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 How Does Soy Protein Lower Cholesterol?The evidence showing that soy protein is effective in lowering blood cholesterol levels is overwhelming. Researchers are actively examining why this is the case and recent studies suggest that isoflavones play an important role in the cholesterol-lowering properties of soy protein. IsoflavonesIsoflavones are a group of plant chemicals called phytoestrogens that are virtually absent from the traditional Western diet. Soy is a naturally rich source of these compounds. Recent research strongly suggests that isoflavones in their naturally occurring combination with soy protein play a critical role in the ability for soy protein to lower blood cholesterol levels. A study by Dr. J Robin Crouse 3 at Wake Forest University, USA, showed a very clear relationship between the amount of isoflavones naturally present in the soy protein and the ability to lower cholesterol. Soy protein containing high levels of isoflavones elicited a significant reduction in cholesterol levels. If the isoflavones were at very low levels or virtually absent from the soy protein then no reduction in cholesterol was observed.But isoflavones don't act aloneIsoflavones alone are also not the answer for cholesterol-lowering. Australian research recently published by Dr. Leon Simons and colleagues 4 from St. Vincents Hospital in Sydney, has shown that soy isoflavones cannot bring about a reduction in cholesterol when consumed alone, ie. as a supplement or pill. The study showed that 80mg/day of soy isoflavones (two tablets containing 40mg of isoflavones) did not bring about a change in blood cholesterol level in the subjects studied.Soy protein in combination with its naturally occurring isoflavones is required to elicit a cholesterol-lowering benefit. The search for a complete understanding of the mechanism to fully explain soy protein's cholesterol-lowering properties continues.
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