Consumption of Phytoestrogens May Alter Gut Ecology.

A double blind, placebo-controlled study conducted in France and Germany and published in the Journal of Nutrition (135:2786-92, 2005) found that isoflavone supplementation may stimulate the growth of certain types of gut microorganisms. Researchers provided isoflavone supplementation with or without a probiotic and prebiotic to 39 postmenopausal women for two months. The diversity and composition of the gut microorganisms were analyzed. Isoflavones alone stimulated microorganisms of the Clostridium coccoides-Eubacterium rectale cluster, Lactobacillus-Enterococcus group, Faecalibacterium prausnitzii subgroup, and Bifidobacterium genus and the effect was relatively long-lasting, particularly in the bifidogenic area.

Dietary phytoestrogens, such as isoflavones, are used to help prevent menopause-related disorders. In addition to other factors, their bioavailability strongly depends on the activity of intestinal bacteria but the underlying interaction is poorly understood. Researchers stated that this is the first human study to show changes in the diversity and composition of gut bacterial communities in response to dietary supplementation with hormone-related dietary supplements.

Bio-Design Soy Isoflavones provides 40 mg of isoflavones per capsule as well as all naturally occurring soy saponins and soy trace nutrients. Take one capsule twice daily as a dietary supplement to provide a significant soy component to the diet.