By Jimmy Downs

Saturday Sept 15, 2012 (foodconsumer.org) -- Taking s-equol supplements may help individuals with obesity to prevent diabetes, metabolic syndrome and cardiovascular disease, according to a study published recently in Clinical Endocrinology.

Takeshi Usui of National Hospital Organization Kyoto Medical Center in Kyoto, Japan and colleagues conducted the study and found men and women with obesity and overweight who took s-equol supplements improved HbA1c, serum low-density lipoprotein cholesterol and cardio-ankle vascular index score.

S-equol is a metabolite converted by the intestinal bacteria from daidzein, another intermediate metabolite from soy.  The authors said some people can't produce s-equol and they wanted to determine whether s-equol supplements may help obesity and overweight people to prevent metabolic syndrome and cardiovascular disease.  Previous studies have linked use of soy foods to a whole spectrum of health benefits.

The randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled included 54 Japanese overweight or obesity outpatients with a body mass index of at least 25 kg/m2.  For the trial, subjects were randomly assigned to taking a placebo or natural s-equol tablets with 10 mg s-equol daily for 12 weeks.  The equol phenotype was determined and metabolic parameters including cardio-ankle vascular index (CAVI) were measured.

Those who couldn't produce s-quol were found 50 percent more likely to be overweight or obese, indicating that s-equol may have something to do with obesity or overweight.  Compared to the placebo group, those who took the s-equol supplement, particularly women who could not produce s-equol themselves significantly decreased HbA1c (indicator of diabetes risk), serum low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (LDL) levels (indicator of heart disease risk), and cardio-ankle vascular index score (indicator of cardiovascular disease).   

The researchers concluded "The ratio of equol non-producers in overweight or obese populations might be higher than generally reported. Natural S-equol might have a role in glycemic control and in the prevention of cardiovascular disease by its effects to lower LDL-C levels and CAVI scores in overweight or obese individuals."