Traditional Asian Diets Research Articles

The Effects of Traditional Asian Diet on Metabolism, Gut Microbiota, and Liver Tissue in NASH Rats

Traditional Asian Diets (AD) in rural areas have a significant risk of mortality due to cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma as nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). This study aims to determine the relationship between AD and liver cancer cases using rat experimental animals Rattus norvegicus strain Wistar. The measured variables include metabolic parameters, gut microbiota profile, and liver histology. This study used 14 rats in two groups: Chow Diet (7 rats to CD) and AD (7 rats to AD), and were given the respective diets for 12 weeks. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) methods are used to analyze liver enzymes, lipid profiles, and blood sugar levels. The analysis of gut microbiota used variable region-specific 16S rRNA gene and V3-V4. Biopsy stained with Hematoxylin Eosin was used to study the histology of the liver. Moreover, it was analyzed utilizing NAS (NAFLD Activity Score). The result of this study indicated that reduce body weight the rats treated with AD significant different than treated with CD. Firmicutes, Lactobacillus reuteri, Prevotellaceae bacterium, Romboutsia ilealis, and Bacteroidota in AD greater than CD. Alzheimer's disease had notably higher levels of alkaline phosphatase compared to those diagnosed with Crohn's disease on individual diagnosis. Differences in total bilirubin, alanine transaminase, aspartate transaminase, blood sugar, total cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein, low-density lipoprotein, and triglycerides were not significant. The NAS analysis indicated that the two groups comprised rats lacking non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. Despite the high caloric content of the Asian diet, it did not lead to significant changes in metabolic parameters and liver histology related to non-alcoholic steatohepatitis. This behavior can be ascribed to the advantageous influence of the gut microbiota.

Dietary Strategies in the Prevention and Treatment of Hypertension in Children and Adolescents: A Narrative Review.

This study aims to gather information on effective dietary strategies for the prevention and treatment of hypertension (HTN) in children and adolescents. It discusses specific nutritional models such as the Diet Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH diet), traditional Asian diets, plant-based diets, the Southern European traditional Atlantic diet, and the Mediterranean diet, highlighting the benefits of these approaches. The manuscript also addresses dehydration resulting from insufficient fluid intake among children, as well as the consumption of inappropriate beverages, like soft drinks and energy drinks, which contributes to the development of HTN. Additionally, it examines the role of oxidative stress in the pathomechanism of HTN in children, particularly in relation to the antioxidant potential of food components such as selenium, magnesium, and selected vitamins. The relationship between sodium and potassium intake from food and the development of HTN in children is also explored. Finally, this study discusses public health strategies for the prevention of HTN in children. A comprehensive search was performed across multiple databases, such as PubMed/MEDLINE, the Cochrane Library, Science Direct, and EBSCO. This search focused on locating English-language meta-analyses, systematic reviews, randomized clinical trials, and observational studies from around the globe.

Perspective: Beyond the Mediterranean Diet—Exploring Latin American, Asian, and African Heritage Diets as Cultural Models of Healthy Eating

The Mediterranean diet is a well-studied cultural model of healthy eating, yet research on healthy models from other cultures and cuisines has been limited. This perspective article summarizes the components of traditional Latin American, Asian, and African heritage diets, their association with diet quality and markers of health, and implications for nutrition programs and policy. Though these diets differ in specific foods and flavors, we present a common thread that emphasizes healthful plant foods and that is consistent with high dietary quality and low rates of major causes of disability and deaths. In this perspective, we propose that nutrition interventions that incorporate these cultural models of healthy eating show promise, though further research is needed to determine health outcomes and best practices for implementation.

