Soy-derived isoflavones treatment in children with hypercholesterolemia: A pilot study

Aims: To evaluate for the first time in children the effect of soy-derived isoflavones on lipid profile and insulin resistance. Methods: Twelve hypercholesterolemic children (8 females) aged 5.3 to 11.2 years have completed a prospective, controlled pilot study. After a low-fat diet for 12 weeks, children who maintained high cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (LDL-C) levels were randomly assigned to three intervention periods of either placebo or low and high dose isoflavone (16 or 48 mg) consumption, each period lasting 8 weeks. Results: The diet significantly reduced LDL-C and apolipoprotein B (Apo B) levels. However, isoflavones had no effect on cholesterol, LDLC, high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (HDLC), triglycerides, lipoprotein (a), Apo B, or insulin resistance, at either low or high doses. Isoflavones had no effect on sex hormones, gonadotropins, sex-hormone binding globulin and thyroid hormones. Conclusions: The results of this pilot study do ' not suggest a beneficial role of an isoflavoneenriched diet in children with hypercholesterolemia.