Short-Term Soy Bread Intervention Leads to a Dose-Response Increase in Urinary Isoflavone Metabolites and Satiety in Chronic Pancreatitis

Abstract

Patients with chronic pancreatitis (CP) are particularly vulnerable to nutrient malabsorption and undernutrition caused by the underlying pathology of their disease. Dietary intervention trials involving soy isoflavones in patients with CP are limited and isoflavone metabolites have not yet been reported. We hypothesized soy bread containing plant-based protein, dietary fiber, and isoflavones would be well-tolerated and restore gut functional capacity which would lead to isoflavone metabolites profiles like those of healthy populations. Participants (n = 9) received 1 week of soy bread in a dose-escalation design (1 to 3 slices/day) or a 4-week maximally tolerated dose (n = 1). Dietary adherence, satiety, and palatability were measured. Isoflavone metabolites from 24 h urine collections were quantified using high-performance liquid chromatography. A maximum dose of three slices (99 mg of isoflavones) of soy bread per day was achieved. Short-term exposure to soy bread showed a significant dose-response increase (p = 0.007) of total isoflavones and their metabolites in urine. With increasing slices of soy bread, dietary animal protein intake (p = 0.009) and perceived thirst (p < 0.001) significantly decreased with prolonged satiety (p < 0.001). In this study, adherence to short-term intervention with soy bread in CP patients was excellent. Soy isoflavones were reliably delivered. These findings provide the foundation for evaluating a well-characterized soy bread in supporting healthy nutrition and gut function in CP.

Advances in the Metabolic Mechanism and Functional Characteristics of Equol

“…Whereas the degree of equol metabolism depends on various factors, dietary habits are one of the important factors leading to differences in intestinal microbiota. It is reported that only 25–30% of young people in Western countries produce equol after eating foods containing soy [ 43 ], which is significantly lower than the 50~60% equol productivity reported in Asian countries such as China, Korea, and Japan [ 44 , 45 ], or Western vegetarianism [ 46 ]. At the same time, the host’s intestinal microbiota, lifestyle, and genetic factors affect the production of equol; however, equol production is still determined by: (1) specific equol-producing bacteria, (2) the source of substrate derived from daidzein, and (3) an intrinsic environment capable of providing redox for the reaction to occur.…”