Phytoestrogens and Lipoproteins in Women

• Published in: The journal of clinical endocrinology and metabolism 2006-06, Vol.91 (6), p.2209-2213
• Main Authors: Bairey Merz, C. Noel, Johnson, B. Delia, Braunstein, Glenn D., Pepine, Carl J., Reis, Steven E., Paul-Labrador, Maura, Hale, Georgina, Sharaf, Barry L., Bittner, Vera, Sopko, George, Kelsey, Sheryl F.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adult; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Biological and medical sciences; Cholesterol, HDL - blood; Cholesterol, LDL - blood; Endocrinopathies; Female; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Genistein - blood; Humans; Isoflavones - blood; Medical sciences; Middle Aged; Triglycerides - blood; Vertebrates: endocrinology
• ISSN: 0021-972X; 1945-7197
• DOI: 10.1210/jc.2005-1853

Objectives: We undertook a study to evaluate relationships among blood phytoestrogen levels, lipoprotein levels, estrogen levels, and angiographically defined coronary artery disease in women. Background: Evidence for a beneficial role and the potential mechanism(s) of plant estrogens (phytoestrogens) on blood lipoproteins in humans is controversial. Methods: We evaluated 483 women enrolled in the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute-sponsored Women’s Ischemia Syndrome Evaluation with coronary risk factors undergoing coronary angiography for evaluation for suspected ischemia for blood phytoestrogen levels (daidzein and genistein), lipoprotein levels [total cholesterol, triglycerides, low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (HDL-C)], estrogen levels (estradiol, bioavailable estradiol, estrone), and angiographic coronary artery disease using core laboratories. Results: Higher blood levels of the phytoestrogen daidzein were associated with lower triglycerides (P = 0.01), higher HDL-C (P = 0.05) levels, and a beneficial total cholesterol to HDL-C ratio (P = 0.02). This beneficial association was evident among the subgroup of women with low [