Abstract
Purpose
Genistein, a phytoestrogen found in soybeans, corrects endothelial dysfunction induced
by oophorectomy in animals. Using a double-blind, controlled, randomized design, we
evaluated its effects on endothelial function in women.
Methods
We enrolled 79 healthy postmenopausal women (mean [± SD] age, 56 ± 4 years) and randomly
assigned them to receive continuous estrogen/progestin therapy (n = 26; 17β-estradiol
[1 mg/d] combined with norethisterone acetate [0.5 mg/d]), genistein (n = 27; 54 mg/d),
or placebo (n = 26). Brachial artery flow–mediated, endothelium-dependent vasodilation
and plasma levels of nitrites/nitrates (a marker of nitric oxide metabolism) and endothelin-1
were measured at baseline and after 1 year of therapy.
Results
Treatment with genistein increased levels of nitrites/nitrates (mean increase, 21
μmol/L; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 15 to 26 μmol/L; P <0.001 vs. placebo); estrogen/progestin therapy caused similar changes (P <0.001 vs. placebo). Plasma endothelin-1 levels decreased following 12 months of
genistein (mean decrease, 7 pg/mL; 95% CI: 3 to 10 pg/mL; P <0.001 vs. placebo) and after 12 months of estrogen/progestin (P <0.001 vs. placebo). When compared with placebo, brachial artery flow–mediated dilation
was improved by genistein (mean increase, 5.5%; 95% CI: 3.9% to 7.0%; P <0.001) and by estrogen/progestin (P <0.001). There were no significant differences between estrogen and genistein for
any of these parameters (all P >0.4).
Conclusion
One year of genistein therapy improves endothelium function in postmenopausal women
to a similar extent as does an estrogen/progestin regimen.
Keywords
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Article info
Publication history
Accepted:
November 27,
2002
Received in revised form:
November 19,
2002
Received:
September 17,
2002
Identification
Copyright
© 2003 Excerpta Medica Inc. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
