined. The results showed that PS treatment reduced endothelin-1 plasma concentration by 11% (p = 0.02) independently of variations in plasma levels of LDL-c. No alterations were observed regarding fibrinogen, IL-6, hs-CRP, SAA, TNFα, or VCAM-1 between placebo and PS-treated groups. Furthermore, PS reduced total plasma cholesterol concentration (-5,5%, p < 0.001), LDL-c (-6.4%, p < 0.05), triglycerides (-8.3%, p < 0.05), and apo B (-5.3%, p < 0.05), without changing HDL-c concentration (p > 0.05). Therefore, PS supplementation effectively lowers endothelin-1 independently of the reductions in plasma levels of LDL-c, contributing to the comprehension of the effect of plant sterols on endothelial function and prevention of cardiovascular diseases.

Consumption of a soy drink has no effect on cognitive function but may alleviate vasomotor symptoms in post-menopausal women; a randomised trial.

PURPOSE: Cognitive decline is commonly reported during the menopausal transition, with memory and attention being particularly affected. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of a commercially available soy drink on cognitive function and menopausal symptoms in post-menopausal women. METHODS: 101 post-menopausal women, aged 44-63 years, were randomly assigned to consume a volume of soy drink providing a low (10 mg/day; control group), medium (35 mg/day), or high (60 mg/day) dose of isoflavones for 12 weeks. Cognitive function (spatial working memory, spatial span, pattern recognition memory, 5-choice reaction time, and match to sample visual search) was assessed using CANTAB pre- and post-the 12 week intervention. Menopausal symptoms were assessed using Greene's Climacteric Scale. RESULTS: No significant differences were observed between the groups for any of the cognitive function outcomes measured. Soy drink consumption had no effect on menopausal symptoms overall; however, when women were stratified according to the severity of vasomotor symptoms (VMS) at baseline, women with more severe symptoms at baseline in the medium group had a significant reduction (P = 0.001) in VMS post-intervention (mean change from baseline score: - 2.15 ± 1.73) in comparison to those with less severe VMS (mean change from baseline score: 0.06 ± 1.21). CONCLUSIONS: Soy drink consumption had no effect on cognitive function in post-menopausal women. Consumption of ~ 350 ml/day (35 mg IFs) for 12 weeks significantly reduced VMS in those with more severe symptoms at baseline. This finding is clinically relevant as soy drinks may provide an alternative, natural, treatment for alleviating VMS, highly prevalent among western women.

Impact of Dietary Intake of Medium-Chain Triacylglycerides on the Intestinal Absorption of Poorly Permeable Compounds.

The present study sought to demonstrate the effect of dietary intake of medium-chain triacylglycerides (MCTs) on the intestinal absorption of a poorly permeable compound of intermediate molecular weight (FITC-dextran 4000 [FD-4]). As a model of MCTs, C8-C12 fatty acid triacylglyceride (COCONAD ML) was mainly used, and the dose strength of each triglyceride was set with consideration of the dietary ingestion dose (12.5 mg/rat). When FD-4 with MCTs dispersed in fasted state simulated intestinal fluid containing surfactants was administered into the rat jejunum, the intestinal absorption of FD-4 was significantly higher than when administered with a similar solution with or without corn oil (long-chain triglycerides). The effects of pretreatment by MCT lipolysis, inhibition of endogenous lipases, and different dose timings of MCTs and FD-4 on the intestinal absorption of FD-4 indicated that medium-chain fatty acids, such as caprylic acid and capric acid, released from MCTs by lipolysis in the small intestine significantly enhanced the intestinal absorption of FD-4, but the effect was transient. In addition, a similar effect was observed when MCTs were dispersed in soymilk, although large interindividual variation was detected. These findings suggested that dietary intake of MCTs might affect the intestinal absorption of poorly permeable compounds.

