Soy Protein, Lunasin and Heart Health

Soy Protein Findings Regarding Cholesterol

In 1995, a meta-analysis of clinical trials showing a 12.5% reduction of LDL cholesterol when 25 gm soy protein replaces casein protein in diet was used as the basis for the approval of an FDA health claim on soy protein and heart health.

A follow-up 2006 meta-analysis of clinical trials conducted after FDA approval showed that on average, 50 gm soy protein was needed to reduce 3% LDL cholesterol. This American Heart Association commissioned study was the basis for the current petition to repeal the 1999 FDA health claim on soy protein.

A supplementation experiment using LDL-receptor mutant pigs conducted in 2012 has identified the lunasin peptide found in soy protein as the active ingredient responsible for lowering LDL cholesterol and its mechanism of action is by reducing cholesterol biosynthesis in the liver, similar to statin drugs without the side effects. Lunasin was serendipitously discovered in 1996 by Dr. Alfredo Galvez as a postdoctoral researcher at UC Berkeley.

Dr. Galvez, Ph.D. is currently the Director of Research at the Missouri Plant Science Center and the Lead Scientific Advisor for Soy Labs LLC, working on the development of functional foods and nutraceutical ingredients based on the lunasin peptide. He has a PhD in Genetics from UC Davis, majoring in molecular biology and cytogenetics. He is also a Project Scientist at the Center for Nutritional Genomics, University of California at Davis, working on elucidating the molecular mechanism of lunasin as a peptidomimetic of a human tumor suppressor.

Lunasin Availability

Exciting results and more than 40 peer-reviewed and published studies have documented lunasin’s health benefits. Research by 21 research institutions supported by 27 public and private funding sources has resulted in nine patents.

Partnering with Reliv International, the Missouri Plant Science Center and Soy Labs LunaRich™ soybeans grown exclusively for Reliv marks a huge step forward in nutrition science having 5-10 times more lunasin than any other product. Reliv works only with suppliers who meet very high standards and every ingredient is rigorously tested throughout the production process to ensure safety, purity and potency. Currently, five Reliv products contain LunaRich. Reliv is focused on developing products that bring the latest nutritional research to you.