This article contains findings obtained from research on animals:
- The results from animal research studies should not be directly applied to humans and the results may not generalise to the human population.
- There may be significant differences between species in terms of physiology, physiology, and pharmacology, as well as differences in the way diseases and treatments are modelled in animals.
- Any conclusions drawn from animal research should be considered with caution and in the context of other types of research studies such as observational studies, clinical trials, and reviews of the literature.
Insights & Discussion
Traditional fermented products made from soybeans and rice, commonly consumed in the Japanese diet, show significant potential in preventing the progression of fatty liver disease.
In the study, C57BL/6J mice were first acclimated for two weeks. Following this period, they were segregated into groups and fed on different diets for a duration of 20 weeks. These diets included a Normal Diet (ND), a High-Fat Diet (HFD), an HFD containing 5% of the fermented soybean and rice product (denoted as HFD+M), and an HFD with 5% of a pre-fermented form of the product (HFD+PFM). The focus was on assessing the impact of these diets on the development of fatty liver disease in the subjects.
The mice consuming solely the high-fat diet developed the symptoms of a typical fatty liver, as anticipated. However, the mice fed with diets that included either the fermented soybean and rice product or its pre-fermented variety showed a substantial reduction in the progression of the fatty liver disease, notably in the female subjects. This was observed in terms of diminished liver weight. Moreover, a decrease was noted in the levels of leptin and resistin, hormones linked with obesity and insulin resistance, in the serum of these groups. The male subjects also showed resistance against fatty liver disease progression upon the consumption of these diets. This study therefore demonstrates the value of including such traditional fermented food products in the diet as possible deterrents against lifestyle-induced ailments like metabolic syndrome.
Discover Related Insights
Soybean intake can potentially reduce risks of several cancers, type 2 diabetes, osteoporosis, and hot flashes, and it may negatively impact some drug treatments and cause allergies.
2023 Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology Benefits of Soybean in the Era of Precision Medicine: A Review of Clinical Evidence Kang JH, Dong Z, Shin SH
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This research primarily involves review and analysis of current clinical studies focusing on the benefits and risks of soybean ingredients. The method appears to be a systematic review of various epidemiological studies which were investigating the correlation between soybean consumption and the risk of developing multiple types of cancers including breast, prostate, colorectal, ovarian, and lung cancers. Besides cancer, other common diseases such as type 2 diabetes, osteoporosis, and menopausal symptoms like hot flashes were also investigated. Moreover, any potential adverse effects of soybean, including its possible detrimental impact on certain drug treatments and its allergenicity, were also factors of study in these clinical evidences.
In the discussion of results, the researchers found a significant inverse association between soybean intake and cancer risks, wherein an increase in the consumption of soybean foods was associated with a reduced likelihood of cancer. Besides showing potential anticancer properties, soybean consumption was found inversely correlated with risks of type 2 diabetes. Soy isoflavones, compounds present in soybeans, also showed potential benefits in the management of osteoporosis and hot flashes. On the other hand, the adverse effects of soybean, including interference with certain drug therapies and causing allergies, were also duly noted. Therefore, the research concludes that while soybean promises several significant health benefits, caution should be exercised for individuals under specific drug treatments or with allergies to soy.
Changes in gut microbiome associated with a low-fat, vegan diet and cooked soybeans may reduce the frequency and severity of postmenopausal hot flashes.
2023 Complementary Therapies in Medicine A dietary intervention for postmenopausal hot flashes: A potential role of gut microbiome. An exploratory analysis Kahleova H, Holtz DN, Strom N, La Reau A, Kolipaka S, Schmidt N, et al.
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In this study, 84 postmenopausal women experiencing two or more moderate-to-severe hot flashes daily were randomly assigned to a low-fat, vegan diet with daily cooked soybeans or allowed to maintain their usual diet. Over a 12-week period, the frequency and severity of hot flashes were tracked using a mobile application. In 11 women from the group, gut microbiome was analyzed at the start and after 12 weeks of the dietary intervention, using deep shotgun metagenomic sequencing.