The contribution of milks and formulae to micronutrient intake in 1-3 years old children in urban China: a simulation study.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: A recent dietary survey in 5 big cities in China provided information on various milk options consumed by 1-3 years old children. To investigate the nutritional role of these milks (young-child formula (YCF), cow's milk, others), simulation analyses based on this survey were performed. METHODS AND STUDY DESIGN: We studied daily intakes of calcium, iron, zinc, vitamins A, B-1, B-2, C and E and compared these to the Chinese DRIs. In Scenario 1, consumption of cow's milk, kid's milk and/or soy milk was replaced with matching amounts of YCF (n=66 children). In Scenario 2, where 348 children exclusively consumed YCF, YCF was replaced with matching amounts of cow's milk. RESULTS: Scenario 1 revealed significant increases in total dietary intakes of iron, vitamins A, B-1, C and E upon substitution of the various milks with YCF. The proportions of children not meeting the Estimated Average Requirement (EAR) for these nutrients dropped from 29, 26, 61, 53 and 54 % to 12, 11, 50, 27 and 24%, respectively. In Scenario 2, the hypothetical substitution of YCF by cow's milk increased the proportions of children not meeting the EAR for these nutrients, calcium and zinc from 11, 6, 49, 15, 28, 42, and 8 to 45, 24, 78, 69, 59, 44, and 20, respectively. Execution of Scenario 2 in subgroups of 1-2- and 2-3 years old children revealed similar results. CONCLUSIONS: YCF may help to reduce the risk of insufficient intake of several key micronutrients for toddlers, independent of age.

Effect of soy milk consumption on glycemic status, blood pressure, fibrinogen and malondialdehyde in patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease: a randomized controlled trial.

OBJECTIVE: Diet plays a critical role in the management of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). Studies on the NAFLD's experimental models have reported that soy had positive effects on the improvement of metabolic parameters. However, there is a lack of clinical trials regarding the efficacy of whole soy foods. Therefore, this study was conducted to determine the effect of soy milk on some of the metabolic characteristics in patients with NAFLD. METHODS: Sixty-sex patients diagnosed with NAFLD were included in this randomized, parallel, controlled trial and were randomly assigned to either the soy milk or control group. Both groups received a 500-deficit calorie diet plan. Also, patients in the soy milk group consumed 240 ml/day soy milk for 8 weeks. Fasting blood sugar (FBS), serum insulin, HOMA-IR, HOMA-ß%, and QUICKI as well as serum malondialdehyde (MDA), plasma fibrinogen, and blood pressure (BP) were measured at the beginning and end of the study. RESULTS: After 8-weeks of intervention, soy milk group had a greater significant reduction in serum insulin(-3.44 ± 5.02 vs. -1.09 ± 3.77 µIU/ml, P = 0.04), HOMA-IR (-0.45±0.64 vs -0.14 ± 0.47, P = 0.03), systolic (-3.81±4.15 vs -1.48±2.93 mmHg, P = 0.01) and diastolic (-2.39±2.80 vs. -0.94±2.76 mmHg, P = 0.04) BP, and also, a significant increase in QUICKI (0.02± 0.032 vs. 0.008±0.018, P = 0.04) compared to the control group. While, changes in the FBS, HOMA-ß%, fibrinogen, and MDA were not significantly different between the study groups. CONCLUSION: A low-calorie diet containing soy milk had beneficial effects on serum insulin, HOMA-IR, QUICKI, and BP in patients with NAFLD.

Effects of soya milk on reproductive hormones during puberty in male Wistar rats.

Puberty is considered a critical period on development that involved sexual maturation and morphological changes. Isoflavones have been described as endocrine disruptors in male rats. Therefore, the present study attempt to evaluate the effect that daily intake of low and high doses of isoflavones exert into the hormonal regulation that take place during puberty by analyzing the levels of serum and testes steroid and pituitary hormones. 108 male pre-puberal Wistar rats (30 days old) were randomly divided into three groups; control, low and high doses of isoflavones. Experimental animals were daily dosed orally with low and high doses of a mixture of two soy isoflavones (genistein and daidzein) during 6 weeks. An EIA was performed in serum and testes homogenates for analyzing FSH, LH, P5, P4, DHEA, A4, T, DHT, SO4E1 and E2 hormone concentrations. Results revealed a decrease of an oestrogen environment in testes stimulates the secretion of FSH and LH leading to the production of androgens in the testes at the onset of puberty. Low doses of isoflavones resulted in a significant increase of testes oestrogens that consequently produced a delay on the onset of puberty; however at high doses of isoflavones the maintained oestrogenic environment in the testes prevent the stimulation of the secretion of pituitary hormones and the production of T abolishing the onset of puberty. These results clarify the hormonal mechanisms that take place on puberty and determine the effect of high and low doses of isoflavones at the onset of puberty.

