Including Isoflavones for Better Health

An estimated eight million women in the United States are afflicted with osteoporosis, or porous bone, according to the National Osteoporosis Foundation, Washington, D.C. The disease, characterized by low bone mass and structural deterioration of bone tissue, is most common in postmenopausal women.

In addition to adequate intake of calcium and vitamin D, soy isoflavones are gaining acceptance as a means for supporting bone health. SoyLife®, from Frutarom USA, Inc., is developed from the soy germ, offering a rich source of isoflavones and providing developers with a convenient way to add beneficial soy bioactives to food. “Through a mechanical process, we extract soy germs, roast them and mill them into granules, coarse powder or fine powder,” says Laurent Leduc, vice president, business development and marketing. “SoyLife provides 20 mg isoflavones per gram. Typical usage in functional foods is 1 to 2 grams per serving. It has no negative effect on texture, and provides a pleasant, nutty flavor.”

Soy germ is especially rich in the isoflavone daidzein, which has a relatively high bioavailability compared to other isoflavones. Further, “isoflavones are a form of vital estrogen,” says Leduc. “So they help relieve hot flashes, night sweats and other symptoms of menopause.” In addition, clinical studies have shown soy isoflavones contribute to arterial health, skin health, prostate health and cognitive function.

SoyLife also contains the 40 additional health-supporting nutrients found in the soy germ, including fiber, folic acid, tocopherols (including vitamin E), lecithin, oligosaccharides, phytosterols and more. Frutarom calls this combination of naturally occurring compounds the Soy Matrix®.

Many clinical studies over the past 10 years have proven the efficacy and safety of SoyLife, and Frutarom will provide study summaries on request. The company supplied SoyLife for a $4.5 million, two-year project called Osteoporosis Prevention Using Soy, or OPUS, which concluded in Dec. 2006. Among the project goals were to determine whether isoflavones work, whether they are safe over the long term and the optimal dosage. Results are currently being analyzed and will be posted online this fall at www.bcm.tmc.edu/cnrc/soystudy.

SoyLife is non-GMO and certified 100% organic. It is currently used in such consumer products as oatmeal, beverages, bars, biscuits, breakfast cereal and pasta.