Soybean protein diets in the management of type II hyperlipoproteinaemia.

The efficacy of soybean protein treatment of stable type II hyperlipoproteinaemia was evaluated in 57 patients assigned to the following protocols: (i) substitution of animal protein with soybean protein (19 subjects) and (ii) addition of soybean protein to a standard low-lipid diet (38 subjects). After 16 weeks of treatment, plasma cholesterol was reduced by 29.5% in the first group, and by 29.9% in the second; the difference was not significant. Similarly the reduction in LDL cholesterol was not significantly different between the 2 groups (39% in the first group and 36% in the second). Plasma triglycerides fell by 11.8% and 18.2%, respectively. HDL cholesterol was not modified to any significant extent by soybean protein regimens. These results provide that the addition of soybean protein to a standard low-lipid diet is effective in inducing a significant cholesterol decrease in patients with type II hyperlipoproteinaemia.