10.31.08
Indication: Improved artery function in stroke patients
Source: European Heart Journal, September 24, 2008;doi:10.1093/eurheartj/ehn409.
Research: This double-blind, placebo-controlled trial involved 50 patients taking an isoflavone supplement (80 mg per day) over a period of 12 weeks. Fifty-two patients took a placebo. Researchers measured flow-mediated dilation (FMD) in patients with established cardiovascular disease.
Results: Eight percent of the patients had an improved FMD of less than 3.7% at the start of the study, but after 12 weeks of isoflavone or placebo, there was an improvement of 1% in the isoflavone-treated patients compared with controls. Putting these results into context, one researcher commented: "Although the absolute increase in brachial diameter-1%-is small, the relative increase actually amounted to about 50% because the mean average FMD in these stroke patients was about 2%. In fact, in patients with severe endothelial dysfunction, there might not be dilation of brachial diameter at all."