This subproject is one of many research subprojects utilizing the resources provided by a Center grant funded by NIH/NCRR. The subproject and investigator (PI) may have received primary funding from another NIH source, and thus could be represented in other CRISP entries. The institution listed is for the Center, which is not necessarily the institution for the investigator. Cardiovascular disease (CVD) remains the leading cause of mortality and disability in post menopausal women. Menopause alters serum lipids and lipoproteins to produce a more atherogenic lipid profile that may contribute significantly to the increased risk for life development of CVD over the lifetime of women. Clinical trials have demonstrated a beneficial effect of soy protein containing isoflavones (soy) on plasma lipids and lipoproteins; however, these studies included small numbers of postmenopausal women and virtually none included sufficient African-American women. In addition, no published data exist on the impact of soy on atherogenic lipoprotein subclasses in postmenopausal women. Therefore, the primary aim of this study is to determine the effects of soy on lipids, lipoproteins, and lipoprotein subclasses in a sample of African-American and white postmenopausal women with low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol elevations that may increase their lifetime risk for CVD but would not qualify for definitive pharmacotherapy under current guidelines. The secondary aims are to assess the impact of soy on menopausal quality of life, including menopausal symptoms, and to examine racial/ethnic differences in quality of life, acceptability, adherence to, and lipoprotein response to the soy supplementation. The proposed study is a double blind, placebo-controlled, parallel group, randomized clinical trial. A total of 160 healthy post menopausal women (50 % African-American) with LDL cholesterol between 130 mg/DL and 190 mg/DL will be enrolled. Following a pre-randomization run-in period on a NCEP Step 1 deit, women will be randomized to receive soy containing isoflavones or casein dietary supplements for 3 months. It is hypothesized that soy supplementation will result in significantly greater reduction in LDL cholesterol, LDL particle concentration, and prevalence of dense LDL particles and improvement in menopausal quality of life compared with placebo and that these effects will be comparable in African-Americans and Whites. This will be the first study to determine whether a natural plant product can ameliorate the unfavorable changes in known and novel lipid risk factors that are a consequence of menopause in both African-American and white women. The unique transitional outcomes explored in this study will add substantially to the limited body of knowledge on the effects of soy. Evaluation of this nutritional alternative to hormone replacement therapy (HRT) that may provide a beneficial effect on lipid risk factors and menopausal symptoms but would be free of the adverse effects on triglycerides, the breast and uterus, and thrombotic events associated with HRT could have significant public health implications for postmenopausal women.
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