Metabolism and health effects of phyto-estrogens

ABSTRACT

Phyto-estrogens are plant-derived compounds that can exert various estrogenic and anti-estrogenic effects, and are usually used as a natural alternative to estrogen replacement due to their health benefits, including a lowered risk of osteoporosis, heart disease, breast cancer, and menopausal symptoms. Phyto-estrogens are also considered as endocrine disruptors due to their structure similar to human female hormone 17-β oestradiol. However, the issue of whether phyto-estrogens are beneficial or harmful to human health remains unknown, as this may depend on the dose, form, level and duration of administration of phyto-estrogens, and influence by genetics, metabolism, gut physiology, age, diet, and the health status of individuals. Clarification on this issue is necessary for the sake of their two-side effects on human health and rapidly increasing global consumption of phyto-estrogens. This review mainly includes the metabolism of phyto-estrogens and weighs the evidence for and against the purported health benefits and adverse effects of phyto-estrogens.

KEYWORDS:

• Phyto-estrogens
• metabolism
• menopausal syndrome
• cardiovascular health
• breast cancer

Funding

The financial support for this study by the National Basic Research Program of China (973 program) (No.: 2012CB720805), the Joint Sino-German Research Project of National Natural Science Foundation of China (No.: GZ 731), and the Program for New Century Excellent Talents in University (NCET-12-0749), is gratefully acknowledged.