These effects were not seen in women, regardless of equol production or lack thereof. (legionathletics.com)
These bacteria, which are present in 30 - 50 % of people, metabolize an isoflavone in soy calleddaidzein into an estrogen - like hormone called equol. (legionathletics.com)
Isoflavones seem to have the strongest oestrogenic effect, and are converted by bacterial fermentation into a metabolite known as equol (so named because it was first discovered in mare's urine, in 1932). (newscientist.com)