Application of biofluid 1H nuclear magnetic resonance-based metabonomic techniques for the analysis of the biochemical effects of dietary isoflavones on human plasma profile.

This study describes the first metabonomic approach to determining biochemical modifications following dietary intervention in humans. Significant interest in the mechanisms of action of soy isoflavones has predominantly stemmed from in vitro experiments but to date the availability of analytical tools for studying the mechanisms of action in vivo have been limited. Here a metabonomic approach based on chemometric analysis of 1H nuclear magnetic resonance spectra of blood plasma has been used to investigate metabolic changes following dietary intervention with soy isoflavones in healthy premenopausal women under controlled environmental conditions. Clear differences in the plasma lipoprotein, amino acid, and carbohydrate profiles were observed following soy intervention, suggesting a soy-induced alteration in energy metabolism.