SOY PROTEIN LOWERS CHOLESTEROL, CAN HELP MODIFY RISK OF HEART DISEASE, RESEARCH SHOWS Agnet Aug 27, Aug. 27/98 from a press release St. Louis

Soy protein, when substituted for animal protein in the diet, lowers blood cholesterol, and can be a "viable alternative" for persons who want to modify their risk of coronary heart disease without taking medication, a new review of soy's effects on heart disease indicates. Dr. Susan M. Potter, of the Department of Nutritional Sciences at Protein Technologies International in St. Louis, conducted the review and published a special article on her findings in the August issue of the publication Nutrition Reviews.

She found that recent research also provides evidence that SOY protein and isoflavones, the naturally-occurring nutrients in soybeans, can improve functioning of blood vessels and help prevent formation of blood clots. Dr. Potter, formerly an associate professor of nutrition at the University of Illinois where she conducted research on soy and heart disease, reported on the "potential mechanisms by which soy protein lowers cholesterol concentration."

Her review focused on the effects of SOY protein research which, among other findings, has demonstrated that soy can reduce low-density lipoprotein, or LDL, cholesterol, while high-density lipo protein or HDL cholesterol either remains unchanged or is increased. LDL is so-called "bad cholesterol," and HDL is known as "good cholesterol." Studying what component of soy protein is responsible for fighting fat in blood, she wrote that one isoflavone, genistein, can enhance vascular activity and also can inhibit blood vessel damage as well as formation of blood clots, or thrombus.