Soy Isoflavones

The soybean (U.S.) or soya bean (UK) (Glycine max) is a species of legume native to East Asia. It is an annual plant that may vary in growth, habit, and height. It may grow prostrate, not growing higher than 20 cm (7.8 inches), or even stiffly erect up to 2 meters (6.5 feet) in height. The pods, stems, and leaves are covered with fine brown or gray pubescence. The leaves are trifoliate (sometimes with 5 leaflets), and the leaflets are 6–15 cm (2–6 inches) long and 2–7 cm (1–3 inches) broad. The leaves fall before the seeds are mature. The small, inconspicuous, self-fertile flowers are borne in the axil of the leaf and are white, pink or purple. The fruit is a hairy pod that grows in clusters of 3–5, with each pod 3–8 cm (1–3 inches) long and usually containing 2–4 (rarely more) seeds 5–11 mm in diameter.

Like some other crops of long domestication, the relationship of the modern soybean to wild-growing species can no longer be traced with any degree of certainty. It is a cultural variety (a cultigen) with a very large number of cultivars. However, it is known that the progenitor of the modern soybean was a vine-like plant that grew prone on the ground.

Beans are classed as pulses whereas soybeans are classed as oilseeds. The word "soy" is derived from the Chinese word . It is a versatile bean, having a diverse range of uses.

Soy Isoflavones Clinical Studies

• Soy isoflavones do not affect bone resorption in postmenopausal women: A dose response study using a novel approach with 41Ca.
• Suppression of VEGF-mediated autocrine and paracrine interactions between prostate cancer cells and vascular endothelial cells by soy isoflavones.
• Estimated intakes of isoflavones and coumestrol in Korean population.
• Lack of estrogenic or antiestrogenic actions of soy isoflavones in an avian model: the Japanese quail.
• Effects of soy isoflavones and phytate on homocysteine, C-reactive protein, and iron status in postmenopausal women.

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