Are soy foods safe? Does consuming them pose a danger? Are some people becoming
fanatical about the its perceived risks and dangers? Is the
advice of eating no soy based on solid research or is it an extreme viewpoint
not based on scientific facts?
Soy protein and other soy constituents are used in a variety of foods such as imitation meats, beverage
powders, cheeses, non-dairy creamers, frozen desserts, salad dressings, soups,
infant formulas, and breakfast cereals. It is possible that some people may be
eating too much of it especially if they drink several ounces of soy milk a day
or eat a lot of processed foods. And this may cause harm or danger. However,
there is no solid evidence that consumption of small amounts is harmful.
Substances found in the plant
There are a number of health-related substances in soy. Phytosterols and
saponins help regulate cholesterol. Phenolic acid and phytates act as
antioxidants.
Isoflavones act as phytoestrogens (estrogen-like compounds found
in plants). Your body's estrogen is much stronger than the
phytoestrogens
present in soy. Therefore if the weak soy substance replaces the natural more
potent estrogen in cells, then perhaps soy can offer protection against cancers
that would prefer a stronger estrogen signal in order to grow.
My opinion - is there a side effects or danger?
A small amount of soy (organic and fermented, non-GMO - genetically modified
organism) a few days a
week or a few days a month in the form of tofu, natto, miso,
soy sauce,
unsweetened soy milk, or boiled soybeans, as part of a healthy diet that
includes a wide variety of preferably organic vegetables, fruits, whole grains, nuts, seeds,
legumes, chicken, meat, fish, dairy, etc, should not pose any health concerns
and could well offer certain health improving benefits. This approach is safe
for most people unless they have a specific allergy or intolerance to soy. Just
use it, as with any food, in moderation. Many foods have the potential to become
unhealthy when used in excess.
I am not encouraging anyone to eat or not to eat soy
products. I am just saying that if you want to eat them but have been afraid to
do so, I do not believe small amounts (of non-GMO soy) are harmful and could well be beneficial
to overall health.
Thyroid function
In babies who are fed soy milk, it can interfere with the absorption of
levothyroxine, the medication that replaces the missing thyroid hormone. If
babies and toddlers don't get enough replacement thyroid medication, their
brains can't develop properly. Whether the average amounts adults consume has a
significant influence on the
thyroid gland is still not fully clear to me.
J Med Case Rep. 2017. Soy isoflavones inducing overt hypothyroidism in a patient with chronic lymphocytic thyroiditis: a case report. Many people have thyroid conditions that make them susceptible to hypothyroidism. Foods they eat may interfere with the production of thyroid hormone, which can lead to development of serious hypothyroidism. This case emphasizes that consuming health drinks that include soy isoflavone powder extracts can lead to severe hypothyroidism.
Breast cancer controversy
Soybeans are consumed in many forms, including the beans themselves, soy milk,
miso, tofu, and soy powder. Soy foods have a lot of isoflavones, which are weak
estrogen-like compounds found in plants. Because estrogen can promote the growth
of breast cancers, scientists in the past were concerned that consuming a great
deal soy foods could increase their risk. However new research does not appear
to support this concern.
Breast cancer survivors, have, for years, been advised to avoid soy foods
and supplements because of estrogen-like effects that might
theoretically lead to tumors to grow. This has never made sense to me
since I have followed the research on this topic for a couple of decades and
have not seen any proof that this advice is warranted. A 2011 study of more than
18,000 women shows that consuming soy foods does not increase risk of
breast cancer recurrence.
Dr. Xiao Oh Shu, MD, PhD, a professor of
medicine at Vanderbilt Epidemiology Center of Vanderbilt University
Medical Center in Nashville, Tenn says, "soy has many anticancer properties,
antioxidants, nutrients, micronutrients, or vitamins that may contribute
to its beneficial effect on health." Data was reviewed from four large studies of women with a history of breast
cancer who had consumed soy foods. After an average of nine years post breast
cancer diagnosis, women who consumed the highest amount of soy had a
slightly lower risk of dying from any
cause and a 15% reduced risk for breast cancer recurrence compared to
women who consumed little or no soy. These findings were presented at the American
Association for Cancer Research (AACR) 102nd Annual Meeting in Orlando,
Florida in 2011.