Polysaccharides from Platycodon grandiflorus attenuates high-fat diet induced obesity in mice through targeting gut microbiota

The root of Platycodon grandiflorus (PG), abundant in soluble polysaccharides, has a long history in traditional Asian diets and herbal medicine due to its anti-inflammatory activity and anti-obesity effects. Our previous study was the first to establish a link between the beneficial effects of PG and changes in the gut microbiota, and suggested potential roles that the polysaccharide components play. However, more evidence was needed to understand the anti-obesity functions of polysaccharides from PG (PS) and their relationship with the regulation of the gut microbiota. In this study, we first performed an experiment to explore the anti-obesity activities of PS: Male C57BL/6 mice (six-weeks-old) were fed either a standard control diet (CON), or a high-fat diet (HFD) to induce obesity, or a HFD supplemented with PS (HFPS) for 8 weeks. Body weight and food intake were monitored throughout. Lipid metabolism were determined and related gene expression changes in adipose tissues were analyzed by RNA-seq. Amplicon sequencing of the bacterial 16 S rRNA gene was used to explore gut microbiota structure in fecal samples. Then, we performed the second experiment to explore whether the anti-obesity activities of PS were dependent on the regulation of the gut microbiota: Male C57BL/6 mice (six-weeks-old), treated with an antibiotic cocktail to reduce the gut microbial load, were fed either a HFD (A-HFD) or a HFPS (A-HFPS) diet for 8 weeks. Finally, we used in vitro fermentation experiments to verify the effects of PS on the growth and metabolic activities of the gut microbes. We found that PS significantly reduced HFD-induced weight gain and excessive fat accumulation, changed the expression of key genes involved in lipid metabolism, and attenuated HFD-induced changes in the gut microbiota. However, PS did not affect fat accumulation or lipid metabolism in the gut microbiota depleted mice. Overall, our results show that PS has significant effects on the gut microbiota in the mouse model, and the anti-obesity effects of PS are mediated via changes in the gut microbiota composition and metabolic activity.

A comparative review of different diet types to boost innate immunity among HIV-positive children suffering from leukemia

HIV impairs the immune system by attacking CD4 cells, a specific type of white blood cell. Most children living with HIV are found in Sub-Saharan Africa, yet this group has a dearth of data on cancer rates. Malignancies are common in children living with HIV, and immunosuppression and oncogenic co-infections are major contributing factors. This review study aims to sort and review the different diet types that may help boost innate immunity among HIV-positive children suffering from leukemiaWith the medical topic heading words (MeSH), this review was compiled from articles available without a subscription. HIV-related leukemia, the "inflammatory diet," "immunity-boosting food," and the "HIV diet kinds" were the others. This article only considers publications that have been published and are available online (in open-access databases such as the Directory of Open Access Journals, PubMed, Google Scholar, Semantic Scholar, etc.) between the years 2000 and 2022. As a result of extensive reviews, some effective diet types have come out to support the article’s objective, which is the best dietary approach to prescribe for HIV-induced leukemia. Micronutrient-rich dietary interventions, vitamin A-rich diets, Zinc enriched diet types, Neutropenic diets, Nordic diets, and some traditional Asian diets have been found significant and more effective for long years. The best, most affordable, and most commonly available strategy to maintain good health is to eat more foods that strengthen the immune system. According to the research, the Indian diet is complete with spices, citrus fruits, certain vegetables, herbal tea, honey, and other traditional foods that can strengthen the immune system. Research into diet and Ayurveda is being prioritized in many countries, including the West, mirroring India's approach..

Oral administration of ferulic acid or ethyl ferulate attenuates retinal damage in sodium iodate-induced retinal degeneration mice

Epidemiological studies indicate that the daily intake of antioxidants from a traditional Asian diet reduces the risk of developing age-related macular degeneration. Many of the phytochemicals that are abundant in whole grains exhibit a wide variety of biological activity such as antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and neuroprotective effects. Ferulic acid (FA) is a phenolic acid found in vegetables and grains that has therapeutic potential for diabetes mellitus, Alzheimer’s disease, and other diseases. We investigated the retinal protective effect of FA in a sodium iodate (NaIO3)-induced model of retinal degeneration. In a human retinal pigment epithelial cell line, FA attenuated H2O2-induced injury and lipopolysaccharide- or 7-ketocholesterol-induced inflammation. In mice, the oral administration of FA or its analog, ethyl ferulate, attenuated the morphological and functional features of NaIO3-induced retinal degeneration according to optical coherence tomography and electroretinography. Our results demonstrate that the oral administration of FA provides protective effects to the retina, suggesting that the intake of FA as a daily supplement or daily healthy diet containing rich vegetables and whole grains may prevent age-related macular degeneration.

