ABSTRACT
Interest in soy protein, both as a dietary supplement and as a component of diet, has increased rapidly based on the assumption that it may provide certain health benefits, particularly the reduction of coronary heart disease. The putative cardiovascular benefits of soy protein are related in part to the observation that Asian populations consuming diets rich in soy protein have lower rates of cardiovascular disease (CVD) than Western populations. Mortality rates due to CVD are eight times higher for men and women living in the U.S. than for Japanese men and women living in Asia. However, Japanese men and women who have migrated to the U.S. have risks of CVD similar to Western populations.
