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522083 
Journal Article 
Opening ways for soy isoflavone benefits to a larger public 
Simons, R; Decroos, K; Verstraete, W 
2006 
17 
5 
33-35 
English 
Recent research suggests that the health effects of isoflavones is partly dependent on the ability of an individual to produce equol from isoflavones. Equol is a metabolite of daidzein. Only 30-50 percent of the human population has the intestinal microflora to produce equol. This article describes a trial by Decroos, et al (2005) in which the gut bacterial species that produce equol were isolated. The mixed culture was tested for its ability to produce equol, and consequently it was tested if supplementing the human intestinal microflora of a non-equol producer with equol-producing bacteria would lead to enhanced isoflavone metabolism. A dynamic in vitro model of the gastrointestinal tract, called SHIME was inoculated with a non-equol-producing faecal sample, and fed daily with a fixed amount of standardized soy germ powder (SoyLife). The trial showed that even after stopping the daily supplementation of the equol-producing bacterial consortium, equol was still produced in high amounts. 
intestinal microbial ecosystem; equol production; habitual diet; c-ring; daidzein; microflora; metabolism; simulator