Soy Protein Rich Diet May Help Fatty Liver Of Diabetics

Washington, Sep 7. A soy protein rich diet may help with fatty liver according to a recent study from Mexico. Fatty liver may often accompanies diabetes.

Dr.Nimbe Torres, a medical researcher from the Instituto Nacional de Ciencias Medicas y Nutricion in Mexico, worked on a diet high on Soy protein in diabetics and studied its effects on fatty liver.

Her model of study was diabetic rats with fatty liver who were fed of soy protein for 160 days. She found that the consumption of soy protein prevented the accumulation of triglycerides and cholesterol in the liver despite the development of obesity and hyperinsulinemia in the rats. "We also observed that the effects of soy protein were due to a low expression of genes involved in the synthesis of fatty acids and triglycerides in the liver," explained Torres.

"These changes were due to a reduction in the transcription factors that control the expression of genes involved in lipid production."

In addition, levels of a transcription factor, which controls genes involved in fatty acid breakdown as well as its target genes, were increased in rats that were fed soy protein.

Thus, feeding rats a soy-rich diet reduced the amount of fatty acid in their liver by not only reducing lipid production but also by increasing its breakdown.

The high levels of insulin and insulin-resistance that accompany diabetes are often associated with fatty liver or hepatic steatosis, an untreatable condition that can lead to chronic liver disease and death.

In this condition, large lipid-filled compartments accumulate in the cells of the liver due to an increase in production of fatty acids in it. The result is an enlarged liver.

Although further research is needed, Torres believes that consuming soy protein could very well reduce insulin resistance, renal damage and fat production.

(Source: Eureka Alert)

Further information on Soy Protein from Medindia:

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