The Effects of Soy-Based Infant Formula on Growth and Development, and the Isoflavone Concentration of Plasma and Urine in Full-Term Infants

ABSTRACT

Soy-based formula has been used for centuries in Korea. Soybeans contain phytochemicals with a biochemically active component, isoflavone. Isoflavone is a kind of phytoestrogens, structurally and functionally similar to estrogen. This study was conducted to investigate the effects of soy-based infant formula on growth, development, and isoflavone concentration in the plasma and urine. Thirty-nine healthy infants who were delivered at K university medical center were recruited. Experimental groups were the breast milk group (n = 15, BM) who were fed breast milk, soy-based formula group (n = 10, SBF) who were fed soy-based infant formula, and the casein-based formula group (n = 14, CBF) who were fed casein-based infant formula for 4 months. HPLC analysis was used to measure the concentration of isoflavones. The measurements of infant weight, length, head circumference and chest circumference were all in the normal growth range and were similar among the experimental groups. No significant differences were found in the scores of total mean of infant development test (Development Quotient, DQ) among the experimental groups. The isoflavone content of soy-based formula was significantly higher than. that of breast milk and casein-based formula. Plasma concentration of daidzein and genistein in the infants fed soy-based formula (daidzein 264.1 ng/ml, genistein 392.1 ng/ml) was significantly higher (p<.0001) than that in infants fed breast milk (daidzein 3.4 ng/ml, genistein 3.8 ng/ml) and casein-based formula (daidzein 8.1 ng/ml, genistein 9.3 ng/ml). Also, urinary daidzein and genistein concentrations in infants fed soy-based formula (daidzein 19.82 microgram/ml, genistein 17.89 microgram/ml) were significantly higher (p<.001) than those in infants fed breast milk (daidzein 0.28 microgram/ml, genistein 0.22 microgram/ml) and casein-based formula (daidzein 0.45 microgram/ml, genistein 0.33 microgram/ml).