The Alternate Consumption of Quercetin and Alliin in the Traditional Asian Diet Reshaped Microbiota and Altered Gene Expression of Colonic Epithelial Cells in Rats.

The diet of traditional Asian is similar to the Mediterranean that was considered as a healthy dietary pattern. The report was scarce on whether different plant-derived components with similar anti-oxidative and anti-inflammatory function such as quercetin and alliin in traditional Asian diet consumed in an alternate style cooperatively affect health including the growth of host and the status of the gut microbiota and colonic epithelial immunity. In the present study, the effects of alternate consumption of quercetin and alliin on host health judging by the profile of gut microbiota and gene expression of colonic epithelial cells were investigated with the Illumina MiSeq sequencing (16S rRNA genes) and Illumina HiSeq (RNA-seq) technique, respectively. The results showed that the alternate consumption significantly increased the rat body weight and reshaped the gut microbiota composition. At the phylum level, it significantly increased the relative abundance of fecal Firmicutes and Cyanobacteria but decreased that of Bacteroidetes (P < 0.05) and increased the relative abundance of Candidatus Arthromitus, Lactococcus, Geobacillus, and Ruminococcus at the genus level that benefits the host's health. The alternate consumption of quercetin and alliin also altered 13 genes expression involved in the KEGG pathways of complement and coagulation cascades and hematopoietic cell lineage to improve the gut immunity. Therefore, the alternate consumption of quercetin and alliin in traditional Asian diet can contribute beneficial metabolic effects by optimizing gut microbiota and altering the immunologic function of colonic epithelial cells, resulting in its potential to improve the sub-health status.

English

Hibiscus sabdariffa L. (Malvaceae) calyx is a valuable food resource in Africa. This herb is rich in phenolic compounds and a good source of natural antioxidants. Concentrated extract prepared with Hibiscus sabdariffa L. calyx is commonly used in traditional African and Asian diets and medicines. However, the organoleptic properties of these extracts are degraded during storage. Therefore, the stability of these products is one of the problems faced by roselle calyx extracts users. Stabilization of the H. sabdariffa extract to prevent or reduce quality changes and to extend shelf-life of these products is a challenge to food processors. In this study, strategies for minimizing or eliminating these alterations were evaluated. Concentrated extract of hibiscus calyx (60 °Brix) was divided into three parts: control, pasteurized and addition of potassium sorbate. The samples were stored at 4, 30 or 45°C for three months. Reducing sugars, pH, titratable acidity and total anthocyanins were determined during 0, 15, 30, 45, 60, 75 and 90 days of storage. The results showed that hibiscus calyx extracts can be stored at 4°C for three months without any changes in organoleptic properties. Pasteurization and addition of potassium sorbate did not improve significantly, the stability of the concentrated extracts during storage periods at high temperature. However, these treatments extended the shelf-life at cooling temperature (4°C) without serious changes. Key words: Hibiscus sabdariffa L., calyx extracts, stability, storage, temperature.

ILSI Southeast Asia Region conference proceedings: The gut, its microbes and health: relevance for Asia.

The human being is a complex entity, involving interaction between microbes and the human host. Evidence shows that the nutritional value of food is influenced in part by the structure and operations of an individual's gut microbial community, and food in turn shapes the individual's microbiome. A conference was held to promote understanding of the intestinal microbiome and its implications for health and disease, particularly among Asian populations. Papers describing 1) the intestinal ecosystem in Asian populations, 2) changes in intestinal microbiota through life and its effects, 3) the Asian gut microbiota in disease conditions, 4) indigenous probiotics to maintain a healthy gut microbiota, 5) probiotic regulation in an Asian country, and 6) the results of a panel discussion are included in this report. The gut microbial inhabitants of Asian people differ from those of Europe and North America. Geographic location, diet, and ethnic background influence intestinal microbial composition. Urbanization and economic development have brought changes in traditional Asian diets, which in turn affected the gut microbiome, contributing to a shift in the region's health burden from infectious diseases to non-communicable chronic diseases. Novel probiotic strains of Indonesian origin demonstrated significant enhancement of humoral immune response in human studies. Knowledge gaps and implications for research to further understand the Asian gut microbiome were discussed.

