The decline in estrogen levels in post-menopausal women is known to cause adverse disruptions in lipid profile. To investigate potential interventions, this study examined the effects of soybean milk powder on ovariectomized rats' lipid profiles. Twenty adult female rats were divided into four groups (n =5): Group 1 was ovariectomized and supplemented with 3 mL of soybean milk containing 0.396mg of isoflavone given through the oral route, Group 2 was ovariectomized without supplementation, Group 3 received 0.2 mL of estradiol (a standard drug for the treatment of menopausal symptoms) intramuscularly (IM) after ovariectomy and Group 4 was sham operated and supplemented with 3 mL of drinking water (control). Standard laboratory procedures were employed to measure serum total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein (LDL), high-density lipoprotein (HDL) and triglycerides (TG) over an 8-week period. The results indicated that ovariectomy significantly increased total cholesterol, LDL and TG levels (p0.05) among the groups. Rats supplemented with soybean milk powder (Group 1) exhibited lower total cholesterol, LDL and TG levels compared to the un-supplemented ovariectomized group (Group 2). Group 1 and Group 3 (estrogen-treated) showed similar lipid profiles. Both soy milk powder and estradiol effectively reduced the increased TC, LDL and TG levels induced by ovariectomy. These findings suggest that soybean milk supplementation may hold promise as a potential strategy to mitigate adverse lipid profile changes in menopausal women. Further studies are warranted to explore the full potential and safety of this intervention.
Key words: Cholesterol, Estrogen, Low lipid profile, Soflavone, Menopause, Ovariectomy
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