Prevalence of the Equol-Producer Phenotype.pdf

Original Article Prevalence of the Equol-Producer Phenotype and Its Relationship with Dietary Isoflavone and Serum Lipids in Healthy Chinese Adults Baohua Liu1, Liqiang Qin2, Aiping Liu1, Shigeto Uchiyama3, Tomomi Ueno3, Xuetuo Li4, and Peiyu Wang1 1Department of Social Medicine Health Education, School of Public Health, Peking University, Beijing, PR China 2Department of Nutrition and Food Hygiene, School of Radiation Medicine and Public Health, Soochow University, Suzhou, PR China 3Saga Nutraceutical Research Institute, Otsuka Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd., Yoshinogari, Kanzaki, Saga, Japan 4Otsuka (China) Investment Co., Ltd., Beijing, PR China Received October 19, 2009; accepted April 23, 2010; released online July 24, 2010 ABSTRACT Background: Studies have suggested that daidzein-metabolizing phenotypes have beneficial effects on a range of health outcomes. We investigated the prevalence of equol producers and the relationship of equol phenotype with habitual isoflavone consumption and serum lipid concentrations in 200 Chinese adults in Beijing. Methods: After the baseline survey and dietary records, 200 healthy adults in Beijing were challenged with a soy- isoflavone supplement for 3 days; 24-hour urine samples were collected before and after the challenge. Isoflavones and their metabolites in urine were measured to determine equol phenotype. Serum lipids, uric acid, and other biochemical markers were also measured. Results: Only 26.8% of the participants excreted equol when on a regular diet, as compared with 60.4% after the challenge. After the challenge, urinary isoflavonoid excretion increased in all participants, while equol excretion increased only in equol producers. Isoflavone intake was correlated with urinary isoflavone (range r = 0.49–0.58, P 0.01). As compared with nonproducers, equol producers were less likely to consume cereals (P 0.001). There was no significant correlation between serum lipids and isoflavone intake. Serum lipids were not signific