EFFECTS OF SOY MILK AND BIFIDOBACTERIUM FERMENTED SOY MILK ON LIPID-METABOLISM IN AGED OVARIECTOMIZED RATS

The effects of soy milk and fermented soy milk on lipid metabolism wer e studied in aged ovariectomized rats. Twenty 8- mo-old Wistar rats we re randomly assigned to four treatment groups: sham-operated +control diet (sham-C); ovariectomized (OVX)+control diet (OVX-C); OVX+soy milk diet (OVX-SM); and OVX+fermented soy milk diet (OVX-FSM). The rats we re fed on these diets for 6 weeks. Ovariectomy induced an increase in the plasma cholesterol level by 40%. The plasma total cholesterol leve l of the OVX-FSM rats was decreased by 20% compared to that of the OVX -C rats. The plasma total cholesterol level of the OVX-SM group was no t significantly different from that of the OVX-C and sham-C rats. The plasma triglyceride level of the OVX-FSM rats was lower than that of t he sham-C rats. The liver cholesterol content in OVX-SM and OVX-FSM ra ts was lower than that of the OVX-C rats. The liver triglyceride conte nts of the sham-C, OVX-SM, and OVX-FSM groups were lower than that of the OVX-C group. fecal steroid excretion did not differ among the grou ps. Ovariectomy decreased the uterus weight. The OVX-SM and OVX-FSM gr oups had the same uterus weights as those of the OVX-C group. Thus, th e diet including fermented soy milk prevented the cholesterol elevatio n induced in Fats by ovarian hormone deficiency.