I know there are many people out there who have a negative
viewpoint regarding soy products, influenced by reading articles on the internet
that blast soy and unfairly blame all kinds of health issues as a consequence of
its ingestion (and the fact that much of the soy present in our foods comes from
a big corporation, Monsanto), but I think we should take a reasoned and balanced
approach. The bottom line, in my opinion, is that some people are sensitive or are allergic to it
and do not tolerate it well and thus should not consume it. However, most women
tolerate or benefit from organic fermented soy consumption, at least in small amounts, as
part of a diet that has a variety of foods. There is no reason for women who
have had breast cancer to avoid it completely.
PLoS One. November 2013. Soy, red clover, and isoflavones and breast cancer: a systematic review. Soy does not have estrogenic effects in humans. Soy intake consistent with a traditional Japanese diet appears safe for breast cancer survivors. While there is no clear evidence of harm, better evidence confirming safety is required before use of high dose (≥ 100 mg) isoflavones can be recommended for breast cancer patients.
2009 - Women who eat more soy-based foods than average may have less risk for certain cancers in the ovaries and the lining of the uterus. Dr. Kwon Myung, at the National Cancer Center in Goyang, Korea, reviewed several trials that included more than 169,000 women. Most of the studies evaluated the intake of oy components from foods such as legumes, soy curd, or soy protein. International Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, 2009.
Among nearly 1,600 Asian Americans with or without breast cancer, higher soy intake throughout life was associated with a lower risk of the disease. But the strongest protective effect was seen with childhood soy intake. It's been suggested that soy isoflavones block the action of estrogen, promote the destruction of abnormal cells and reduce inflammation in the body. Exposure to soy isoflavones early in life may be especially important in breast cancer risk. Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers and Prevention, 2009.
Q. I was wondering if soy milk is okay for
someone with " estrogen dominance "?
A. Soy milk or soy foods, when ingested in small or moderate
amounts, should not present any problems that I know of in women whether
they are " estrogen dominant " or otherwise. The rate of breast
cancer in Western women is higher than the rate of breast cancer in
Japanese women.
Soy consumption by Asians and Japanese
Asians consume an average
of about 60 to 100 grams of soy products a day. Japanese women live longer than any other people on the planet.
Email received September
2008 regarding soy controversy. No proof of soy danger.
Dear Dr. Sahelian, I was just reading the controversy on your site regarding soy
consumption and I just had to offer some anecdotal counter-evidence to all the
alarmist discourse. My mother is from Japan, and our family was raised on quite
a bit of soy-based foods: Tofu, natto, miso, cooked soy beans, soy sauce, etc.
In terms of volume, tofu (an unfermented product) was probably the largest
source of soy in our home. My little brother had no problem developing into a
very masculine young man, and all of us were extremely healthy (I wish the soy
would have boosted my breast development, but no such luck!). Anyone who says
that Japanese people don't eat much soy have obviously never spent much time
around traditional Japanese! Trust me: They eat LOADS of soy! I'm not
claiming that eating huge amounts of soy is ideal, but given how much they (and
I) have consumed, it just doesn't make sense to talk about soy as though it is
some kind of toxin. Even today, nearing 40, I eat soy foods daily (I love
tofu!). I am extremely healthy, have a strong libido, and an IQ of 160. Granted
I do not consume much soy milk, as most of it is way too high in sugars, and I
eat very little soy protein, because intuitively it just seems overly-processed
and denatured to me. Honestly, I think that Americans are trying to find an easy
answer for why they don't feel good. The problem is they don't eat their veggies
(because of my mom's good influence, I probably consume 20 times more vegetables
than the average American--and mostly organic), they over- consume refined
carbohydrates and processed foods, don't exercise enough, and are stressed out
beyond belief! Americans want a quick fix. "Just take that new supplement!"
"Just stop eating soy!" But building real health doesn't work that way. I applaud you for keeping it all in perspective. Your grounded and
reasonable approach to health is a breath of fresh air in a sea of alarmists.
Warm Regards, Robin H., Los Angeles, CA.
Q. I realize the Japanese people have been
eating it for some time. However, I have read that their (true) version of
soy is very much different than what the American people consume, thanks
to Monsanto company. Monsanto owns the bulk of the soy harvest here and has
genetically modified our soy so they can spray the crop with Roundup - and
the soy plants will not die. Frankensoy is not something I'm going to
consume.
A. I prefer people use organic soy products.
Benefit of soy
Alzheimer's or dementia
There is some controversy regarding the role of soy product consumption
and its influence on Alzheimer's disease. At this point my impression is
that small amounts have little or no influence.
