Gut Bacteria and Food: Why Some People Get More Benefits from Soy and Sesame
Levels of urinary isoflavones and lignan polyphenols in Japanese women
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a healthcare professional. Terms
Surprising Findings
Equol producers had dramatically higher levels of sesame lignan metabolites, even though sesame and soy are different plants.
It was previously assumed these pathways were separate, but the 127% and 103% increases suggest shared gut bacterial machinery—meaning one microbial profile could unlock multiple plant-based health benefits.
Practical Takeaways
If you eat soy for health benefits, consider testing your gut microbiome or trying probiotics linked to equol production.
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a healthcare professional. Terms
Surprising Findings
Equol producers had dramatically higher levels of sesame lignan metabolites, even though sesame and soy are different plants.
It was previously assumed these pathways were separate, but the 127% and 103% increases suggest shared gut bacterial machinery—meaning one microbial profile could unlock multiple plant-based health benefits.
Practical Takeaways
If you eat soy for health benefits, consider testing your gut microbiome or trying probiotics linked to equol production.
Publication
Journal
Environmental Health and Preventive Medicine
Year
2013
Authors
Wanyang Liu, Miyako Tanabe, Kouji H. Harada, A. Koizumi
Related Content
Claims (6)
The good stuff in sesame seeds might only work if your gut bacteria are the right kind — not everyone’s gut can activate it.
Japanese women whose gut bacteria can turn soy into a substance called equol also tend to have much higher levels of certain healthy compounds from sesame in their urine—suggesting their gut bugs might be linking how they process soy and sesame.
People who live in Sendai, Japan are more than twice as likely to have gut bacteria that turn soy into a helpful compound called equol, compared to people elsewhere — probably because of local lifestyle or environmental habits.
Smoking might make it less likely for Japanese women to have gut bacteria that turn soy into a helpful compound called equol.
In some Japanese women who can make a compound called equol, the more daidzein their bodies process, the more equol they tend to produce — probably because of the right gut bacteria.