Statements in which the resource exists as a subject.
PredicateObject
rdf:type
lifeskim:mentions
pubmed:issue
12
pubmed:dateCreated
2002-12-6
pubmed:abstractText
Equol [7-hydroxy-3-(4'-hydroxyphenyl)-chroman] is a nonsteroidal estrogen of the isoflavone class. It is exclusively a product of intestinal bacterial metabolism of dietary isoflavones and it possesses estrogenic activity, having affinity for both estrogen receptors, ERalpha and ERbeta. Equol is superior to all other isoflavones in its antioxidant activity. It is the end product of the biotransformation of the phytoestrogen daidzein, one of the two main isoflavones found in abundance in soybeans and most soy foods. Once formed, it is relatively stable; however, equol is not produced in all healthy adults in response to dietary challenge with soy or daidzein. Several recent dietary intervention studies examining the health effects of soy isoflavones allude to the potential importance of equol by establishing that maximal clinical responses to soy protein diets are observed in people who are good "equol-producers." It is now apparent that there are two distinct subpopulations of people and that "bacterio-typing" individuals for their ability to make equol may hold the clue to the effectiveness of soy protein diets in the treatment or prevention of hormone-dependent conditions. In reviewing the history of equol, its biological properties, factors influencing its formation and clinical data, we propose a new paradigm. The clinical effectiveness of soy protein in cardiovascular, bone and menopausal health may be a function of the ability to biotransform soy isoflavones to the more potent estrogenic isoflavone, equol. The failure to distinguish those subjects who are "equol-producers" from "nonequol producers" in previous clinical studies could plausibly explain the variance in reported data on the health benefits of soy.
pubmed:grant
pubmed:language
eng
pubmed:journal
pubmed:citationSubset
IM
pubmed:chemical
pubmed:status
MEDLINE
pubmed:month
Dec
pubmed:issn
0022-3166
pubmed:author
pubmed:issnType
Print
pubmed:volume
132
pubmed:owner
NLM
pubmed:authorsComplete
Y
pubmed:pagination
3577-84
pubmed:dateRevised
2011-11-17
pubmed:meshHeading
pubmed:year
2002
pubmed:articleTitle
The clinical importance of the metabolite equol-a clue to the effectiveness of soy and its isoflavones.
pubmed:affiliation
Clinical Mass Spectrometry, Department of Pediatrics, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, OH 45229, USA. Kenneth.Setchell@chmcc.org
pubmed:publicationType
Journal Article, Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S., Review