Appetite
J Nutr. 2015. Consuming Beef
vs. Soy Protein Has Little Effect on Appetite, Satiety, and Food Intake
in Healthy Adults. When comparing 2 high-quality protein sources, such
as beef and soy, the type of protein consumed within a mixed meal
elicited very little effect on appetite, satiety, and food intake in
healthy adults.
Asthma, lung problems, wheezing
Despite hints from prior
research that soy supplements might help asthma patients breathe easier,
a major study finds the nutrient has no beneficial effect on lung
function.". May 26 2015 issue of the Journal of the American Medical
Association.
Bodybuilding
Soy protein supplements, along with
creatine,
are helpful in
bodybuilding.
Soy protein vs whey protein supplement
My thoughts are that the body likes to be exposed to a variety of
substances, so it may be a good idea to use both soy and
whey protein
either together or to alternate their use if you plan to increase your
protein intake for the purposes of bodybuilding.
Soy and whey protein bar products both promote exercise
training-induced lean body mass gain.
Cholesterol and blood lipids
Consuming tofu, soy milk or soy powder can lower
cholesterol
levels by a small amount. Soy-fortified
muffins, cereals or nutritional bars in which the soy protein is baked at
high temperatures does not provide the benefit.
A meta-analysis of the effect of soy protein supplementation on serum
lipids.
Am J Cardiol. 2006. Department of Epidemiology, Tulane
University School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, New Orleans,
Louisiana, USA.
Meta-regression analyses showed a
dose-response relation between soy protein and isoflavone supplementation
and net changes in serum lipids.
Diabetes and
blood sugar
Adding soy supplements to the diet does not improve blood sugar control in older
women who are at high risk of or in the early stages of type 2 diabetes.
American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 2010.
Kidney function of people with type 2 diabetes seems to be
improved by dietary soy protein.
Heart Health
Soy proteins alter the ratio of different lipids in the blood in a way
that should reduce the risk of cardiovascular diseases in healthy subjects. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 2006.
Hormone levels, testosterone
Studies on the role of soy consumption and male hormones has provided
conflicting results, but most studies show either no major influence or that
soy protein may slightly decrease DHT and DHT /
testosterone
levels with only minor effects on other hormones.
Hypertension
Soybean protein may help lower
blood pressure
in a slight way according to a
report in the July 5th, 2005 issue of the Annals of Internal Medicine. There are
many natural supplements that could be of benefit in treating
hypertension.
Consumption of fermented, but not unfermented, soy foods is associated with a lower risk of high blood pressure.
Lung function
Dear Dr Sahelian, I am forwarding this article to you regarding this study,
reported in June 2009 in Science Daily. "Superfood Soy Linked To Reduction In
Smoker's Lung Damage Risk" People who eat lots of soy products have better lung
function and are less likely to develop the smoking-associated lung disease COPD
(Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease).
Lung cancer
Men who don't smoke and eat soy may have a lower risk of lung cancer. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, published online
January 13, 2010.
Menopause
and bone health
See menopause for more
information.
Osteoarthritis
Soy protein may alleviate osteoarthritis symptoms.
Phytomedicine. 2004.
One hundred and thirty-five free-living
individuals (64 men and 71 women) with diagnosed osteoarthritis or with
self-reported chronic knee joint pain not attributed to injury or rheumatoid
arthritis were recruited for this double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel
design study. Study participants were assigned randomly to consume 40 g of
either supplemental soy protein or milk-based protein (MP) daily for 3 months.
Overall, soy protein improved osteoarthritis -associated symptoms such as range
of motion and several factors associated with pain and quality of life in
comparison to MP. However, these beneficial effects were mainly due to the
effect of soy protein in men rather than women.
Prostate Cancer
Dose effect of soy supplementation in prostate cancer: A pilot study.
Oncol Rep. 2006.
Supplementation with a commercial soy product produced a
consistent decrease in serum sex hormone levels.
Renal transplant patients
A soy protein diet improves endothelial function in renal transplant patients.
This effect seems to be strictly dependent on soy intake as it disappears after
withdrawal and is mediated by an increase in the l-arginine
/ ADMA ratio, independently of change in lipid profile, oxidative stress or
isoflavones.
