Got a link to the study?

Steve Holt
The Vegetarian Bodybuilder
www.vegetarianbodybuilder.com

----- Original Message -----
From: Vegan Bodybuilding
To: Veganbodybuilding@Yahoo
Sent: Friday, October 22, 2004 4:16 PM
Subject: [veganbodybuilding] Soya


The soya argument rages on. Here's latest bit of research I've stumbled
across about soya & Equol (Lund, T.D., et al (2004). Equol is a novel
anti-androgen that inhibits prostrate growth & hormone feedback. biol
Reprod. 70:1188-93). Be warned this is only a study of rats, so how that
will convert to people is anyone's guess?

The basic crack is that two main phyto-estrogens are converted into
biologically active forms by action of intestinal bacteria. So, genistin
converts to genistein, & diadzein converts to equol.
In rats (we'll have to wait for human studies to see if it affects us the
same) equol completely inhibits dihydrotestosterone (DHT), a metabolite of
testosterone. DHT is linked with both male pattern baldness & prostate
problems & often the drug finesteride (prostate) or propecia (male pattern
baldness), both different types of the same drug are prescribed. These
inhibit the conversion of testosterone to DHT by blocking the 5-alpha
reductase enzyme.

Equol working in a different way by tying up the hormone & prevents DHT from
binding with the androgen receptors, if it can't bond with these cells, it
can do nothing! So, it could help keep you prostate healthy & your hair on
your head, so it appears that it's not "weak estrogen" effects that offer
protection as has been theorised in the past, but DHT blocking. Now we get
to the interesting bit.

Equol has almost no estrogenic activity, though it does have antioxidant
effects. Equol also works with sex-hormone-binding globulin (SHBG), a
protein that binds testosterone in the blood. Only a small % of
testosterone is not bound in this way & only non-bound testosterone can
interact with the androgen receptors. Equol bonds with SHBG, so it is
possible that you could get a slight increase in free-testosterone levels.
Also the binding of DHT by equol also appears to promote the release of
luteinizing hormone from the pituitary gland (a hormone that regulates
testosterone production).

So, in theory you could keep your prostate healthy, keep your hair, increase
your free-testosterone & possibly increase testosterone production. All
from soya, no doubt the story will continue....

Pete www.veganbodybuilding.org

PS How long before we see Equol supplements hitting the high streets I
wonder?????


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