Equol is a chemical that comes from soy. It has some effects that are similar to the hormone estrogen. It exists in two forms: R-equol and S-equol.
When soy is eaten, certain bacteria in the gut change the chemicals found in soy into equol. But this change only occurs in 20-60% of people. People who are able to convert the chemicals in soy into equol might get more health benefits from soy. These people are called equol producers. Equol supplements can be used as a source of equol for people who are not equol producers.
People use equol for symptoms of menopause. It is also used for aging skin, diabetes, osteoporosis, breast cancer, and many other conditions, but there is no good scientific evidence to support these other uses.
NatMed disclaims any responsibility related to medical consequences of using any medical product. Effort is made to ensure that the information contained in this monograph is accurate at the time it was published. Consumers and medical professionals who consult this monograph are cautioned that any medical or product related decision is the sole responsibility of the consumer and/or the health care professional. A legal License Agreement sets limitations on downloading, storing, or printing content from this Database. Except for any possible exceptions written into your License Agreement, no reproduction of this monograph or any content from this Database is permitted without written permission from the publisher. Unlawful to download, store, or distribute content from this site.
For the latest comprehensive data on this and every other natural medicine, health professionals should consult the Professional Version of NatMed. It is fully referenced and updated daily.
© Copyright 1995-2019. Therapeutic Research Center LLC, publishers of NatMed, Prescriber's Letter, and Pharmacist's Letter. All rights reserved.