A Non-Probiotic Fermented Soy Product Reduces Total and LDL Cholesterol: A Randomized Controlled Crossover Trial

• Published in: Nutrients 2021-02, Vol.13 (2), p.535
• Main Authors: Jung, Sarah M, Haddad, Ella H, Kaur, Amandeep, Sirirat, Rawiwan, Kim, Alice Y, Oda, Keiji, Rajaram, Sujatha, Sabaté, Joan
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adult; Aged; Apolipoprotein A-I - blood; Apolipoprotein B; Apolipoproteins B - blood; Biomarkers - blood; Biomarkers - urine; Blood; Blood lipids; Blood pressure; Cardiovascular diseases; Cardiovascular Diseases - etiology; Cardiovascular Diseases - prevention & control; Cholesterol; Cholesterol - blood; Cholesterol, HDL - blood; Cholesterol, LDL - blood; Compliance; Cross-Over Studies; Daidzein; Diet - methods; Female; Fermented food; Fermented Foods and Beverages; Food; Food production; Genistein; Genistein - urine; Germination; Health risks; Heart Disease Risk Factors; High density lipoprotein; Humans; Infection control; Isoflavones; Isoflavones - urine; Laboratories; Lifestyles; Lipids; Low density lipoprotein; Low density lipoproteins; Male; Medical research; Medicine, Experimental; Middle Aged; Nutrition research; Probiotics; Proteins; Risk analysis; Risk factors; Soy Foods; Soy products; Trans fatty acids; Womens health
• ISSN: 2072-6643; 2072-6643
• DOI: 10.3390/nu13020535

Traditional Asian fermented soy food products are associated with reduced cardiovascular disease risk in prospective studies, but few randomized controlled trials have been conducted in at-risk populations. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of a commercial non-probiotic fermented soy product on blood lipids in adults with cardiovascular risk biomarkers. In a randomized, crossover, intervention study, 27 men and women (aged 29-75 y) exhibiting at least two risk factors, consumed two packets (12.5 g each) daily of a fermented powdered soy product, or an isoenergic control powder made from germinated brown rice for 12 weeks each. The consumption of the fermented soy product resulted in a significantly greater mean change from baseline (compared to the germinated rice, all < 0.05) in total cholesterol of -0.23 mmol/L (CI: -0.40, -0.06) compared with 0.14 mmol/L (CI: -0.03, 0.31), respectively; and low density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol -0.18 mmol/L (CI: -0.32, -0.04) compared with 0.04 mmol/L (CI: -0.01, 0.018) respectively. This was accompanied by an increase in high density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol in the germinated rice group, a decrease in apolipoprotein B (ApoB) in the fermented soy group, and a between-treatment effect in apolipoprotein A1 (ApoA1); however, the ratio of the LDL:HDL and of Apo B:ApoA1 did not differ between the groups. The ratio of total cholesterol:LDL decreased in men in the fermented soy group ( < 0.001). Twenty-four-hour urine collection at the end of each treatment period resulted in an increased excretion expressed as a ratio in μmol/d between treatments of 10.93 (CI: 5.07, 23.54) for daidzein; 1.24 (CI: 1.14, 4.43) for genistein; and, 8.48 (CI: 4.28, 16.80) for glycitein, all < 0.05. The fermented soy powder consumed by participants in this study without implementing other changes in their typical diets, decreased the total and LDL cholesterol, and may serve as a dietary strategy to manage blood lipids. The trial was registered at ClinicalTrials.gov as NCT03429920.