Soymilk ingestion immediately after therapeutic exercise enhances rehabilitation outcomes in chronic stroke patients: A randomized controlled trial.

PURPOSE: This study investigates the effects of an 8-weeks rehabilitation exercise plus soymilk ingestion immediately after exercise on functional outcomes in chronic stroke patients. METHODS: Twenty-two stroke patients (age: 57-84 yrs; time since stroke onset: 2-19 yrs) participated and completed the study. A randomized, placebo-controlled and double-blind design was used. Participants were randomly allocated to either soymilk (SMS; n = 11) or placebo (PLA; n = 11) group and received identical 8-weeks rehabilitation intervention (3 sessions/week; 120 min/session) with corresponding treatment beverages. The physical and functional outcomes were evaluated before, during, and after the intervention. RESULTS: The 8-weeks rehabilitation program enhanced functional outcomes of participants. The immediate soymilk ingestion after exercise additionally improved hand grip strength (p = 0.021), 8-feet walking speed (p = 0.019), walking performance per unit lean mass (p = 0.024), and 6-minute walk performance (6MWT, p = 0.016) compared with PLA after the intervention. However, the improvements in the total score for short physical performance battery (SPPB) and lean mass did not differ between groups. CONCLUSION: Compared with rehabilitation alone, the 8-week rehabilitation program combined with immediate soymilk ingestion further improved walking speed, exercise endurance, grip strength, and muscle functionality in chronic stroke patients.

The effect of a randomized 12-week soy drink intervention on everyday mood in postmenopausal women.

OBJECTIVE: Dietary soy may improve menopausal symptoms, and subsequently mediate mood. This novel study examines various doses of dietary soy drink on everyday mood stability and variability in postmenopausal women. METHODS: Community-dwelling women (n = 101), within 7 years postmenopause, consumed daily either a low (10 mg, n = 35), medium (35 mg, n = 37), or high (60 mg, n = 29) dose of isoflavones, for 12 weeks. Menopausal symptoms and repeated measures of everyday mood (positive [PA] and negative [NA] affect) (assessed at four time points per day for 4 consecutive days, using The Positive and Negative Affect Schedule) were completed at baseline and follow-up. RESULTS: The dietary soy intervention had no effect on everyday mood stability (for PA [F{2,70} = 0.95, P = 0.390] and NA [F{2,70} = 0.72, P = 0.489]) or variability (for PA [F{2,70} = 0.21, P = 0.807] and for NA [F{2,70} = 0.15, P = 0.864]), or on menopausal symptoms (for vasomotor [F{2,89} = 2.83, P = 0.064], psychological [F{2,88} = 0.63, P = 0.535], somatic [F{2,89} = 0.32, P = 0.729], and total menopausal symptoms [F{2,86} = 0.79, P = 0.458]). There were between-group differences with the medium dose reporting higher PA (low, mean 24.2, SD 6; and medium, mean 29.7, SD 6) and the low dose reporting higher NA (P = 0. 048) (low, mean 11.6, SD 2; and high, mean 10.6, SD 1) in mood scores. Psychological (baseline M = 18 and follow-up M = 16.5) and vasomotor (baseline M = 4.2 and follow-up M = 3.6) scores declined from baseline to follow-up for the overall sample. CONCLUSIONS: Soy isoflavones had no effect on mood at any of the doses tested. Future research should focus on the menopause transition from peri to postmenopause as there may be a window of vulnerability, with fluctuating hormones and increased symptoms which may affect mood.

Soy milk: A functional beverage with hypocholesterolemic effects? A systematic review of randomized controlled trials.

