Soy Protein Improves Lipid Profile & Reduces Albumin Excretion inType 2’s

Soy protein consumption improves several markers in Type 2 diabetes. This study examined the effects of isolated soy protein consumption on urinary albumin excretion, serum lipids, plasma amino acids, and isoflavones in diabetic patients with nephropathy. Male patients with type 2 diabetes and nephropathy were followed in a crossover design for 7 months.
The study comprised two 8-wk intervention periods, placed between a 4-wk lead-in and two 4-wk washout periods. In the 2 intervention periods, 0.5 g/(kg • d) of the dietary protein was provided as either isolated soy protein (ISP) or casein, in random order.

ISP consumption led a decrease of 9.5% in urinary albumin excretion, decreased by 0.45 the total-to-HDL-cholesterol ratio and improved the in the LDL-to-HDL cholesterol ratio by 0.20. This ISP led to a 4.3% increase in HDL cholesterol.
Plasma arginine concentrations, the arginine-to-lysine ratio, and plasma isoflavone concentrations were higher after ISP consumption . Urinary albumin excretion was negatively correlated with plasma total isoflavones, daidzein, and O-desmethylangolesin
It appears that isolated soy protein consumption improves several markers that may be beneficial for type 2 diabetic patients with nephropathy. J. Nutr. 134:1874-1880, August 2004