Sperm count
There is a concern that eating a lot of soy products could reduce
sperm count and influence
fertility. Until we
learn more about this, reduce your intake if you ingest too much. However, is
a reduced sperm count inherently a sign of being unhealthy? Asians, on average, eat about 70 to
100 mg of soy products a day and no one reports that Asians have had difficulty
with reproduction! Is it possible that the sperm count in Western countries is
higher than necessary and a slight reduction offers no harm to the body?
Stomach cancer
J Epidemiol. 2013 . Intake of soy products and other foods and gastric
cancer risk: a prospective study. Frequent soybean/tofu intake was associated
with lower risk of gastric cancer.
Soy protein allergy
Fermenting soy reduces soyallergy and increases the number of essential
amino acidss. During fermentation proteins are broken
down into small fragments which are not easily identified by the antibodies that
produce the allergic reaction.
Isoflavones
Are there differences between soy
isoflavone, soy protein
isolate and concentrate?
The main extraction from the soy
bean is
the isoflavones, whereas the isolate is extracted for soy
protein. Since soy beans contain a high protein content with a low
level of isoflavones, a larger quantity of raw material is required to
manufacture isoflavones. Soy protein isolate may have 90% protein, which
is isolated defatted soy flakes by removing fat and carbohydrates;
however, soy protein concentrate contains fat, starch from soy bean and
roughly 70% of protein.
Questions
Q. My husband and I have been vegetarians for about 20
years. Currently, we rely
very heavily upon soy protein to meet our protein needs. We are both very
healthy and very much enjoy soy protein products. I've just recently
become aware of the popularity of whey protein (particularly for body
builders). It's very hard to find unbiased comparisons of the two. Most of
the information that I've found comes from very biased sources or sources
which are unqualified to make definitive statements. I'm not asking you to
tell me which one is better. I would just like to find some good data. I
work as a research administrator so I value
information collected through scientific means.
A. This is a good question and I would like to answer
it by posing another question. Which is better, an apple or an orange? My
overall philosophy in diet is to try to consume a variety of foods. Thus,
my suggestion would be to have some of both soy protein and whey protein
rather than having too much of just one. There have not been any studies
that I am aware of testing soy protein versus whey protein for long term
health maintenance, but as far as body building, both forms of protein
appear to be helpful.
Q. In supermarkets it's hard to find soy
free foods these days except in the produce section. Same with
supplements. And a lot of us have soy allergies. What can we do?
A. Yes, many products have soy or soy oil added. Those with soy
allergies are obliged to spend more time than others in reading labels
carefully. But why should people buy processed foods anyway? What happened
to eating whole grains, vegetables, fruits, fish, legumes, etc?
Q. First I should tell you that I have deep
respect for you and I appreciate both the products you sell, and your
articles.It's true, as you write, that the Japanese eat a lot
of soy. But (as you know), almost all of the soy they eat is fermented.
Fermentation reduces the toxicity of soy. I have friends from Japan who
are shocked at the amount of soy that is eaten in the U.S. Here in the
U.S. soy is in everything. It's almost impossible to find processed foods
without it. We eat far more soy than the Japanese do or ever did, and we
eat it in its most noxious form, the form that, when fed to animals, has
been shown to disrupt their hormones, speed up their body cycles, cause
early sexual maturity, and cause animals fed large doses of it to become
unable to reproduce. In the U.S. today, girls are coming to sexual
maturity earlier than they ever did. Boys and men have precipitously low
sperm counts. It's interesting that as the amount of this pollutant has
increased in our diet, we are experiencing the same symptoms animals
exhibit when fed this noxious "health food." I spent years eating large
amounts of soy, thinking I was doing something "healthful" and beneficial
for myself. I ate soy cereal in the morning, drank soy milk instead of
cow's milk, mixed tofu in my scrambled eggs, ate Tofutti for dessert. I
was a "soy believer" like you. As the months went by I developed a myriad
of health conditions. I felt mentally dull and lost interest in sex. I was
the sickest I've ever been in my life. Finally I did some research and
started wondering if soy might be contributing to my problems. I had a
hard time believing it, I was so convinced it must be "good for you," but
I finally tried removing it from my diet for a trial period. Within two
months after I stopped eating soy, I regained my health. Virtually every
health condition I was suffering from, improved or disappeared. My mind is
sharp and clear again. I'm in my fifties, but feel like I'm in my
twenties. I feel blessed that I dodged a bullet, considering how much of
the junk I was eating.
A. Your symptoms may have been due to overconsumption of soy
products and this is not a good argument against my position that small
amounts of soy, as part of a healthy diet that includes a variety of
foods, is acceptable. Furthermore, most soy milk has lots of added sugar.
