TO DETERMINE THE EFFECTS OF SOY CONSUMPTION ON MARKERS OF INFLAMMATION AND ENDOTHELIAL FUNCTION IN POSTMENOPAUSAL WOMEN WITH THE METABOLIC SYNDROME

Recently on the metabolic syndrome is considered as an inflammatory disease. So factors affecting inflammation are important in this condition. This randomized cross-over clinical trial was undertaken on 42 postmenopausal women with metabolic syndrome. Participants were randomly assigned to consume a control diet (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension= DASH), soy protein diet, or soy nut diet, each for eight weeks. Inflammatory markers were measured by ELISA. The difference from the control diet for E-selectin (an inflammatory markers which shows the endothelial function) was -11.4% (P<0.01) on the soy nut consumption and -4.7% (p=0.19) on the soy protein diets. Soy nut consumption reduced interleukin-18 compared to the control diet (difference from the control diet: -9.2%, p<0.01). For C-reactive protein the difference from the control diet was -8.9% (P<0.01) on the soy nut diet and -1.6% (P<0.01) on the soy protein diet. Short-term soy nut consumption reduced some markers of inflammation and increased plasma nitric oxide levels in postmenopausal women with the metabolic syndrome.