Lunasin Frequently Asked Questions

Where is Lunasin found?

Lunasin is a peptide isolated from soy that has 43 amino acids. It is a small subunit of the larger 2S albumin. The 2S albumins are a group of storage proteins that occur widely in seeds of dicotyledonous plants such as soybeans.

How much soy protein must I consume to help maintain a healthy heart?

In 1999, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration allowed manufacturers to use food labels stating that eating 25 grams of soy protein a day may help reduce the risk of heart disease. Foods must contain at least 6.5 grams of soy protein per serving to qualify for the label.

What is Lunasin?

Lunasin is a unique and novel cancer preventive and cardioprotective soy peptide. It consists of a 43 amino acid chain with a chromo-binding region- the active site responsible for its acetylation-blocking activity.

What does the word Lunasin mean?

The scientists who discovered Lunasin named the protein Lunasin, which comes from the Tagalog word for "cure."

What are the cancer preventative properties that the Lunasin peptide displays?

Lunasin is a peptide that suppresses chemical carcinogen-induced transformation in mammalian cells and skin carcinogenesis in mice. Since the Lunasin gene was cloned from soybean and the chemically synthesized form of the Lunasin peptide has been used in experiments conducted so far, the isolation of Lunasin from other natural sources and testing of its biological properties have been carried out.

Are Lunasin and beta sitosterol similar?

No. Lunasin is a peptide whereas beta sitosterol is an isoflavone.

Is consuming Lunasin a problem for people with an allergy to soy?

No, Lunasin is a small subunit of the 2S albumin fraction of soy and this fraction has been shown in a study* to not cause any allergic reaction in people with sensitivity to soy. (*Lin et al, The Potential Allergenicity of Two 2S Albumins from Soybean (Glycine Max): A Protein Microarray Approach,.; Int Arch of Allergy Immunol, 2006, 141:91-102.)