Chemopreventive and potential therapeutic effects of soy isoflavones have been shown to be effective in numerous preclinical studies as well as clinical studies in prostate cancer. Although the inhibition of androgen receptor signaling has been supposed as one mechanism underlying their effects, the precise mechanism of androgen receptor inhibition remains unclear. Thus, this study aimed to cla...

BACKGROUND Isoflavones, the most abundant phytoestrogens in soy foods, are structurally similar to 17beta-estradiol. Few studies have examined the nociception and stress hormone responses after consumption of soy isoflavones. METHODS In this study, ovariectomized (OVX) female Long-Evans rats were fed either an isoflavone-rich diet (Phyto-600) or an isoflavone-free diet (Phyto-free). We examin...

Introduction It has been recognized for several decades that the use of legumes in traditional eastern diets has played a significant role in the incidence and mortality of certain disease states. Soy beans and products containing soy possess unique phytochemicals known as isoflavones which are thought to exert many biological effects in the human body. Scientists have proposed that these uniqu...

Background: Implantation is a crucial period determining the success of a full pregnancy. Endocrine disruptors such as phytoestrogens (PEs) were thought to adversely influence embryonic implantations. However, the mechanism by which they upset implantation was not fully elucidated. Aims: The effect of administering soy isoflavones on the implantation of Wistar ...

The consumption of soy and soy isoflavones has been associated with a decreased risk of certain cancers. A factor contributing to this dietary chemoprevention is the activity of phase I and II biotransformation enzymes. This study evaluated the hypothesis that dietary soy isoflavones will increase hepatic and extrahepatic quinone reductase (QR), UDP-glucuronosyltransferase (UGT), and glutathion...

Isoflavones are soy phytoestrogens that have been suggested to be anticarcinogenic. Our previous study in premenopausal women suggested that the mechanisms by which isoflavones exert cancer-preventive effects may involve modulation of estrogen metabolism away from production of potentially carcinogenic metabolites [16alpha-(OH) estrone, 4-(OH) estrone, and 4-(OH) estradiol] (X. Xu et al., Cance...

BACKGROUND Soy and red clover isoflavones are controversial due to purported estrogenic activity and possible effects on breast cancer. We conducted a systematic review of soy and red clover for efficacy in improving menopausal symptoms in women with breast cancer, and for potential impact on risk of breast cancer incidence or recurrence. METHODS We searched MEDLINE, Embase, the Cochrane Libr...

BACKGROUND Many of the benefits of soy have been attributed to soy isoflavones. OBJECTIVE The objective was to determine the effects of high- and low-isoflavone soy-protein foods on both lipid and nonlipid risk factors for coronary artery disease (CAD). METHODS Forty-one hyperlipidemic men and postmenopausal women participated in a study with three 1-mo diets: a low-fat dairy food control d...

Phytoestrogens have become one of the more topical areas of interest in clinical nutrition. These non-nutrient bioactive compounds are ubiquitous to the plant kingdom and possess a wide range of biological properties that contribute to the many different health-related benefits reported for soy foods and flaxseeds--two of the most abundant dietary sources of phytoestrogens. Reviewed is the rece...