Benefits of Soybean in the Era of Precision Medicine: A Review of Clinical Evidence

Abstract

Soybean ( Glycine max ) is an important ingredient of cuisines worldwide. While there is a wealth of evidence that soybean could be a good source of macronutrients and phytochemicals with health-promoting effects, concerns regarding adverse effects have been raised. In this work, we reviewed the current clinical evidence focusing on the benefits and risks of soybean ingredients. In breast, prostate, colorectal, ovarian, and lung cancer, epidemiological studies showed an inverse association between soybean food intake and cancer risks. Soybean intake was inversely correlated with risks of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), and soy isoflavones ameliorated osteoporosis and hot flashes. Notably, soybean was one of the dietary protein sources that may reduce the risk of breast cancer and T2DM. However, soybean had adverse effects on certain types of drug treatment and caused allergies. In sum, this work provides useful considerations for planning clinical soybean research and selecting dietary protein sources for human health.

Dietary Patterns in Asia: Current Evidence and Future Directions

“…In addition, in several studies on tree nuts, the beneficial effect of a regular consumption was explained via their dominant constituents [ 9 ]. Comparable positive effects have been described for soy [ 10 ]. Owing to the changes in the composition of bioactive metabolites, consumption of fermented soy products could even provide a stronger benefit [ 11 ].…”