OBJECTIVE: Current guidelines have highlighted the role of diet in conjunction with drug therapy in the management of dyslipidemia. Over the last two decades, the effect of soy milk, a derivative of soybean, on blood lipids has been the focus of nutritional researches. The present study aimed to provide a comprehensive review of clinical trials investigating the effect of soy milk on blood lipids. METHODS: An electronic database searching including PubMed, EMBASE, Scopus, and CENTRAL was performed to extract all the records that were published up to May 2018 using MeSH terms and relevant keywords. Randomized clinical trials that had evaluated the effect of soy milk consumption on serum lipids including total cholesterol (TC), triglycerides (TG), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) were eligible for inclusion to this systematic review. RESULTS: Eight eligible trials comprising a total of 263 subjects were included in this review. Three studies reported no significant improvement in any of the serum lipid parameters following soy milk consumption. A significant decrease in serum TG, TC, and LDL-C was reported by 1, 1 and 3 trials. Also, 1 trial found that soy milk consumption was accompanied by a significant increase in HDL-C. CONCLUSION: Evidence from clinical trials regarding the hypolipidemic effect of soy milk is limited and controversial. More well-designed clinical trials with large sample size and longer duration are warranted.

Probiotic Soy Milk Consumption and Renal Function Among Type 2 Diabetic Patients with Nephropathy: a Randomized Controlled Clinical Trial.

Diabetic nephropathy (DN) is one the most important complications of diabetes leading to end-stage renal disease. Dietary approaches have been considered to control of the kidney function deterioration among these patients. The aim of the present study was to determine the effects of fortified soy milk with Lactobacillus plantarum A7 on renal function biomarkers in type 2 DN patients. Forty-eight DN subjects were attended to this parallel randomized trial study. Participants were randomly assigned to consume a diet containing 200 mL/day probiotic soy milk in intervention group or soy milk in the control condition for 8 weeks. An inflammatory adipokine-Progranulin (PGRN), a cytokine receptor-soluble tumor necrosis factor receptor 1 (sTNFR1), and serum levels of Neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (NGAL) and cystatin C (Cys-C) as the new renal function biomarkers were measured after 8 weeks of intervention according to the standard protocol. Our analysis showed that consumption of probiotic soy milk resulted in a significant reduction in the Cys-C and PGRN levels compared with the soy milk (P = 0.01) in the final adjusted model. In addition, after adjustment for age, weight, and energy intake, a marginally significant in the NGAL level was seen between two groups (P = 0.05). However, there was no significant differences on the sTNFR1concenteration between two groups (P = 0.06). Overall, intake of probiotic soy milk may have a beneficial effect on the renal function in patients with DN.

Soy-based infant formula feeding and menstrual pain in a cohort of women aged 23-35 years.

STUDY QUESTION: Is soy formula feeding during infancy associated with menstrual pain in reproductive-age women? SUMMARY ANSWER: Our data suggest that soy formula feeding during infancy is associated with several indicators of severe menstrual pain in reproductive-age women. WHAT IS KNOWN ALREADY: A prior study observed greater severity of menstrual pain in young women who as infants participated in feeding studies and were assigned to soy-based formula feeding. STUDY DESIGN, SIZE, DURATION: We used data from the Study of Environment, Lifestyle & Fibroids (SELF), a cohort of 1696 African-American women ages 23-35 years at enrollment. PARTICIPANTS/MATERIALS, SETTINGS, METHODS: Data on infant soy formula feeding was ascertained by self-administered questionnaire for 1553 participants, with 89% of participants receiving assistance from their mothers. Information on menstrual pain indicators was collected by web- and telephone-interview. We estimated the relative risk (RR) and 95% confidence interval (CI) using log-binomial regression, or log-multinomial regression, adjusting for participant age and maternal education. MAIN RESULTS AND THE ROLE OF CHANCE: Women ever fed soy formula as infants were more likely than unexposed women to report ever use of hormonal contraception for menstrual pain (RR 1.4, CI: 1.1-1.9) and moderate/severe menstrual discomfort/pain with 'most periods', but not 'every period', during early adulthood (ages 18-22 when not using hormonal contraception) (RR 1.5, CI: 1.1-2.0). LIMITATIONS, REASONS FOR CAUTION: We relied on retrospective recall to ascertain infant exposure to soy formula feeding and data on menstrual pain indicators. WIDER IMPLICATIONS OF THE FINDINGS: Our observations add to the growing body of literature from animal and human studies on the reproductive health consequences of early-life exposure to soy formula. STUDY FUNDING/COMPETING INTEREST(S): This research was supported by the Intramural Research Program of the NIH, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences and, in part, by funds allocated for health research by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. This research was also supported by grant K99NR017191 (KU). None of the authors has a conflict of interest. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: Not applicable.

