Isoflavones occur in foods in the form of water soluble glucosides (daidzein, genistin and glicitin), which means that they are bound to sugar. These glucosides have to undergo further changes before they can become biologically active. They must first undergo hydrolysis by bacterial beta-glucosidases in our intestine, releasing the corresponding bioactive aglycones (daidzein, genistein and glycitein). Aglycones are rapidly and efficiently absorbed by our body, reaching a peak plasma level about 5 hours after consumption. They can be further metabolized to other bioactive metabolites such as equol. This is relevant because the potency of equol is higher than that of daidzein. Only 30¨% of the population can convert daidzein into equol and are called equol producers.