The Effect of Reduced Dietary Fat and Soy Supplementation on Circulating Adipocytokines in Postmenopausal Women: A Randomized Controlled 2-Month Trial

ABSTRACTThe reduced risk of breast cancer observed in Asia has been linked with diets rich in soy foods, and observational studies suggest that regular soy food intake is related to lower circulating levels of some inflammatory markers which have been implicated in breast cancer risk. However, short-term intervention studies with soy-based diets in small numbers of women have shown few significant changes in adipocytokine levels. This 8-wk dietary intervention study in 57 healthy postmenopausal women investigated whether soy food supplementation (50 mg isoflavones or 15 g soy protein in the form of tofu) or a very low-fat diet (11.3% of total energy), similar to the traditional Asian diet, is associated with beneficial effects on serum levels of the following adipocytokines: TNF-α, IL-6, adiponectin, and resistin. We found no statistically significant changes in the levels of these adipocytokines in association with the very low-fat diet or soy supplementation. Only the change in TNF-α levels between the very low-fat and control diet groups had borderline statistical significance. We conclude that ingestion of a very low-fat diet or a soy food supplemented diet for 8 wk does not significantly alter important circulating adipocytokines.

The Correlation Between Dairy Product Consumption and Gastrointestinal Bleed, Ovarian Cancer, and Diabetes in Infants: A Meta‐Analysis Approach

The incidences of gastrointestinal bleeds, ovarian cancer and Diabetes in infants have recently increased. In one study, during the second six months of life, infants who were fed whole cow's milk experienced a 30% increase in intestinal bleeds and significant iron loss in stools. This is presumed to be linked to the consumption of the protein casein found in mammalian milk. Casein is the name for a family of phosphoproteins (αS1, αS2, β, κ). These proteins are found in mammalian milk, making up 80% of the proteins in cow's milk and between 20% and 45% of the proteins in human milk. Casein may be considered a potentially dangerous carcinogen. The study intends to utilize a Meta‐analysis approach for data interpretation. It intends to show a correlation between the consumption of dairy products and the correlating incidence of gastrointestinal bleeds in infants, ovarian cancers and Diabetes Mellitus. One study found that the consumption of cow's milk was associated with weakened immune function in children, which may lead to recurring infections. High circulating levels of growth factors, such as IGF‐1 and VEGF, are found in cow's milk, which are linked to carcinogens. Another Asian population's study discovered that the incidence of cancer is 1 in 100,000 compared to 1 in 12 in the West. Together these imply a correlation between diary consumption and cancers and other diseases given that there is little to no dairy consumption in the traditional Asian diet but abundant dairy consumption in the Western diet. Evaluating the data will lead to more reformed dietary approaches and further highlight the role that cow's milk and other dairy products may play in the prevalence and incidence of ovarian cancer, gastrointestinal bleed in infants and the incidence Diabetes Mellitus.Support or Funding InformationSupported by Institutional Resources of USAT and the Einstein Institute

Effects of the isoflavone prunetin on gut health and stress response in male Drosophila melanogaster

