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Equol

Equol comes from soy. When soy is consumed, certain bacteria in the digestive tract convert chemicals in soy into equol. However, only 30 to 60% of people are able to convert chemicals in soy into equol. Some studies have shown that people who are able to produce equol in the digestive tract benefit from more of the health benefits of soy.

Equol is used to reduce symptoms of menopause such as hot flashes. It is also used to protect against osteoporosis and reduce wrinkles on the skin. Other uses include the prevention of metabolic syndrome, the prevention of heart and blood vessel disease, the treatment of high cholesterol and diabetes, and the prevention of breast cancer and prostate cancer. There are different forms of Equol: R-Equol and s-Equol. Most commercial Equol products contain s-Equol.

How does Equol work?

Equol is a chemical that has some effects similar to those of estrogen, but it is much less potent than estrogen.

How effective is Equol?

Equol is potentially effective when used to relieve symptoms of the menopause. Taking Equol orally appears to relieve symptoms of menopause, including hot flushes, in women who cannot produce Equol from soy.

There is not enough scientific data to make a statement about the effectiveness of Equol in the following areas of application:

  • Metabolic syndrome: There is evidence that S-equol may reduce some of the health risks that can increase the likelihood of developing metabolic syndrome in overweight men and women.
  • Reducing the risk of osteoporosis: There is evidence that taking S-equol could slow down bone loss in women who cannot make equol themselves from soy, just before or after menopause.
  • Wrinkled skin: There is some evidence that S-equol may reduce so-called crow's feet in postmenopausal women who cannot produce equol from soy.

There is also insufficient scientific data on the effectiveness of Equol on breast cancer, diabetes, heart disease, high cholesterol levels and prostate cancer. Further scientific research is needed to evaluate the effectiveness of Equol in all these applications.

Safety and side effects

Taking Equol supplements for up to one year is likely to be safe and harmless. Equol may cause mild side effects such as constipation, a bloated feeling and dizziness. It may also cause allergic reactions including skin rashes in some people.

Precautions and warnings

Pregnancy and lactation: Not enough is known about the use of Equol during pregnancy and lactation. For this reason, pregnant and breastfeeding women should avoid Equol.

Breast cancer: The effects of Equol on people suffering from breast cancer are unclear. Some studies have concluded that Equol may promote the development of certain types of breast cancer because it can act like estrogen. Other studies have found that Equol appears to protect against breast cancer. As there is not enough reliable information about the effects of Equol in women who have breast cancer, have suffered from breast cancer in the past or have an increased hereditary risk of breast cancer, it is better for this group of women to avoid Equol until more is known.

Interactions

At this time, there is no information on interactions of Equol with medications or supplements.

Dosage

The following dosages have been investigated in scientific studies:

Oral:

  • For symptoms of the menopause such as hot flushes: 10 to 40 mg per day divided into several single doses.
  • To prevent osteoporosis: 10 mg per day.
  • To reduce wrinkles: 5 to 15 mg twice a day.
  • For metabolic syndrome: 10 mg per day.

References

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