Summary

Objective – To evaluate the effect of soy germ on the lipidic profile, glycemia, hypothalamus-pituitary-ovarian axis, and estrogen-sensible structures of post-menopausal women.
Setting – Gynecological Endocrinology and Menopause Unit, Gynecological Clinic, Faculty of Medicine, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil.
Design – Prospective and open study.
Methods – The women were selected to receive per os continuous soy germ in cápsules (2,0 g/day) during 1 year.
Main outcome measures – Fasting blood samples were analyzed at visits 1 (basal), 2 (at 90 days), 3 (at 180 days), and 4 (1 year) for total cholesterol, HDL and LDL-cholesterol, triglycerides, glycemia, and FSH, LH, and estradiol. Transvaginal ultra-sonography, mammography and bone densitometry were realized at the start and end of study.
Results – There were no significant modifications of total cholesterol, HDL and LDL-cholesterol, triglycerides, glycemia, and FSH, LH and estradiol, with exception of 18 women that began the treatment with total cholesterolemia > 240 mg/dL, wich exhibited a progressive reduction of LDL-cholesterol in the first 180 days (p=0,01). There was no increase of mammary density except in one case. There was no endometrial thickening. Bone mass was preserved. There were no adverse events related treatment interruptions, that were few, mild, and of short duration.
Conclusions – In post-menopausal women with an elevated blood cholesterol germ soy determines reduction of LDL-cholesterol without increasing HDL-cholesterol neither triglycerides levels. In a prevalent manner soy germ is well tolerated without eliciting unfavorable effects on glycemia, endometrium or breast, and preserves bone mass. The sum of these effects suggests that soy germ has a sermic nature.