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Evidence-Based Supplement Research
Evidence-Based Supplement Research
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Soy Protein and Reduced Blood Cholesterol

Research synthesisModerate evidenceMixed effect size8 studies · 5 beneficial · 3 neutral · 0 harmful

Across 8 studies, 5 reported beneficial effects (small to moderate reductions) of soy protein on blood cholesterol, while 3 showed no significant effect. Predominant effect size was mixed (small to moderate). Effects were typically observed at 90–180 days in clinical populations (e.g., chronic kidney disease, type 2 diabetic nephropathy). Doses ranged from 20–40 g/day, though many studies did not specify dose.

  • Effective dose range: 20–40 g/day
  • Studied populations: Individuals with chronic kidney disease, patients with type 2 diabetic nephropathy, postmenopausal women

Caveats: Available evidence is overwhelmingly positive — clinical literature in this area is subject to publication bias (null-result studies are less likely to be published or indexed). Two of the three neutral studies were longer-term RCTs in men following prostatectomy, suggesting benefit may be less consistent in non-cholesterol-elevated or male-only populations. Many studies lacked adequate dose reporting.

Generated Jun 15, 2026
Doses used in studies
  • g/day: 20–40 (median 20, IQR 20–30) — 3 studies
  • %/day: 35 (median 35, IQR 35–35) — 1 study
Time to effect
Median: 6 months · IQR 4.5 months–15.2 months · Range 3 months–24.3 months — Reported in 3 of 8 studies
8 of 8 papers
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