The women who underwent gut microbiome testing experienced a substantial decrease in total hot flashes during the dietary intervention, and severe hot flashes disappeared entirely in this group. Alpha and beta diversity within the microbiome showed no significant difference in the intervention group between baseline and the end of the 12 weeks. Interestingly, adjustments in the relative abundance of certain bacterial strains, notably Porphyromonas and Prevotella corporis, were linked with the reduction in severe day hot flashes, while changes in the relative abundance of Clostridium asparagiforme were associated with a reduction in total severe hot flashes and severe night hot flashes.
A combination of soybean germ extract and a probiotic significantly improved menopause-related conditions and mood in an ovariectomized rat model.
2023 Nutrients Anti-Menopausal Effect of Soybean Germ Extract and Lactobacillus gasseri in the Ovariectomized Rat Model Lee SH, Lim TJ, Yun EJ, Kim KH, Lim S
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The study employed an ovariectomized rat model to understand the effects of a combination of soybean germ extract containing 30% isoflavone and a probiotic. The methodology included assessing the effects of this combination on several health markers including body weight, estrogen markers, uterine and bone health, vascular markers, and neurotransmitter levels in these rats.
Once implemented, the combination of soybean germ extract and the probiotic showcased significant improvement in body weight and uterine and bone health of the rats. There were also noticeable effects on the lipid profile, liver function, and vascular markers. Most interestingly, the combination had a positive impact on the levels of serotonin and norepinephrine, indicating potential mood-enhancing effects, which are crucial in managing symptoms post-menopause. This essentially shows the potential of a dietary approach towards menopausal management, especially given the observed benefits without the side effects typically associated with hormone replacement therapy.
Soy protein, bioactive peptides, and isoflavones are generally safe for consumption and may help reduce the risk of several significant health conditions.
2023 PharmaNutrition Soy protein, bioactive peptides, and isoflavones: A review of their safety and health benefits Tan ST, Tan SS, Tan CX
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Methodology: This review followed the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines. It began with a sophisticated multi-database search, featuring resources like Google Scholar, Scopus, and others. This search targeted articles published from 2017 to March 2023 and used specific keywords for accuracy. Forty-three articles were handpicked from this process after excluding reviews, conference reports, duplicates, inaccessible texts, and any non-English publications.
Discussion of Results: A thorough examination of the chosen articles resulted in the conclusion that soy proteins, soy bioactive peptides, and soy isoflavones are typically safe for human consumption. Furthermore, it was found that the consumption of these compounds may have beneficial effects, potentially lowering risk factors for ailments such as osteoporosis, various cancers, hypertension, atherosclerosis, and more.
Fermented Pueraria lobata root extract and Glycine max extract showed estrogen-like activities, reducing depressive symptoms in menopausal mice but not increasing female cancer risks.
2023 Journal of Functional Foods Effects of Pueraria lobata root and Glycine max (L.) Merrill extracts fermented with Lactiplantibacillus plantarum on the depressive-like behavior in ovariectomized mice via upregulation of hippocampal BDNF Ha J, Jang HM, Choi I
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The researchers focused on Pueraria lobata roots and Glycine max (also known as soybeans) extracts, which are rich in isoflavones but often limited in practical use due to their high molecular weight and low bioavailability. The researchers chose to ferment these extracts with Lactiplantibacillus plantarum strains which are known to convert glycosides to aglycones, potentially enhancing the beneficial effects of the isoflavones. Specifically, the study was conducted using ovariectomized mice.
The research found that both fermented Pueraria lobata root extract and Glycine max extract exhibited estrogen-like activities. More intriguingly, the fermentation process increased the expression of estrogen receptor beta, suggesting that these extracts may not increase the risk of various female cancers—a common side effect of hormone replacement therapy—as was previously believed. Also, the ingestion of these extracts not only increased the estrogen receptor beta in the mice but also upregulated the expression of the brain-derived neurotrophic factor in the hippocampal region of the brain, thus improving depressive symptoms. The highest expression was observed in the group given a mixture of both extracts.
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