People should keep consumption of processed foods to a minimum. If soy
consumption reduces fertility, it apparently has not had much effect in
China or Japan. Can you provide factual data or research studies that shed light on your claims
regarding:
What is the amount of soy eaten by the average Japanese?
What percent of the soy eaten by Japanese is fermented?
What is the amount of soy eaten by an average American?
What percent of the soy eaten by American is fermented?
What is the evidence that eating small amounts of soy is harmful to
health?
Which country has the longest living humans on average?
Please let us know the evidence in humans that fermentation reduces the
toxicity of soy.
What is the evidence that eating boiled soy beans, such as edamame, is
harmful?
Please provide research studies that eating soy products reduces
longevity.
We would appreciate you referring to us the research studies you
have come across that would help us understand your point of view.
Q. What is the amount of soy eaten by Asians in
Japan? Answer: According to an article published in the Journal of
Nutrition, Japanese males consume, on the average, in the neighborhood of
10 milligrams of genistein per day (Fukutake M, Takahashi M, Ishida K,
Kawamura H, Sugimura T, Wakabayashi K; Food Chem Toxicol 1996, 34:457-61).
Broken down by gender, 8 grams of soy beans and soy products per day for
men, about 6.88 grams per day for women. (Nagata C, Takatsuka N, Kurisu Y,
Shimizu H; J Nutr 1998, 128:209-13). (By comparison, when I was "living on
soy", eating tofu and soy protein every day, I was consuming about 90-120
grams of soy protein a day) (I eventually got sicker than I ever had been
in my life.... then found to my surprise that virtually all of the medical
conditions I was experiencing cleared up when I dropped soy from my diet.)
Which country has the longest living humans on average? Answer: It depends
on gender. Japanese women have the longest life expectancy. Iceland has
the longest lived males. Of course there are many factors in life
expectancy other than diet, including genetics, exposure to toxins from
environmental sources, stress, and access to health care.
A. The premise that Asians eat
only 10 grams of soy foods is not correct, it is closer to 60 to 100 g.
The 10 g refers to soy protein, not soy products. Japanese women live longer than any other people on the planet
while consuming 60 g or more of soy products a day. Therefore, I continue
to believe that small amounts of soy in the diet, as part of an overall
healthy diet that includes a wide variety of foods, offers no harm.
Q. Your position on soy is based on the latest research and sound, even-mindedness. I agree with you; unless one can produce data to support the (often) hysterical claims by health extremists in the popular press, there is nothing to discuss. Unfortunately, too many Americans have a knee-jerk approach to mass media pronouncements. This does not mean that I am not in sympathy with those whose personal experiences don't follow the usual outcome. Everybody is different and some people may indeed respond differently to certain foods or supplements. But whatever happened to personal instinct and common sense? Sheesh! Thank you for your excellent newsletter and advice. I always enjoy reading your perspective and thoughts on current research.
Q. I have read your articles for at least 2
years. As a source for my research I refer to your articles on many
supplements and have respected your extensive research concerning info
about actions, interactions, reactions, research studies, and sources.
Your studies are extensive and I believe reliable for the most part. An
example would be research I did on DHEA using your report to balance other
reports from other doctors. I use your studies and opinions as they can be
relied upon to be conservative and on the "safe" side for all dosing
regimens. However, your view on this topic of soy or no soy causes me to
caution you to be more
open minded to the vast weight of evidence against Soy products. I won't
debate the pros and cons of Soy. Perhaps you can read: "The Whole Soy
Story the dark side of America's Favorite Health Food." Kaayla T. Daniel,
PhD, CCN. Numerous very respected PhDs and MDs as well as Historians
contribute to or support a NO Soy View. including Mary Enig, Jonathan
Wright, Joseph Mercola, Mary Shoman, William Campbell Douglass, Sally
Fallon, and dozens of other sources such as food processors and
manufacturers.
A. Please ask the authors of this book two questions. What studies
can they point to that 1. Small amounts of soy as part of an overall
healthy diet reduces longevity, and 2. How do they explain the highest
longevity in Japan in people who do eat soy.
Q. I am an Ayurvedic
practitioner and was reading your comments on the soy controversy which
I agree with your position. My question is that most studies seem to
relate more to women than men. Do you feel eating tofu for male
youngsters could be a problem hormonally?
