Haelan 951: New Soya Drink Could Provide Cancer Protection

Traditional Chinese Medicine has long recognised the medicinal value of soya beans, and here too in the West they have been widely studied for their ability to prevent certain cancers - especially those of the breast and prostate gland.

That's why HSI is pleased to bring you news of an exciting new fermented soya formula, Haelan 951, which appears to offer a high level of protection against cancer and may also be a useful supporting treatment for people who already suffer from the disease.

While Haelan 951, which is available as a beverage, has been available in the US for some time now, it has only just been launched here in the UK. What makes the formula so exciting is that as well as containing soya, it also contains other powerful natural anti-cancer compounds, which increases its cancer-fighting potential even more.

How does soya help ward off cancer?

Plant chemicals known as isoflavones are thought to play a key role in soya's amazing cancer-protecting qualities. One isoflavone in particular, genistein, has been found to be effective in slowing the progression of prostate cancer.

In a study conducted at the University of California in the US, scientists added genistein to a culture of human prostate cancer cells. It was found to spur the production of a gene called p21, which inhibits the manufacture of a protein that cancer cells need to grow, so causing the cancer cells to die off. Animal studies have confirmed that genistein can reduce the size of prostate cancer tumours.1

Isoflavones could prove to be important in preventing against breast cancer too. When 144 women with early breast cancer were matched with healthy controls (same age and area of residence), blood and urine analysis revealed a substantial reduction in breast cancer risk among those who had a high intake of plant isoflavones.2

In another study, pre-menopausal women who ate 60grams of soya protein every day for a month showed hormonal and menstrual cycle changes associated with a reduced risk of breast cancer.3

The soya isoflavones genistein and daidzein are also antioxidants that help prevent cancer-triggering damage in the body's cells.4

Fermented soya products have the highest levels of cancer-fighting nutrients

One problem, until the development of the fermentation process, was that these beneficial isoflavones are only present in fairly small amounts in unfermented soya products. For example, a recent Japanese study has found that the level of genistein in fermented soya products is far higher than in unfermented soya beans, soya milk or tofu.5

The fermentation process involves turning a food into a healthier product by adding ingredients that have known health benefits. The fermentation process used to produce traditional Japanese soya foods such as miso, tempeh and natto enormously increases the availability of isoflavones. It is thought to do this by converting precursor chemicals called genistin and daidzin to their active anti-cancer isoflavone forms, genistein and daidzein.6

However, getting hold of fermented soya foods and making them a regular part of a Western diet can be difficult. That's what makes Haelan 951 such a breakthrough product, as it contains all the benefits of fermented soya foods in a convenient drink. It is a concentrated nutritional supplement that, as well as containing high levels of genistein and daidzein, is rich in many other beneficial nutrients - up to 20 of which may also have cancer-fighting properties, such as branched chain fatty acids, phytates, phytosterols, saponins and protease inhibitors.

Prostate tumour growth inhibited by up to 50%

Animal studies examining the anti-cancer potential of the fermented soya phytochemicals (natural plant chemicals) in Haelan 951 were recently carried out by US scientists at the University of Southern California.

The researchers discovered that one of the active anti-cancer agents in the formula, a group of branched-chain fatty acids called small biosynthetic anti-cancer agents (SBA) reduced prostate cancer cell size and cell growth, as well as reducing the formation of blood vessels in prostate tumours that are needed to support its growth.

The study also investigated the effects of SBA on laboratory cultures of human prostate cancer cells. They found that tumour formation was inhibited by 50 per cent, indicating a strong anti-tumour activity.7

There are at least five other main anti-cancer agents in Haelan. Firstly, several isoflavones that have strong inhibiting effects in hormone-related malignancies such as prostate, ovarian, cervical and breast cancers. Secondly, compounds known as phytates that bind iron in the intestines to prevent it from generating free radicals, which have been shown to result in malignancies.

Thirdly, phytosterols which are known to neutralise the breakdown products of cholesterol and so reduce the development of certain types of cancers. Fourthly, saponins which stop the cellular mutations that could lead to malignancy. Lastly, protease inhibitors are able to prevent the activation of mutant cancer-causing genes called oncogenes.8

Haelan 951 may prove effective against recurrent cases of prostate cancer

US cancer specialists at the Prostate Cancer Research and Education Foundation in California carried out a small trial in 1998 with 12 patients who all had a history of recurrent prostate cancer and rising levels of prostate specific antigen (PSA) - an indicator of the severity of the disease. All of the patients were given a fermented soya drink, in this case Haelan 851 (an earlier version of Haelan 951). The researchers found that half of the patients in the study responded to the treatment with a drop in their PSA levels.

Individual case studies also support the effectiveness of Haelan 951. One 58 year-old man was first diagnosed with a prostate tumour following a biopsy three years ago. His doctor recommended either surgery to remove his prostate gland, or radiotherapy. The patient refused both options and instead started taking Haelan 951, two weeks after receiving the diagnosis. His PSA levels have remained stable for three years and, at his last check-up, his prostate gland appeared perfectly normal on rectal examination and ultrasound scan.9

A major clinical trial, potentially involving some prominent universities, is planned soon, following approval from the US Government's National Cancer Institute. HSI promises to keep you fully updated on the findings as soon as they become available.

What to use for best results

The recommended preventative dosage for Haelan 951 is one to two tablespoons a day. Higher dosage amounts would be required for treatment purposes and would need to be determined by a practitioner familiar with the product.

1. Health Scout News, June 8, 2001
2. Lancet 1997; 350: 990-4
3. Am J Clin Nutr 1994; 60: 333-40
4. Cancer Lett 2001; 172(1): 1-6
5. J Agric Food Chem 2001 Jun;49(6):2839-43
6. Carcinogenesis 1995; 16(3): 471-6
7. Cancer Research, 2000; 60: 505-509
8. Well Being Journal 2002;11(6)
9. Well Being Journal 2002; 11(6)