Influence of soybean processing, habitual diet, and soy dose on urinary isoflavonoid excretion

In an attempt to explain the wide individual variation seen in urinary isoflavonoid phytoestrogen excretion, we conducted a series of 3 human feeding studies: a large cross-sectional study of equol production in humans with a soy challenge, a comparison of phytoestrogen metabolism when subjects consumed fermented and unfermented soy products, and a dose-response study of urinary isoflavonoid excretion at the low end of soy consumption. All studies were conducted in young, healthy humans. Urinary isoflavonoids were measured by isotope-dilution gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. Similar to results from other studies, 35% of screened subjects (30 men and 30 women) excreted equol (>2000 nmol/d). In women, equol excretion was associated with higher intake of dietary fiber and carbohydrate. Fermentation of soy decreased the isoflavone content of the product fed but increased the urinary isoflavonoid recovery, suggesting that fermentation increases availability of isoflavones in soy. When soy-protein powder was fed at 0, 5, 10, and 20 g/d (0-36 mg isoflavones), there was a linear dose response of urinary isoflavonoid excretion to soy consumption that did not differ between subjects with high and low equol excretion. These results suggest that equol excretion may be related to the fermentable carbohydrate content of the diet; additional study is needed. Processing of soy affects isoflavone metabolism and must be considered in recommending exposure to isoflavones from soyfoods. Although optimal isoflavone exposure for disease protection has not been determined, urinary isoflavonoid excretion appears linear at low-to-moderate soy consumption.