A. I foresee no problems with boys eating soy a few times a month or
perhaps more often.
Q. I wonder if some of the unfavorable responses to soy may be because people who've never eaten soy before suddenly added it to their diet and then found their system didn't handle it well? I'm just short of 59 years old and for 38 years have been eating soy (mostly in the form of soy flour added to breads and baking) and cooked soy beans but also miso, soy sauce and tofu - just not as much. My sons grew up on home-made bread with soy flour always used and other soy foods. I'd say, most days, we had some form of soy in our diet though not always. None grew up with any problems from the phyto-estrogens in soy. I've heard that soy also has its share of phyto-androgens but not sure. Their intellectual development is good (all tested in the genius range at various tests done in school). Health is good, above average. Sexual development is definitely normal. I saw no problems ever from its use. For me, I don't know if there's any one thing that I can contribute my good health to (I doubt it) but my continued use of soy hasn't harmed me. I had 3 normal pregnancies and deliveries, nursed my sons for a total of 77 months with lots of milk. Only twice did I ever have PMS symptoms and both were very mild. And no, that wasn't just my view but those I lived with. I went through menopause with no symptoms. Never had a hot flash, mood swings or other problems. I have no sisters, only my mother to compare with and she certainly had problems with menopause. I can't say I can contribute my unlined skin to soy but my skin is smooth and unwrinkled. I'm starting to get the 'sag' associated with lose of collagen but skin is great. My immune system is good too. I don't get infections of any sort, not from cat bites, garden accidents or colds or flu. Is that soy helping me? Not a clue but worth mentioning for those who think soy disrupts our immune system. Anyway, if you wish to use some of what I wrote, feel free to - just don't use my name, please. Perhaps soy doesn't suit everyone but it sure has suited us and made it possible for me to feed my family enough good quality protein when times were tough and there was little money. Even though things are going well for me now, I still prefer my home-made foods and especially my bread with soy flour.
Q. I've been a vegetarian in Australia for 40 years and have eaten a slab of tofu everyday as a meat substitute as well as a soy hot chocolate or coffee each day. Nothing's fallen off or gone rotten. At 57 I'm at correct weight and height, have all the sexual bits working - albeit a little slower than in youth. Tofu is a far superior form of protein than meat and adds way less carbon to the atmosphere than meat production. It doesn't go off like meat and you can even feed it to the dog! I just wonder where this argument, that soy is bad for you, has come from.
I write to ask your opinion. I recently received
the email below. It says the very opposite of what I have always thought. So I
am wondering if the contents do have real scientific validity, or if they are
prompted by some other interest (eg, for some commercial reason, 'they' do not
want people to consume soy). This is an email from Health & Well-Being
Newsletter 3 Emmbrook Gate Wokingham Berkshire, RG41 1JW United Kingdom by
Russel Eaton. It says"Hundreds of epidemiological, clinical and laboratory
studies link soy to malnutrition, digestive distress, thyroid dysfunction,
cognitive decline, reproductive disorders, cognitive, immune system breakdown,
and even heart disease and cancer. Contrary to the popular belief that soy is a
health food, evidence reveals that soy consumption has been linked to numerous
disorders, including infertility, increased cancer and infantile leukaemia, Type
1 diabetes, and precocious puberty in children." Do you agree with the opinion
of Russel Eaton?
I do not. Soy products, fermented or not fermented, are safe
to consume in small or reasonable amounts a few times a week.
After years of bladder inflammation, I think the
source is my vitamins and calcium supplements. The cellulose content is probably
soy, to which I am allergic. This is my own conclusion, not from anyone in the
medical field. Do you have a suggestion for brands or preparations of
multi-vitamin, iron, and calcium supplements that are soy-free? I can research
it myself but maybe you know off the top and can recommend some? I also have
sulphur allergy and lactose intolerance.
Many times when people self declare that they are allergic to
something, it may not be accurate.
I drank a ton of soymilk and some soy protein
shakes over the course of 8 months, starting in late May 2008. Seriously, I may
have drank more soy than anyone in history. Three or four Eden Soy cartons or
two or three Silk soy cartons would be normal. Some people think they consume a
lot, but not compared to me. After a few days of this -- yes, a few days -- I
felt like my mind was slow, and that it adversely affected my speaking fluency.
