Excreción urinaria de isoflavonas en adultos mayores de 65 años que consumen un alimento funcional / Urinary isoflavone excretion in adults older than 65 years consuming a functional food

Functional foods (FF) are aimed to exert beneficial health effects. The isoflavones daidzein and genistein are bioactive phytoestrogens that may act as functional food ingredients. This study measured urinary excretion of these isoflavones contained in a powdered novel FF oriented to the elderly population, ready to consume as such or included into culinary preparations. The ingredients containing isoflavones were soybean flour, soybean protein (Glycine max L) and red clover extract (Trifolium pratense L). The study involved 30 volunteers of both sexes, 60 to 75 years old, who consumed 50 g of FF (n=16) or placebo food without isoflavones (n=14). The 24-hour urinary excretion of genistein and daidzein were determined before and after the intake of the mentioned foods by HPLC with diode array detector. The 24-h urinary concentration of genistein was 2.06+1.41 ppm and the daidzein concentration was 8.80 +/- 4.55 ppm. None of the individuals in the placebo group exhibited detectable amounts of isoflavones in urine. The study demonstrates that both phytoestrogens contained in the FF are bioavailable, first step to confirm their ability to exert bioactive effects. The study opens the possibility to verify the effects of both isoflavones to reduce risk factors of non transmissible chronically diseases.

Los alimentos funcionales (AF) ejercen efectos beneficiosos en la salud. Las isoflavonas daidzeína y genisteína son fitoestrógenos bioactivos que pueden actuar como ingredientes alimentarios funcionales. En este trabajo se evalúa la excreción urinaria de 24 horas de estas isoflavonas contenidas en un nuevo AF en polvo, de preparación instantánea, para ser consumido solo o incorporado en preparaciones, especialmente orientado a adultos mayores. Los ingredientes aportadores de isoflavonas son harina de soya, proteína de soya (Glycine max L.) y extracto de trébol rojo (Trifoliumpratense L.). El estudio se realizó en 30 voluntarios seleccionados de ambos sexos, de 60 a 75 años, divididos aleatoriamente en dos grupos, que consumieron una porción de 50 g de alimento funcional (n=16) o alimento placebo sin ingredientes aportadores de isoflavonas (n=14). La excreción urinaria de daidzeína y genisteína se determinó en la orina de 24 horas antes de la ingesta y posterior a la ingestión del alimento, y fueron cuantificadas por HPLC con detector de arreglo de diodo. La concentración urinaria de genisteína fue 2,06 +/- 1,41 ppm y la de daidzeína fue 8,80 +/- 4,55 ppm. En el grupo placebo las isoflavonas no fueron detectadas en la orina. El estudio muestra que las isoflavonas ingeridas a través del AF son biodisponibles, primer paso para poner en evidencia su carácter bioactivo. El trabajo abre la posibilidad de verificar los efectos de las isoflavonas contenidas en estos AF sobre la disminución del riesgo de enfermedades crónicas no transmisibles.

Marked Individual Variation in Isoflavone Metabolism After a Soy Challenge Can Modulate the Skeletal Effect of Isoflavones in Premenopausal Women

Soy-isoflavones may act as estrogenic agonists or antagonists depending on the endogenous hormone status. These clinical effects can be exerted variably in individuals by the metabolic ability to produce a more potent metabolite than precursors. The objective of this randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study was to investigate the skeletal effect of isoflavones according to their metabolic variability in premenopausal women. Volunteers were randomly assigned to receive either soy-extract isoflavones (n=32) or lactose (n=21) once a day for three menstrual cycles. After intervention, the urinary excretions of isoflavones and their metabolites were significantly higher in the soy group than in the placebo group and showed a large inter-individual variation. Women in the soy group were divided into subgroups according to their ability to excrete more potent metabolites. Serum osteocalcin and urine deoxypyridinoline showed a tendency to increase after a challenge in equol high-excretors. Serum osteocalcin concentration in the genistein high-excretors increased significantly after a challenge (P=0.04) but did not increase in either the placebo or genistein low-excretors. An estrogenic antagonistic effect of isoflavones on bone turnover was observed in premenopausal women who are able to produce more potent metabolites.

Osteoporose: questão nutricional / Osteoporosis: nutritional question

A osteoporose torna-se cada vez mais freqüente, na medida em que os erros alimentares se tornam mais intensos e a prática de esportes, menos valorizada. A grande quantidade de vitaminas e sais minerais presentes na alimentação vegetariana amplamente diversificada favorece o bom funcionamento ósseo, enquanto que a acidez de uma dieta não-vegetariana induz a desmineralização óssea. Os alimentos fritos e (ou) picantes, oleosos, e o excessivo uso de comidas refinadas, como doces, produtos de confeitaria, pães e outros produtos do trigo refinado, são importantes fatores incriminados nas doenças articulares. Neste contexto, o uso da soja tem-se demonstrado de importância crítica no trabalho preventivo e curativo da oesteoporose em todas as faixas etárias. Diante do exposto, há uma necessidade premente de se desenvolver estratégias efetivas na prevenção e controle da osteoporose, visto que atualmente o risco de morte por uma fratura relacionada à osteoporose supera as taxas de mortalidade dos cânceres de mama e ovário em conjunto.

The osteoporosis becomes more frequent because the mistakes related to our nutrition are more intense today, and the practice of sports less often. The great amount of vitamins and mineral salts present in the vegetarian foods amply diversified favors the good bone metabolism, while the acidity of a no vegetarian diet induces the bone demineralization. The fried and(or) spicy foods, the fatty ones, and the excessive use of those refined items as candies and bakery products are important factors incriminated in the diseases of the articulations. In this context the use of soy has being of critical importance for the control of the osteoporosis in the postmenopausal women. In face of the above exposed, it is urgent to develop effective strategies for the prevention and control of the osteoporosis, because nowadays the risk os death related to a osteoporotic fracture overcomes the breast and ovary's cancer mortality together.

Tratamento oral do Diabetes Mellitus: uma nova categoria de antidiabético oral / Diabetes Mellitus oral treatment: a new group of oral antidiabetics

O diabete mellitus é uma patologia de evolução contínua, com conseqüências desastrosas, devido à micro e à macroangiopatia. Diferentes grupos de medicamentos orais, com ações em regiões variadas, procuram minimizar as lesões e retardá-las ao máximo. Infelizmente ainda não temos um grupo de medicamentos que se aproxime do ideal - o qual pudesse atuar retardando tanto quanto possível as complicações crônicas. Neste sentido apresentamos um grupo de substâncias que participam em um mesmo produto e que, devido às suas ações em diferentes regiões do corpo, provavelmente poderão modificar a história evolutiva desta patologia