This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) Submit a response Alert me when this article is cited Alert me when eLetters are posted Alert me if a correction is posted Citation Map Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Request Permissions Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Anthony, M. S. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Anthony, M. S.

(Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis, and Vascular Biology. 2002;22:1245.)
© 2002 American Heart Association, Inc.

Editorials

Phytoestrogens and Cardiovascular Disease

Where’s the Meat?

Mary S. Anthony

From the Departments of Pathology and Public Health Sciences, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC.

Address correspondence to Mary S. Anthony, PhD, Comparative Medicine Clinical Research Center, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Medical Center Blvd, Winston-Salem, NC 27157-1040. E-mail manthony@wfubmc.edu

An extract of the first 250 words of the full text is provided, because this article has no abstract.

The potential role of phytoestrogens in postmenopausal women’s health has been an area of intense interest in recent years and, a report¹ in this issue of Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis, and Vascular Biology adds to this body of knowledge. While there are several different classes of phytoestrogens, much of the recent phytoestrogen research has focused on the isoflavones, most common in soybeans, with some attention on lignans that are abundant in flaxseed. Since cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading cause of death in postmenopausal women, it is important that potential new therapies have proven benefits for CVD risk. Although there are many women taking phytoestrogens to maintain their health postmenopausally, there is only one rather small observational study that has linked phytoestrogen intake with cardiovascular morbidity or mortality.² The results of this nested case-control study were that serum enterolactone concentrations (a lignan metabolite) were lower in men with acute coronary events compared with controls.²

See page 1316

What is the evidence that phytoestrogens might reduce CVD risk? Data in animal models have shown that soy protein with its isoflavones, compared with isoflavone-devoid soy, can inhibit atherosclerosis.^3–6 One study in rabbits found that high doses of an isoflavone extract reduced atherosclerosis.⁷ Two studies in rabbits found an anti-atherogenic effect of flaxseed containing lignans,^8,9 and in one, treatment with the primary lignan in flax inhibited atherogenesis.⁹ Recent cardiovascular research with phytoestrogens in humans has focused largely on risk factors for CVD, including plasma lipoprotein concentrations and to a lesser extent vascular function, LDL oxidation, . . . [Full Text of this Article]

This article has been cited by other articles:

				Y.-H. Chan, K.-K. Lau, K.-H. Yiu, S.-W. Li, H.-T. Chan, D. Y.-T. Fong, S. Tam, C.-P. Lau, and H.-F. Tse Reduction of C-reactive protein with isoflavone supplement reverses endothelial dysfunction in patients with ischaemic stroke Eur. Heart J., November 2, 2008; 29(22): 2800 - 2807. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]