Abstract
Dietary phytoestrogens are bioactive compounds with estrogenic activity. With the growing popularity of plant-based diets, the intake of phytoestrogen-rich legumes (especially soy) and legume-derived foods has increased. Evidence from preclinical studies suggests these compounds may have an effect on hormones and health, although the results of human trials are unclear. The effects of dietary phytoestrogens depend on the exposure (phytoestrogen type, matrix, concentration, and bioavailability), ethnicity, hormone levels (related to age, sex, and physiological condition), and health status of the consumer. In this review, we have summarized the results of human studies on dietary phytoestrogens with the aim of assessing the possible hormone-dependent outcomes and health effects of their consumption throughout a lifespan, focusing on pregnancy, childhood, adulthood, and the premenopausal and postmenopausal stages. In pregnant women, an improvement of insulin metabolism has been reported in only one study. Sex hormone alterations have been found in the late stages of childhood, and goitrogenic effects in children with hypothyroidism. In premenopausal and postmenopausal women, the reported impacts on hormones are inconsistent, although beneficial goitrogenic effects and improved glycemic control and cardiovascular risk markers have been described in postmenopausal individuals. In adult men, different authors report goitrogenic effects and a reduction of insulin in non-alcoholic fatty liver patients. Further carefully designed studies are warranted to better elucidate the impact of phytoestrogen consumption on the endocrine system at different life stages.
Highlights
Phytoestrogens are polyphenolic molecules with a structural similarity to endogenous human hormones, their estrogenic activity
This review has summarized the results of studies on the effects of dietary phytoestrogens on endocrine regulation in humans
A study focused on cardiometabolic risk reported a decrease in the level of insulin and insulin resistance in pregnant women consuming higher amounts of isoflavones
Summary
Phytoestrogens are polyphenolic molecules with a structural similarity to endogenous human hormones, their estrogenic activity. According to their origin, lignins are classified into plant lignans (e.g., pinoresinol, secoisolariciresinol, matairesinol, and sesamin) and enterolignans The intake of phytoestrogens has increased due to the widespread use of soy products for human. The intake of as phytoestrogens due to theaverage widespread useofofphytoestrogens soy products for human consumption and cattle food [2].has. Those reachare themetabolized liver are conjugated circulate in lower the plasma excretion[1]. Those are not that absorbed by the gutand microbiota into weightuntil compounds diversity that arematrices not absorbed metabolized gut microbiota intoinlower weight compounds of food (fromare pure compoundsbytothe complex foods) used clinical studies could [1].
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