Lunasin and Heart Health
The scientific community acknowledges the heart health benefits of soy, a claim validated in 1999 by the Food and Drug Administration. Studies show that lunasin, a naturally occurring peptide, is largely responsible for soy’s cholesterol-lowering properties.
Dual-Action Lunasin
Cholesterol comes from two sources: dietary intake and our body’s own production in the liver. Over 80% comes from the liver, so the most effective way to lower LDL (bad) cholesterol is to control the liver’s internal production. The lunasin peptide does so in two ways:
- Selectively disrupts a step in the production of an enzyme key to cholesterol synthesis.
- Increases receptors available in liver cells to clear LDL cholesterol from the bloodstream.
Most cholesterol is produced in the liver by the HMG-CoA reductase gene. Simply blocking HMG-CoA can lead to health problems because your body needs a minimum level of cholesterol for proper cellular function. Lunasin instead targets cholesterol at an earlier stage, reducing the HMG-CoA without blocking it entirely. So you get cholesterol-lowering benefits without disrupting the body’s normal functioning.