Resting gamma power during the postnatal critical period for GABAergic system development is modulated by infant diet and sex.

Gamma band activity (30-50 Hz) plays an essential role in brain development and function, but neither the early postnatal development nor subject and environmental factors influencing this development have been reported. We documented the development of resting gamma power using high density EEG recordings obtained each month from postnatal month 2 to 6 in 518 healthy infants who were breast-fed (170; 85 boys), fed milk formula (186; 97 boys), or fed soy formula (162; 90 boys). Gamma power was determined for 44 sites distributed over major brain regions and analyses were adjusted for background variables relevant to neurodevelopment. The results show gamma power follows a gradually increasing function across this time period that varies in topographic magnitude and is differentially influenced by subject and environmental variables-among which gestation, head circumference, and infant diet-sex interactions figure most prominently. Relationships between gamma power and standardized measures of infant behavioral development appear to be emerging but are in flux during this time. Since this postnatal period is considered critical in the development of the GABAergic system underlying the generation of gamma activity, the observed findings may reflect organizational changes that will influence the future development of gamma-related behavioral and neurocognitive functions.

Phytosterols and inulin-enriched soymilk increases glucagon-like peptide-1 secretion in healthy men: double-blind randomized controlled trial, subgroup study.

OBJECTIVE: The study aimed to determine the effect of phytosterols and inulin on plasma glucose, insulin, and GLP-1 levels among healthy men after consuming phytosterols and inulin-enriched soymilk for 8 weeks. RESULTS: A total of 26 men at least 20 years old were randomly assigned into the 2 g/day of phytosterols and 10 g/day of inulin-enriched soymilk (intervention) group or into the standard soymilk (control) group. In the intervention group, the area under the curve of Glucagon-like peptide-1 secretion increased significantly, compared to its baseline (p = 0.003). The area under the curve of insulin secretion also increased but it did not meet statistical significance (p = 0.118). The area under the curves of plasma glucose were similar between pre- and post-test (p = 0.348). In the control group, none of the primary results significantly changed compared to their baseline levels. Trial registration Thai Clinical Trial Registry: TCTR20160319001 date: March 19, 2016, retrospectively registered.

Acute effect of soy and soy products on serum uric acid concentration among healthy Chinese men.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Soy products are essential to the daily life of the Chinese population. However, the association between soy products and serum uric acid remains unclear. Better understanding of their relationship could provide food choice information for patients with gout. This study assessed the acute effects of soy and soy products on serum uric acid. METHODS AND STUDY DESIGN: Sixty healthy adult male volunteers were recruited and randomly assigned to six groups. Ten participants in each group randomly ingested one of six foods: water, soy, and four different soy products. A blood test was conducted after 3 h to examine uric acid concentration. RESULTS: The serum uric acid concentration significantly increased by 21.4±23.4 µmol/L at 1 h and 16.3±19.4 µmol/L at 2 h following ingestion of whole soybeans. These changes also applied to the soy powder group. The serum uric acid concentration rapidly increased by 38.1±20.5 µmol/L at 1 h, 34.4±18.2 µmol/L at 2 h, and 24.1±24.2 µmol/L at 3 h after the ingestion of soybean milk. The maximum concentration of serum uric acid was observed at 1 h after intake of soybeans and soy products, and then gradually decreased during the subsequent 2-h period. No significant uric acid changes from ingesting bean curd cake and dried bean curd stick were detected. CONCLUSIONS: Ingesting different soy products resulted in different concentrations of serum uric acid, with soybeans, soybean milk, and soy powder considerably increasing serum uric acid.

Exploratory analysis of the human breast DNA methylation profile upon soymilk exposure.

