To evaluate the hypolipemic and antioxidant effects of soy and green tea alone and/or
in association in dyslipidemic subjects.
One hundred dyslipidemic individuals were allocated into four groups. The soy group
ingested 50 g of soy (kinako) daily, and the green tea group ingested 3 g of green
tea in 500 mL of water per day. A third group ingested 50 g of soy and 3 g of green
tea daily, and the control group had a hypocholesterolemic diet. Evaluations were
performed at baseline and after 45 and 90 d. Plasma levels of total cholesterol, high-density
lipoprotein, and triacylglycerols were evaluated by automated methods. Low-density
lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol was calculated using the Friedewald equation. LDL was
isolated by ultracentrifugation. Total plasma antioxidant capacity and plasma levels
of total lipid hydroperoxides and those linked to LDL were evaluated by chemiluminescence.
The results were expressed as median values and their 25th to 75th percentiles, with
a 5% level of significance.
No significant difference occurred in LDL, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and
triacylglycerol levels across groups. However, a statistically significant difference
in total cholesterol occurred within the soy/green tea group 45 and 90 d after intervention.
No statistically significant difference occurred in plasma levels of lipid hydroperoxides
or those linked to LDL in any of the groups studied. All the groups that used soy
and/or green tea presented increased total plasma antioxidant potential.
Soy and green tea, alone or in combination, increased the total antioxidant potential
of hypercholesterolemic patients, whereas only the combination decreased total cholesterol
levels.