Cognitive impairment perhaps. Almost three weeks before I started soy I began
taking a hair loss pharmaceutical called Propecia finasteride 1mg. I had no
problems on this until I started taking soy. I only took this Propecia for 58
days and stopped in late July 2008. Anyhow, these speaking side effects continue
until the present day in November 2009. For those months I thought my choppy
speech was due to Propecia. In February 2009, through various Google searches, I
came to realize that all this soy might have been made me iodine deficient, so I
started taking a HIGH POTENCY iodine supplement called Iodoral, with 50mg of
iodine per day, which is about 50 times more than the iodine found in the
highest natural source, kelp. I was on 50mg for 5 months, then 150mg for 3
months, stopping finally October, 2009 because I felt it wasn't helping my
speech. Perhaps I shouldn't have taken this Iodoral and just stopped the soy
back in February, but I didn't unfortunately. I went to a thyroid doctor in late
June 2009 and he felt my thyroid and said I had an enlarged thyroid and called
it "luxurious", but my thyroid hormones came back normal, perhaps very slightly
subclinical hypothyroid. But I've read a normal test still might mean your
thyroid is not exactly normal. I went to another thyroid doctor in September
2009, and he did the same feeling test and said my thyroid looked normal. I had
an ultrasound done anyway and the ultrasound doctor said it looked normal, but
the thyroid volume measured 26cm cubed, which is about 10cm cubed larger than a
normal thyroid, information I found via Google search. I finally stopped
consuming soy when I stopped iodine in October 2009. So here's the deal. I have
no idea what the hell I did to myself over the course of the course of the last
year. Perhaps I messed up my thyroid with all the soy and continued that with
the excess iodine. Maybe it's not thyroid related at all. Nothing else in my
lifestyle changed -- I can't stress this enough. The doctors seem to have
differing opinions, my parents think I'm making all of this up, and I have no
real way to quantify what in the world is going on, so I don't even have a
listed problem for my mental problems. It's not as though I lost an arm and it's
obvious to other people. I've been off soy and iodine for 36 days exactly as of
November 21, 2009. The only option I can think of is to stay off both until
hopefully my body returns to equilibrium, and my educated guess is around 90
days or so. I don't know if my problems are Propecia related or soy, but none of
my side effects relate to Propecia side effects listed, and I both thyroid
doctors told me that they've never heard soy causing speaking side effects.
I am not able to diagnose or offer suggestions without
examining a patient, but it may be possible that excess soy caused some
cognitive decline, at least temporarily, and finasteride does not help with
cognitive health, either.
Some health gurus recommend AGAINST the use of soy
products, except for FERMENTED ONES --- my question is --- does the estrogen in
soy have a detrimental effect on MALE TESTOSTERONE and thus, sex drive? I am a
76 year old male who thru getting off the standard AMERICAN DIET and eliminating
most manufactured foods, and thru education and supplements, still enjoys a
weekly HOT DATE with my wife, having discovered that a HEALTHY SEX LIFE is
simply ESSENTIAL to a males sense of well being, and by the way, has any
research been done on just what constitutes a normal healthy sex life (
frequency ) for mid 70 year olds?
I have not kept up with the latest statistics of a healthy
sex life frequency in this age group. I see no problems with small to moderate
consumption of soy foods in relation to sexuality. Perhaps excessive daily
consumption may have an undesired effect but this is just a guess.
Thank you for your newsletter, it's always full of
good information. I've used several of your products and will be trying more in
the future. You were asking in your latest mailing why some people are so up in
arms against soy. I hope you will not mind my replying to that. I guess for me
it's because I used to eat a lot of it, and it got to where I was sick most of
the time. I felt terrible, had allergies, couldn't think clearly, gained weight
I didn't need, and was depressed and irritable, I would say, most of the time. I
just frankly awful. During this period soy was a staple in my diet. It wasn't
the only thing I ate. I ate a balanced diet like you describe, with lots of rice
and beans and fruits and vegetables, all organic food, but also drank some soy
milk and ate some tofu every day. And I ate tofutti for dessert at least once a
week, and ate protein bars with soy protein in them when I needed a snack. When
a naturopath told me it might be the soy making me feel so bad so much of the
time, I initially didn't believe it. I was so convinced that soy was good for me
and that eating it was the moral and healthy thing to do. I finally tried
cutting it out of my diet because I got so sick and miserable I didn't know what
else to try. When I stopped eating soy my health started getting better almost
immediately. Literally the same day I dropped the soy milk and tofu, my mental
confusion and depression listed. Within a few weeks my other symptoms were
cleared up. I mean all of those symptoms. I feel twenty years younger since I
dropped soy products from my diet, which I did almost ten years ago. I feel
great every day and I can't believe the years I wasted feeling horrible. I think
you are probably right when you say that eating a little soy isn't a terrible
thing. But the problem I have with saying it's "safe in small amounts" is, how
much is too much for an individual? At the time I was a soy "believer" I would
have rationalized, "Oh, I'm only drinking a quart of soy milk every couple of
days, that can't be that bad." "I'm only having a little tofu with my eggs in
the morning, I'm sure that's fine." "It's healthy for me, it's soy, the
naturopath must be wrong, blah blah blah." I know that I have too much emotion
attached to the subject, but frankly I am still angry with the "health food"
world for pushing soy as if were a wonder food that everyone needs. I'm angry
for all of the years I was sick. I also am irritated that the people who still
push soy, seem incapable of acknowledging, in words or in print, that there are
now literally thousands of studies showing that it is a toxic and damaging food.
