INTRODUCTION
Equol, a gut microbiome‐derived metabolite of soy isoflavone daidzein, functions as a selective estrogen receptor beta (ERβ) agonist. In preclinical studies, it has demonstrated vascular protective and antioxidant effects, with emerging evidence suggesting potential neuroprotective properties. However, its role in preventing vascular aging and cognitive decline in humans remains unexplored. The Arterial Stiffness, Cognition, and Equol (ACE) trial investigates whether daily equol supplementation can slow the progression of arterial stiffness, brain white matter lesions, and cognitive decline in older adults without dementia.
METHODS
ACE is a multicenter, randomized, double‐blind, placebo‐controlled clinical trial conducted at the University of Pittsburgh, Wake Forest University, and Emory University. Community‐dwelling adults aged 65 to 85 years without dementia were enrolled and randomized 1:1 to receive either 10 mg/day of equol or placebo for 24 months. The primary outcome is arterial stiffness assessed by carotid‐femoral pulse wave velocity. Secondary outcomes include white matter lesions detected on the brain magnetic resonance imaging and cognitive function as assessed by the Preclinical Alzheimer Cognitive Composite. Power calculations were based on a planned sample size of 400 participants, accounting for an anticipated 20% attrition rate.
Full Article: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC12361350/
