In humans, research shows that isoflavones play a variety of health roles, from protecting against certain kinds of cancers to lowering cholesterol and reducing the accumulation of abdominal fat.1
Purina conducted a series of controlled studies that identified several benefits of soy isoflavones that could help manage weight in dogs at risk of obesity. Maintaining optimal body weight helps reduce the risk of chronic obesity-related conditions such as arthritis and diabetes.
In a 12-month Purina study, spayed and neutered dogs were fed a diet enriched with isoflavones from soybean grem meal. The dogs allowed to eat 25% above their maintenance needs showed 50% less weight gain, and reduced body fat accumulation, compared to dogs fed similar amounts of a control diet.2,3
Additionally, dogs fed the isoflavone-enriched diet also showed:4
In cats, other researchers showed that isoflavones help maintain a healthy body weight.5