Effects of soy protein on renal function and proteinuria in patients with type 2 diabetes

Abstract

For > 150 y, clinicians and investigators have observed that high protein intakes accelerate the progression of renal disease and that low protein intakes have beneficial effects. Some studies suggest that the effects of soy-protein intake resemble those of a low-protein diet. The Brenner hypothesis suggests that high protein intakes by diabetic individuals create hyperfiltration and glomerular hypertension eventuating in renal damage. On the basis of the available evidence, we are proposing the soy-protein hypothesis, which states that substituting soy protein for animal protein in diabetes patients results in less hyperfiltration and glomerular hypertension and, therefore, resultant protection from diabetic nephropathy. Furthermore, substituting soy protein for animal protein should have therapeutic value in diabetic nephropathy with resultant slowing of deterioration of renal function and decreasing proteinuria. The preliminary results of the study of 8 type 2 diabetes patients with obesity, hypertension, and proteinuria are reported. Under the conditions of the study, providing soy protein as half of the daily protein intake had no distinct effects on renal function or proteinuria in these subjects. Soy-protein intake was associated with a significant reduction in serum cholesterol and triacylglycerol concentrations. Further studies are required to critically examine the effects of soy-protein intake on the renal function of diabetes patients.

Beneficiary effect of dietary soy protein on lowering plasma levels of lipid and improving kidney function in type II diabetes with nephropathy

“…After soy consumption, total cholesterol decreased significantly, in agreement with another study in which subjects consumed a diet with 50% of soy protein (Anderson et al, 1998). As a result of lower intake of saturated fatty acids during the soy period, we had anticipated this reduction in total cholesterol.…”

“…No significant changes in blood pressure may be related to resistant glomerular injury (Krummel, 2000). As hyperlipidemia can impair the renal vascular resistance and permeability, the observed improvement in proteinuria may contribute to improvement of lipid profiles (Anderson et al, 1998). Mulec et al (1990) also mentioned the association between hypercholesterolemia and diabetic nephropathy.…”

“…Mulec et al (1990) also mentioned the association between hypercholesterolemia and diabetic nephropathy. So soy protein intake may also have a favorable effect on diabetic nephropathy through reductions in serum lipid levels (Dobois et al, 1994;Anderson et al, 1998). It can be concluded that consumption of a diet with soy protein can modify the risk factors of heart disease and renal function in these patients.…”

Soy Protein Intake, Cardiorenal Indices, and C-Reactive Protein in Type 2 Diabetes With Nephropathy

“…A typically prescribed diet for nephropathy contains 0.8 g protein/kg body weight with 70% of total dietary protein as animal protein (1,2). Such a diet might adversely affect blood cholesterol and atherosclerosis (3).…”

Effects of Isoflavone Dietary Supplementation on Cardiovascular Risk Factors in Type 2 Diabetes

“…In particular, the addition of oral supplements, such as soy products, as part of a healthy diet has attracted recent interest because of their beneficial effects on lipid profiles (5-10). However, scant information is available on the effects of soy in individuals with type 2 diabetes (11)(12)(13), who are at higher risk due to hyperlipidemia, lower HDL levels, and abnormalities in LDL/lipoprotein composition (14). It also remains unclear whether a beneficial effect can be attributed to the soy protein or isoflavones.…”