EFFECT OF SOY LECITHIN ON SERUM LIPID PARAMETERS OF HYPERLIPIDEMIC POSTMENOPAUSAL WOMEN REFERRING TO SHAHID FAGHIHEE HOSPITAL OF SHIRAZ UNIVERSITY OF MEDICAL SCIENCES

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading cause of morbidity and mortality in Iran and throughout the world. Hyperlipidemia, as one of the main causes of CVD, has been diagnosed in nearly one third of Iranian middle aged women.Menopause manifests wide range of physiologic changes in women, most important of which hyperlipidemia.Appropriate nutritional interventions can prevent or postpone some cardiovascular events in postmenopausal women. The aim of this randomized clinical trial, was to examine the effect of soy lecithin on serum lipid parameters of hyperlipidemic postmenopausal women referring to Dr. shahid Faghihee hospital of Shiraz University of medical sciences. Sixty free living, 50-60 yr postmenopausal women with mild to moderate hyperlipidemia entered the study. Subjects were randomly assigned in one of three treatments: (yoghurt) or: (yoghurt with 16g soy lecithin granules) or: (yoghurt with 10g sunflower oil,containing equal amount of linoleic acid and energy as the administered lecithin).Strawberry syrup was added to ensure blindness, in this double blind trial. To assess the effects of confounding factors, BMI and waist circumference were measured; intake of some dietary factors (energy,macronutrients,saturated fatty acids, monounsaturated fatty acids, polyunsaturated fatty acids,cholesterol,calcium and fiber) were assessed using 24 hr-food recall and 3-day food record questionnaires; changes in physical activity level was assessed by seven day-physical activity recall questionnaire. Serum lipid parameters)TC, Non-HDL.C, LDL.C, HDL.C and TG) were measured twice at baseline and 4 weeks of treatment. While there were no any significant between treatment groups different,nonetheless,in the intervention group (lecithin), significant within group decrease was found in the average level of TC (252.33±24.02 vs. 255.22±24.82 mg/dL and p=0.02),LDL.C/HDL.C (3.99±0.50 vs. 4.17±0.56 mg/dL and p=0.001) and Non.HDL.C (211.94±23.94 vs. 216.00±23.73 mg/dL and p=0.005) and accompanying significant increase in serum HDL.C level (40.39±5.21 vs. 39.22±5.58 mg/dL and p=0.04).Likewise, in the control group І (sunflower oil), no significant within group change was found in serum lipid profile. Decreasing LDL.C/HDL.C level (4.18±0.40 vs. 4.24±0.43 mg/dL and p=0.03), was the only significant change in serum lipid profile of control group ІІ (yoghurt). Soy lecithin treatment had no significant hypocholesterolemic effect on serum lipid profile, in a way that we can not claim any independent effect for lecithin''s linoleic acid content.