Soybeans contain a naturally occurring compound called daidzein that certain bacteria living within the human digestive tract can metabolize, or convert, into S-equol [7-hydroxy-3-(4'-hydroxyphenyl)-chroman]. Not everyone can produce S-equol after soy consumption, as the production depends on the types of bacteria present in the large intestine and may be influenced by the amount of soy consumed. About 50 percent of Asians and 20 to 30 percent of North Americans and Europeans, who in general consume less soy than Asians, have the ability to produce equol. Studies in Japan have documented an association between milder menopausal symptoms in equol producers as compared to non-producers.
Endocrine hormones not influenced by SE5-OH containing Natural S-Equol in pre- and post-menopausal women
In a study of the 54 post-menopausal Japanese women, the hormone status remained normal and did not differ between the 27 women in the Natural S-Equol group and 27 women in the placebo group, based on measures of their levels of estradiol, follicle stimulating hormone (FSH), thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH), FreeT3 (a form of triiodothyronine) and FreeT4 (a form of thyroxine).
Moreover, the status of these hormones as well as of progesterone, luteinizing hormone (LH) and testosterone remained normal and did not differ between the Natural S-Equol group and the placebo group in a second study of 36 pre-menopausal Japanese women. In this study, the women's hormone status was measured during three specific menstrual cycle phases, the early follicular phase, the late follicular phase and the middle luteal phase, over the course of three cycles.
Both studies used a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel-group design. Both studies used the same formulation of
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