Researchers from Pennsylvania State University have discovered that adding soy protein to the diet alleviates symptoms associated with inflammatory bowel diseases, such as colon inflammation and the loss of gut barrier function. The mouse study could pave the way for human studies to develop effective treatment strategies for the condition.

Share on Pinterest Substituting other protein in the diet with soy protein may help to improve symptoms of inflammatory bowel disease, find researchers.

Researchers Zachary Bitzer and Amy Wopperer, former graduate students in the Department of Food Science at Pennsylvania State University (Penn State), conducted the research alongside Joshua Lambert, associate professor of food science in the College of Agricultural Sciences, and colleagues.

The team’s findings were published in The Journal of Nutritional Biochemistry.

Inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD), such as Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis, has affected an estimated 3.1 million adults in the United States.

Finding ways to mitigate symptoms of IBD is of importance because the chronic inflammation that characterizes the disease is a major risk factor for colon cancer. Colonic inflammation is also responsible for the loss of gut barrier function and increased gut permeability.

Previous studies have explored the preventive effects that soybeans may have on cancer. While some studies have shown that consuming soy may reduce the risk of cancer, other studies have yielded mixed results.

Recent studies have uncovered that soy protein has promising outcomes in animal models of IBD. However, many questions about the underlying mechanisms behind the anti-inflammatory effect remain.