Effects of soy and other natural products on LDL:HDL ratio and other lipid parameters: A literature review

Abstract

Abnormal lipid levels contribute significantly to the risk of coronary heart disease, a major cardiovascular disease and a serious health problem. Various dietary and pharmacologic treatments have been devised to reduce elevated blood cholesterol levels. Soy protein, soluble fiber, and plant sterol/ester-containing margarines are promising new food-component candidates that may help to realize this goal. Of particular interest in this context is the LDL:HDL ratio, a strong predictor of cardiac events. This report is a review of more than 50 recent trials to determine how such dietary components and garlic affect the LDL:HDL ratio and other lipid parameters. Consumption of new soy products containing high, fixed levels of isoflavones, cotyledon soy fiber, and soy phospholipids (Abaco and Abalon) significantly reduced the LDL:HDL ratio by up to 27%. Soluble dietary fibers such as psyllium and beta glucan from oat bran had a variable effect on LDL-cholesterol levels in the studies analyzed. Plant sterol esters, when consumed in margarines, lowered the LDL:HDL ratio by up to 22%. On average, Abacor and Abalon reduced the LDL:HDL ratio by 20%, LDL cholesterol by 15%, total cholesterol by 10%, and triglycerides by 6%, and increased HDL cholesterol by 5%. The new soy-based supplements may therefore play a valuable role in reducing cardiovascular risk.

Hypolipidemic effect of ethanolic extract from whole plant of Lactuca runcinata (DC.) in atherogenic diet induced hyperlipidemic rats

“…A significant increased in the ratios of total cholesterol: HDL-cholesterol and LDLcholesterol: HDL-cholesterol indicate increased risk of atherosclerosis and coronary heart disease (Ram, 1996). Decline in the ratios of total cholesterol: HDL-cholesterol and LDL-cholesterol: HDL-cholesterol observed in the ethanolic extract of L. runcinata treated rats (group IV) might be consequence of higher proportion of HDLcholesterol which reduced risk by virtue of increased reverse cholesterol transport from peripheral organs to liver (Kinosian et al, 1994;Hermansen et al, 2003).…”

Double-blind, randomized feedback control fails to improve the hypocholesterolemic effect of a plant-based low-fat diet in patients with moderately elevated total cholesterol levels

“…High blood cholesterol in adults is highly associated with an elevated risk of coronary heart disease and stroke and, therefore, is a major public health concern (Ornish et al, 1990; US Department of Agriculture & US Department of Health and Human Services, 2000;Day, 2001;Zunft et al, 2001;Ansell, 2002;Pasternak, 2002;Hermansen et al, 2003). Low-fat diets are an established and effective way in the Significance of treatment effect within groups, no effects of feedback controlling between groups were observed.…”

Hydrolysis of bioactive isoflavone in soymilk fermented with β-glucosidase producing lactic acid bacteria from local fermented foods of Indonesian

“…Soy isoflavones have been implicated in health benefits, including the potential to reduce the risk of age-related and hormone-related diseases including cancer, menopausal symptoms, cardiovascular disease, and osteoporosis (Jacobsen et al, 1998;FDA, 1999;Gerhauser et al, 2003;Hermansen et al, 2003;Omoni et al, 2005). Researches indicate that differences in the chemical structure of isoflavones may result in variable bioavailabilities in biological systems (Brown, 1998;Xu et al, 1994).…”