The traditional Asian diet is rich in fruits, vegetables and soy, the latter representing a significant source of dietary isoflavones. The isoflavone prunetin was recently identified to improve intestinal epithelial barrier function in vitro and to ameliorate general survival and overall health state in vivo in male Drosophila melanogaster. However, the prunetin-mediated health benefits in the fruit fly were ascertained under standard living conditions. As the loss of intestinal integrity is closely related to a reduction in Drosophila lifespan and barrier dysfunction increases with age, effects on prunetin-modulated gut health under oxidative or pathogenic stress provocation remain to be elucidated. In this study, male adult D. melanogaster were administered either a prunetin or a control diet. Gut-derived junction protein expression and pathogen-induced antimicrobial peptide expressions as well as the stem cell proliferation in the gut were evaluated. Furthermore, survival following exposure to hydrogen peroxide was assessed. Prunetin ingestion did not attenuate bacterial infection and did not protect flies from oxidative stress. Intestinal mRNA expression levels of adherence and septate junction proteins as well as the stem cell proliferation were not altered by prunetin intake. Prunetin does not improve the resistance of flies against severe injuring, exogenous stress and therefore seems to function in a preventive rather than a therapeutic approach since the health-promoting benefits appear to be exclusively restricted to normal living circumstances.

Lifelong exposure to dietary isoflavones reduces risk of obesity in ovariectomized Wistar rats.

Traditional Asian diet rich in soy isoflavones (ISOs) is discussed to be linked to a lower obesity prevalence. In lifelong and short-term exposure scenarios we investigated effects of an ISO-rich diet on the body composition and development of obesity in female rats. Female Wistar rats grew up on ISO-free or ISO-rich control diet (CON ISO: 467 mg/kg diet). Starting postnatal day 83, ovariectomized and intact animals received high calorie Western diet (WD) in the absence or presence of ISO (WD ISO: 431 mg/kg diet) for 12 weeks to induce obesity or maintained on respective control diet (CON). One group starting ISO exposure after ovariectomy mimics short-term ISO exposure in postmenopausal Western women. Lifelong but not short-term ISO exposure resulted in reduced body weight, visceral fat mass, serum leptin, and smaller adipocytes. ISO decreased hepatic SREBP-1c, ACC, FAS, and PPARγ mRNA expression in nonobese animals. Moreover, ovariectomy reduced skeletal muscle weight, which was antagonized by both short-term and lifelong ISO exposure. Our results indicate that in female rats lifelong but not short-term ISO intake reduces the risk to develop obesity. Furthermore, lifelong and short-term ISO exposure may antagonize loss of skeletal muscle mass induced by ovariectomy.

Soybean and Processed Soy Foods Ingredients, and Their Role in Cardiometabolic Risk Prevention.

Soybeans contain various components with potential health benefits effects, but the impact of soy foods and processed soy foods on human health has gone progressively characterized. Soy foods are the traditional Asian diets; however because of their intended health benefits they have gone popular in Westerners, especially postmenopausal women. There are lots of biologically active soybean constituents that might lead to the possible health benefits of soy, and almost consideration has concentrated on the isoflavones, which have both hormonal and nonhormonal activities. The various other constituents of soybeans (saponins, soy protein or peptides, lecithin, and flavonoids) have differing biological activities. These include hormonal, immunological, bacteriological and digestive effects. This review is the broad assessment of the literature comprehensive the health effects of soy constituents that are of superlative interest. The health benefits of soy foods on four diseases-cardiovascular disease (CVD), non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), obesity and diabetes-are the focus of the review.

The impact of different glycaemic index carbohydrate staple foods on south asian diabetic and cardiovascular indices of health: A RCT

Objective Populations originating from the Indian subcontinent (South Asian) show a particular propensity to develop type 2 diabetes and its associated complications. We aimed to establish the nutritional content and glycaemic index (GI) of carbohydrate staples from a traditional South Asian diet and test their impact on diabetic and cardiovascular indices of health.

