A soy isoflavone used in soy infant formula could reduce diarrhea in
infants, according to a new study, and thereby save lives in developing
countries. Researchers at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
(UIUC) found that the soy isoflavone genistin may reduce a baby’s
susceptibility to rotavirus infections by as much as 74 percent. The
study, published in September’s Journal of Nutrition, exposed cells in
culture to rotavirus in both the absence and presence of soy
isoflavones. According to the researchers, the results could flag up soy
isoflavones as a potential alternative to expensive rotavirus vaccines
that are inaccessible to poorer families. As part of the UIUC study,
performed by doctoral candidate Aline Andres, different forms of soy
isoflavones were tested individually as well as together in the complete
mixture that is used in infant formula. «Genistin and the mixture
significantly reduced rotavirus infectivity by 33 to 74 percent,» said
Donovan. «But when genistin was taken out of the mixture, anti-rotavirus
activity was lost, suggesting that it is the active component in
reducing infectivity.»
Category: Productos
Source: NutraIngredients
