Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Experiment Videos

Bioavailability of phyto-oestrogens.

Ian Rowland1, Marian Faughnan, Leane Hoey

  • 1Northern Ireland Centre for Food and Health, University of Ulster, Coleraine, UK. i.rowland@ulst.ac.uk

The British Journal of Nutrition
|May 3, 2003
PubMed
Summary

Phytoestrogens, like isoflavones and lignans, are absorbed and metabolized by gut bacteria and the body. Individual differences in metabolism, especially equol production, significantly impact their health benefits.

Related Concept Videos

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

The impact of (poly)phenol-rich sugarcane extract intervention on markers of gastrointestinal integrity and systemic inflammation in response to exertional-heat stress.

Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition·2026
Same author

Plant-Based Diets, Ultra-Processed Foods, and Risks of Mortality and Major Chronic Diseases: A Prospective Cohort Study.

The Lancet regional health. Europe·2026
Same author

Dietary vitamin K intakes, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, adult asthma, and lung function: a prospective cohort study in the UK Biobank.

The American journal of clinical nutrition·2026
Same author

Acute response to a high-saturated-fat, high-refined-carbohydrate meal in healthy young men shows novel perturbation of multiple metabolic and defense pathways.

Food & function·2026
Same author

Associations between source-specific nitrate and nitrite intakes and metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease in two prospective cohorts.

Clinical nutrition (Edinburgh, Scotland)·2026
Same author

The Prime Diet Quality Score (PDQS), chronic disease and cause-specific mortality in UK Biobank: a prospective study.

European journal of nutrition·2026

Area of Science:

  • Nutritional Science
  • Biochemistry
  • Microbiology

Background:

  • Phytoestrogens, including isoflavones (e.g., genistein) and lignans (e.g., matairesinol), are plant compounds with potential health benefits, particularly against hormone-dependent diseases.
  • Their absorption and biotransformation in humans are complex, involving both host and gut microbial metabolism.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the absorption and biotransformation pathways of phytoestrogens in humans.
  • To understand the role of gut microbial and mammalian processes in phytoestrogen metabolism.
  • To identify factors influencing interindividual variation in phytoestrogen metabolism.

Main Methods:

  • Analysis of isoflavone and lignan metabolism in human subjects.
  • Investigation of hydrolysis of glycosidic forms by intestinal beta-glucosidases.

Related Experiment Videos

  • Characterization of mammalian conjugation (glucuronidation, sulfation) and microbial metabolism.

    • Main Results:

    • Phytoestrogens are absorbed after hydrolysis of glycosides by intestinal beta-glucosidases.
    • Absorbed phytoestrogens undergo rapid conjugation (glucuronidation and sulfation).
    • Gut bacteria extensively metabolize phytoestrogens into compounds like equol and enterolactone, with significant interindividual variation observed.

    Conclusions:

    • Phytoestrogen bioavailability depends on initial hydrolysis and subsequent host and microbial metabolism.
    • Gut microflora plays a crucial role in phytoestrogen biotransformation, leading to considerable variation in metabolite production among individuals.
    • Diet and gut microflora composition are key factors influencing phytoestrogen absorption and metabolism.