A traditional Asian diet modified to meet nutritional requirements of diabetes, has anything changed? A cross-sectional dietary survey

Background: Medical nutrition therapy is the cornerstone of managing type 2 diabetes mellitus. Meals that are modified to suit diabetes should be culturally acceptable, retain palatability and conform to the energy requirements of diabetes. The objective of this study was to find if the dietary patterns of Sri Lankan type 2 diabetes patients have changed from the traditional serving characteristics to align with dietary recommendations of diabetes, while retaining palatability and cultural acceptability. Methods: A cross-sectional survey was performed at a multi-ethnic, tertiary care diabetes facility in Sri Lanka. Fruits, vegetables, starch, pulses, dairy and added sugars in diet were assessed with portion size estimation using a 24-h dietary recall according to standard methods. Results: The meals consumed by participants were “traditional” and retained palatability. Rice contributed to 93% of the starch-based food types. Ninety-two percent consumed starch in excess of the daily recommendation. Fruit and vegetable consumption was 1.3 and 2.8 servings per day, with 33% failing to consume any fruit. Seventy-four percent and 65% of participants failed to consume the minimum daily recommended number of fruit and vegetable servings. Only 1% of participants consumed added sugar. Conclusions: The Sri Lankan diabetes diet is a portion-restricted version of the traditional meal that retained cultural acceptability and palatability. A large proportion of patients still consume carbohydrates in excess of the recommendations. Although there is an increasing trend towards fruit and vegetable consumption, the majority still fell short of the recommendations.

Improvement of insulin sensitivity by isoenergy high carbohydrate traditional Asian diet: a randomized controlled pilot feasibility study.

The prevalence of diabetes is rising dramatically among Asians, with increased consumption of the typical Western diet as one possible cause. We explored the metabolic responses in East Asian Americans (AA) and Caucasian Americans (CA) when transitioning from a traditional Asian diet (TAD) to a typical Western diet (TWD), which has not been reported before. This 16-week randomized control pilot feasibility study, included 28AA and 22CA who were at risk of developing type 2 diabetes. Eight weeks of TAD were provided to all participants, followed by 8 weeks of isoenergy TWD (intervention) or TAD (control). Anthropometric measures, lipid profile, insulin resistance and inflammatory markers were assessed. While on TAD, both AA and CA improved in insulin AUC (−960.2 µU/mL×h, P = 0.001) and reduced in weight (−1.6 kg; P<0.001), body fat (−1.7%, P<0.001) and trunk fat (−2.2%, P<0.001). Comparing changes from TAD to TWD, AA had a smaller weight gain (−1.8 to 0.3 kg, P<0.001) than CA (−1.4 to 0.9 kg, P = 0.001), but a greater increase in insulin AUC (AA: −1402.4 to 606.2 µU/mL×h, P = 0.015 vs CA: −466.0 to 223.5 µU/mL×h, P = 0.034) and homeostatic static model assessment-insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) (AA: −0.3 to 0.2, P = 0.042 vs CA: −0.1 to 0.0, P = 0.221). Despite efforts to maintain isoenergy state and consumption of similar energy, TAD induced weight loss and improved insulin sensitivity in both groups, while TWD worsened the metabolic profile. Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT00379548

Antidepressant-like effects of curcumin in WKY rat model of depression is associated with an increase in hippocampal BDNF

Curcumin is the principal active ingredient found in turmeric (Curcuma longa), a plant used in traditional Asian diets and herbal medicines. It is known to have a wide range of biological actions including antidepressant-like effects which have been observed in stress-induced depression models. This study was designed to investigate the antidepressant potential of curcumin in a non-induced model of depression. Moreover, since brain derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) has been implicated in antidepressant effects of many drugs, we also evaluated the effects of curcumin on BDNF in the hippocampus. Adult male Wistar Kyoto (WKY) rats, a putative model of depression, were injected acutely or chronically (10d) with 50, 100, and 200mg/kg curcumin. Open field locomotor activity (OFLA) and forced swim test (FST), a measure of helplessness, were measured 1h after acute and 18–20h after last chronic injection. Results showed a dose-dependent reduction of immobility in the FST by curcumin in both acute and chronic studies, without any significant effect on OFLA. The effect of higher chronic curcumin dose in FST was still evident a week later. Chronic curcumin also resulted in a dose-dependent increase in hippocampal BDNF. This data provides evidence for an antidepressant-like effect of curcumin, possibly through increased neurotrophic activity, in the WKY model of depression, and support the notion that curcumin may prove an effective and lasting natural antidepressant.

