Soy beats milk in cholesterol lowering: Study

WASHINGTON - Scientists have discovered that soy protein lowers total cholesterol and non-HDL (non-high-density lipoprotein) cholesterol significantly more than milk protein in patients with moderately high cholesterol levels.

“Non-HDL cholesterol has been shown to be a somewhat stronger predictor of cardiovascular disease and mortality risk than LDL cholesterol in population studies,” said Elaine Krul, co-author of the study.

This randomized, controlled, parallel arm trial evaluated the effects of an insoluble fraction of soy protein, compared to total milk proteins with high calcium content, on the fasting lipid profile.

“The results of this study also showed that soy protein lowered non-HDL through a mechanism that does not involve increased bile acid excretion, but some yet to be determined mechanism,” said Kevin Maki, lead author of the study.

Solae’s soy protein that was used in this study was a relatively insoluble fraction of soy protein isolate that had been shown to lower plasma cholesterol and increase fecal bile acid excretion in animals.

The levels of isoflavones in the soy protein were lower than the average commercial soy protein isolate further supporting the notion that isoflavones do not play a role in the cholesterol lowering. The milk protein supplemented group also showed a modest cholesterol lowering.

Subjects for this study included men and women 18 to 79 years of age with elevated cholesterol, defined as fasting LDL-cholesterol concentrations of at least 100 mg/dL and less than 200 mg/dL while receiving no lipid altering therapy.

The study has been published in the Journal of Clinical Lipidology last month. (ANI)