A phytoestrogen-rich diet increases energy expenditure and decreases @entity1386 in XXXX .

@entity172 @entity28 @entity3093 @entity19 @entity2659 @entity2915 @entity1386
BACKGROUND: Obesity is an increasingly prevalent health problem, and natural effective therapeutic approaches are required to prevent its occurrence. Phytoestrogens are plant-derived compounds with estrogenic activities; they can bind to both @entity172 receptors alpha and beta and mimic the action of @entity172 on target organs. OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to examine the influence of soy-derived phytoestrogens on energy balance and metabolism. METHODS: Male outbred @entity19 ( @entity2659 ) were allowed ad libitum access to either a high soy-containing diet or a soy-free diet from conception to adulthood. We measured circulating serum @entity3093 levels using reverse-phase solid-phase extraction for subsequent liquid chromatography electrospray tandem mass spectrometry analysis. Adult animals were analyzed for body composition by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry, locomotor activity by running-wheel experiments, respiratory exchange rate by indirect calorimetry, and food intake using metabolic cages. Quantitative reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction was performed to determine the expression of hypothalamic neuropeptide genes. RESULTS: We found that adult @entity19 fed a soy-rich diet had reduced body weight, @entity1386 , and resistance to cold. This lean phenotype was associated with an increase in lipid oxidation due to a preferential use of lipids as fuel source and an @entity2915 . The modulation of energy balance was associated with a central effect of phytoestrogens on the expression of hypothalamic neuropeptides, including agouti-related protein. CONCLUSION: The data suggest that dietary soy could have beneficial effects on @entity28 , but they also emphasize the importance of monitoring the phytoestrogen content of diets as a parameter of variability in animal experiments.