Upon soy consumption, isoflavone metabolites attain bioactive concentrations in breast tissue possibly affecting health. Though in vitro epigenetic activity of soy metabolites has been described, the in vivo impact on the epigenome is largely unknown. Therefore, in this case-control study, the breast glandular tissue DNA methylome was explored in women undergoing an aesthetic breast reduction. After a run-in phase, 10 generally healthy Belgian or Dutch women received soymilk for 5 days. MethylCap-seq methylation profiles were compared with those of 10 matched controls. Isoflavones and their microbial metabolites were quantified in urine, serum, and glandular breast tissue (liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry) and 17ß-estradiol in glandular breast tissue (immunoassay). Global DNA methylation levels were obtained for 6 cases and 5 controls using liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry. Although lower MethylCap-seq coverages were observed, mass spectrometry results and computational LINE-1 methylation analysis did not provide evidence supporting global methylation alterations upon treatment. At a false discovery rate of 0.05, no differentially methylated loci were identified. Moreover, a set of previously identified loci was specifically tested, but earlier reported results could not be validated. In conclusion, after a 5-day soymilk treatment, no major general epigenetic reprogramming in breast tissue could be found in this exploratory study.

Co-Ingestion of Rice Bran Soymilk or Plain Soymilk with White Bread: Effects on the Glycemic and Insulinemic Response.

The regular consumption of soy products is associated with inverse incidence of type 2 diabetes, and there has been an increasing interest in the glycemia reducing potential of rice bran and its components. In this study, we investigated whether consuming soymilk with the addition of rice bran (fiber) can reduce the glycemic response of a carbohydrate meal. Seventeen healthy Asian men (BMI: 18.5-29 kg/m²) participated in this randomized crossover trial. On four occasions, they consumed white bread (two times) and white bread with two different soymilks differing in protein and rice bran content. Blood samples were taken to measure glucose and insulin response over a period of 3 hours. Taking the glycemic index (GI) value of white bread as a reference value of 100, the GI of white bread when co-ingested with rice bran soymilk (RBS) was 83.1 (±7.7) and sugar-free soymilk (SFS) was 77.5 (±10.1), both were lower than white bread (p < 0.05). The insulin response of both soymilk treatments was similar to white bread (p > 0.05). The glucose/insulin ratio of RBS and SFS were respectively 43.1 (± 6.1) and 60.0 (± 17.0) and were lower (p < 0.05) than white bread (123.5 ± 21.1) during the first 30 min. In conclusion, co-ingestion of low amounts of soy protein with a carbohydrate meal stimulated early-phase insulin secretion and thereby increased blood glucose clearance effectiveness. Furthermore, rice bran-fortified soymilk reduced the glycemic response similarly to soymilk with a greater dose of soy protein. Rice bran and its components offer therapeutic potential for glycemic and insulinemic control.

Consumption of Soymilk Reduces Lipid Peroxidation But May Lower Micronutrient Status in Apparently Healthy Individuals.

Consumption of soy products is speculated to reduce the risk and progression of some disease conditions. The underlying mechanisms mediating this effect are uncertain, but the lowering of oxidative stress has been suggested. This study was aimed at investigating the effect of soymilk on antioxidant status and lipid peroxidation in apparently healthy individuals. Five hundred milliliters of soymilk was taken daily by each of 39 apparently healthy individuals for a period of 28 days. Two sets of blood samples (baseline and after 28 days of soymilk intake) were collected and assayed for total antioxidant capacity (TAC), malondialdehyde (MDA), superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione S-transferase (GST), manganese (Mn) and zinc (Zn) levels, using standard methods. Consumption of soymilk significantly increased serum TAC and reduced serum MDA when compared with baseline values (P < .001, P < .001 respectively). The decrease in MDA concentration was significantly contributed by the women (P < .001). Mean serum Mn was also significantly reduced (P = .03) when compared with baseline values. There were no changes in serum Zn concentration and the activity of SOD enzyme. The serum GST activity was significantly increased in men (P = .02) and significantly reduced in women (P < .001) in comparison with their corresponding baseline values. Daily consumption of soymilk enhanced antioxidant status and this led to reduced lipid peroxidation. It also resulted in a significant reduction of Mn. The dietary use of soymilk as an adjuvant to supplement meals seems beneficial health wise. However, soymilk should be taken with caution as it could result in micronutrient deficiency.

