A Novel Extract of Fermented Soybean Germs (Aglymax) Inhibited Body Weight Gain and Improved Insulin Sensitivity in Ovariectomized Mice Fed a High‐Fat Diet

Abstract

Metabolic syndrome is the most common nutritional disorder in affluent societies and an increasingly important health problem in developing countries. The effect of soy isoflavones on prevention of metabolic syndrome has not been adequately studied. We determined the effect of a novel extract of fermented soybean germs (AglyMax) on high fat (HF)-induced body weight gain, insulin resistance and hyperinsulinemia in ovariectomized mice. Six-week old female C57BL/6 mice were either ovariectomized (OVX, n=24) or sham-operated (n=16). After one week of recovery, mice were individually housed and the OVX mice were randomized into 3, and the sham-treated mice were randomized into 2 of the 5 experimental groups: (i) Sham: the normal diet with 10% of the energy from fat; (ii) HF-sham: the HF diet with 60% of the energy from fat; (iii) OVX-HF: the HF diet; (iv) OVX-HF and low-dose Aglymax: the HF diet with addition of AglyMax at 0.12% of the diet; (e) OVX-HF and high-dose Aglymax: the HF diet with addition of AglyMax at 0.5% of the diet. Food intake and body weight were measured three times weekly. At twelve weeks, the average body weight gain in HF-sham mice was 239% than that in the Sham mice (P<0.001). The average body weight gain in OVX mice was 139% than that in the HF-sham mice (P<0.001). Mice treated with AglyMax at 0.12% and 0.5% of the diets had reduced body weight gains by 12.7% (P=0.08) and 39.0% (P<0.0001) respectively, compared with the OVX-HF group. OVX mice treated with AglyMax had improved insulin sensitivity as measured by glucose tolerance test and insulin tolerance test. Our studies suggest that dietary supplementation with isoflavone aglycones may be effective in improve HF-induced metabolic disorders.