Long-term soy isoflavone supplementation and cognition in women

To determine the cognitive effects of long-term dietary soy isoflavones in a daily dose comparable to that of traditional Asian diets. In the double-blind Women's Isoflavone Soy Health trial, healthy postmenopausal women were randomly allocated to receive daily 25 g of isoflavone-rich soy protein (91 mg of aglycone weight of isoflavones: 52 mg of genistein, 36 mg of daidzein, and 3 mg glycitein) or milk protein-matched placebo. The primary cognitive endpoint compared between groups at 2.5 years was change from baseline on global cognition, a composite of the weighted sum of 14 neuropsychological test score changes. Secondary outcomes compared changes in cognitive factors and individual tests. A total of 350 healthy postmenopausal women aged 45-92 years enrolled in this trial; 313 women with baseline and endpoint cognitive test data were included in intention-to-treat analyses. Adherence in both groups was nearly 90%. There was no significant between-group difference on change from baseline in global cognition (mean standardized improvement of 0.42 in the isoflavone group and 0.31 in the placebo group; mean standardized difference 0.11, 95% confidence interval [CI] -0.13 to 0.35). Secondary analyses indicated greater improvement on a visual memory factor in the isoflavone group (mean standardized difference 0.33, 95% CI 0.06-0.60) but no significant between-group differences on 3 other cognitive factors or individual test scores, and no significant difference within a subgroup of younger postmenopausal women. For healthy postmenopausal women, long-term dietary soy isoflavone supplementation in a dose comparable to that of traditional Asian diets has no effect on global cognition but may improve visual memory. This study provides Class I evidence that long-term dietary supplementation with isoflavone-rich soy protein does not improve global cognition of healthy postmenopausal women.

Isoflavone-Rich Soy Protein and Cognition in Midlife and Late-Life Women: Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Trial (P04.196)

Objective: To determine cognitive effects of long-term dietary soy isoflavones in a daily dose comparable to that of traditional Asian diets. Background Soy isoflavone therapy is suggested to benefit cognitive health in postmenopausal women, but evidence from adequately powered clinical trials is lacking regarding effect on long-term cognitive functioning. Design/Methods: In the parallel-group randomized double-blind Women9s Isoflavone Soy Health (WISH) trial, healthy postmenopausal women were randomly allocated to receive daily 25 g isoflavone-rich soy protein (91 mg aglycone weight of isoflavones) or milk protein matched placebo (0 mg isoflavones). The primary cognitive endpoint compared between groups at 2.5 years was change from baseline on global cognition, a composite score constructed as the weighted sum of 14 individual test score changes from a comprehensive neuropsychological battery. Results: 350 women (mean age 61 years) enrolled in the WISH trial. 313 women with baseline and endpoint cognitive test data were included in intent-to-treat analyses. Adherence in both groups was nearly 90%. There was no significant between-group difference on change from baseline in global cognition (mean standardized improvement of 0.42 in the isoflavone group and 0.31 in the placebo group; mean standardized difference 0.11, 95% CI -0.13 to 0.35). Secondary analyses indicated greater improvement on a visual episodic memory factor in the isoflavone group (mean standardized difference 0.33, 95% CI 0.05 to 0.60) but no significant between-group differences on three other cognitive factors or differences on individual test scores; there was no significant between-group difference within a subgroup of younger postmenopausal women close to menopause. Conclusions: Long-term daily dietary soy isoflavone supplementation has no effect on global cognition among healthy postmenopausal women but may improve visual episodic memory. (ClinicalTrials.gov NCT00118846). Supported by: National Center of Complementary and Alternative Medicine, the Office of Dietary Supplements, and the Office of Research on Women9s Health (U01AT-001653). Disclosure: Dr. Henderson has received research support from Cambridge University Press. Dr. St. John has nothing to disclose. Dr. Hodis has nothing to disclose. Dr. Kono has nothing to disclose. Dr. McCleary has nothing to disclose. Dr. Franke has nothing to disclose. Dr. Mack has nothing to disclose.