The nutritional limitations of plant-based beverages in infancy and childhood / Limitaciones nutricionales de las bebidas vegetales en la lactancia y la infancia

Breastfeeding, infant formula and cow's milk are basic foods in infant nutrition. However, they are being increasingly replaced either totally or partially by plant-based beverages. The composition of 164 plant-based beverages available in Spain was reviewed based on the nutritional labeling of the package and the manufacturers' webpages. This was compared to the composition of cow's milk and infant formula. In addition, the nutritional disease associated with consumption of plant-based beverages in infants and children was reviewed by means of a literature search in Medline and Embase since 1990 based on the key words «plant-based beverages» or «rice beverages» or «almond beverages» or «soy beverages» and «infant» or «child». The nutritional composition of 54 soy beverages, 24 rice beverages, 22 almond beverages, 31 oat beverages, 6 coconut beverages, 12 miscellaneous beverages and 15 mixed beverages was described. At least 30 cases of nutritional disease in children associated with nearly exclusive consumption of plant-based beverages have been published. A characteristic association has been observed between soy beverage and rickets, rice beverage and kwashiorkor, and almond-based beverage and metabolic alkalosis. The nutritional quality of plant-based beverages is lower than that of cow's milk and infant formula, therefore they are not a nutritional alternative. Predominant or exclusive use of these beverages in infant feeding can lead to serious nutritional risks. In the case of nonexclusive feeding with these beverages, the pediatrician should be aware of the nutritional risks and limitations of these beverages in order to complement their deficiencies with other foods (AU)

La lactancia materna, la fórmula infantil y la leche de vaca son alimentos básicos en la nutrición del lactante. Sin embargo, cada vez son reemplazados, total o parcialmente, por bebidas vegetales. Se ha revisado la composición de 164 bebidas vegetales disponibles en España a partir del etiquetado nutricional del envase y de las páginas web de los fabricantes. Se ha comparado con la composición de la leche de vaca y de la fórmula infantil. Además, se ha revisado la patología nutricional asociada con el consumo de bebidas vegetales en lactantes y niños mediante una búsqueda bibliográfica en Medline y EMBASE desde 1990 basada en las palabras clave «plant-based beverages» o «rice beverages» o «almond beverages» o «soy beverages» y «infant» o «child». Se describe la composición nutricional de 54 bebidas de soja, 24 bebidas de arroz, 22 bebidas de almendras, 31 bebidas de avena, 6 bebidas de coco, 12 bebidas misceláneas y 15 bebidas mixtas. Se han publicado al menos 30 casos de patología nutricional en niños asociadas con un consumo casi exclusivo de bebidas vegetales. Se ha observado una asociación característica entre la bebida de soja y el raquitismo, la bebida de arroz y el kwashiorkor, y la bebida a base de almendras y la alcalosis metabólica. La calidad nutricional de las bebidas vegetales es menor que la leche de vaca y la fórmula infantil, por lo que no son una alternativa nutricional. El uso predominante o exclusivo de estas bebidas en la alimentación infantil puede conducir a graves riesgos nutricionales. En el caso de una alimentación no exclusiva con estas bebidas, el pediatra debe ser consciente de los riesgos y limitaciones nutricionales de estas bebidas para complementar sus deficiencias con otros alimentos (AU)

Soymilk Improves Muscle Weakness in Young Ovariectomized Female Mice.

Estrogens play a key role in an extensive range of physiological functions in various types of tissues throughout the body in females. We previously showed that estrogen insufficiency caused muscle weakness that could be rescued by estrogen administration in a young female ovariectomized (OVX) mouse model. However, long-term estrogen replacement therapy increases risks of breast cancer and cardiovascular diseases. Soymilk contains plant-based protein and isoflavones that exert estrogen-like activity. Here we examined the effects of prolonged soymilk intake on muscle and its resident stem cells, called satellite cells, in the estrogen-insufficient model. Six-week-old C57BL/6 OVX female mice were fed with a dried soymilk-containing diet. We found that prolonged soymilk intake upregulated grip strength in OVX mice. Correspondingly, cross-sectional area of tibialis anterior muscle was significantly increased in OVX mice fed with soymilk. Furthermore, soymilk diet mitigated dysfunction of satellite cells isolated from OVX mice. Thus, these results indicated that prolonged soymilk intake is beneficial for improving muscle weakness in an estrogen-insufficient state in females.