I'm angry that it is pushed particularly hard at women, as if it was a miracle
food that would solve all of our health problems. I'm not mad at you, I'm just
trying to explain how I feel. I know that you're not recommending that everyone
go out and eat a lot of soy. But I also feel like, when we have it in your diet
in any amount, we need to be aware of the dangers. Did our ancestors eat soy? Do
we "need" it? Has the world's health improved dramatically since soy became a
constituent in almost every processed food? The pro soy lobby goes on constantly
about how great it supposedly is for women with cancer. Sorry for the diatribe.
I am truly not angry at you, just angry at an attitude that seems everywhere
around us. I know your point is that small amounts aren't terrible. Maybe you're
right about that, I don't know. If I had been eating less I might not have
gotten as sick as I did. If girls ate "less" maybe they would not be sprouting
breasts at the age of ten or eleven, in massive numbers. And I know you're not
saying people "should" eat it. I think when people send you emails about soy,
it's because you're almost the only "pro soy" person who is willing to dialogue
about it. I do appreciate you for that.
I appreciated reading your email. Any food eaten to excess,
for instance eggs, corn, milk, peanuts, and others, could cause negative effects
since the body does not like to be exposed to too much of the same substances
all the time. There are also some people who are allergic to soy or are more
sensitive to some of the components of soy than others. However, the vast
majority of the public has no problems with eating small amounts of soy a few
times a week or a few times a month. I know people who drink soy milk every day
and have done so for a decade or longer and have absolutely no harmful effects.
My problem is with those who claim even tiny amounts of soy are toxic to
everyone who consumes it even there is no scientific evidence of such toxicity
in the vast majority of consumers.
About the soy bean controversy, I would like to point at the fact - apart from all too often substantial differences in the results of studies, depending on who is conducting them, in whose interest they are run, respectively who is sponsoring them - that genetically modified soy beans may be unintentionally more modified and tampered than intended, so their different effects on the human body may very well explain the different study results. Apparently it has been discovered that the insertion of a foreign gene into an organism does not just result in an additional gene, but causes uncontrolled changes in a considerable part of its gene pool and the consequences of which remain unaccounted for. Not to mention the environmental issues that are caused by the hazardous practices used for the cultivation of GM plants, that truly independent research in the areas of the food safety of GM foods is systematically blocked by the GM corporations which own the GM seeds and reference materials, as well as their unethical (not to say: criminal) record and dubious practices in the past. Even if the genetic modification of the soy beans would not be an issue, their exposure to considerable amounts of biocidal chemicals most likely is. After all there have been plenty of issues with animals which have consumed GM plants, from the colony collapse disorder of honey bees to infertility of hogs, just to name a couple. A 2009 review in Nutrition Reviews found that, although most studies concluded that GM foods do not differ in nutrition or cause any detectable toxic effects in animals, some studies did report adverse changes at a cellular level caused by some GM foods, concluding that: "More scientific effort and investigation is needed to ensure that consumption of GM foods is not likely to provoke any form of health problem" - especially in respect to long term effects. And anyway, when it comes to my health, I rather be safe than sorry - and whenever there are such huge amounts of money at stake, I don't trust the people in charge that health and environmental safety has any priority for them - as this has been the case in far too many instances in the past.
Q. Can you tell me if Soy based oils such as
Soya and Glycerine in Body CARE products cause the same side effects as
ingesting soy or soybean ingredients in Foods or supplements such as: mimicking
or increasing Estrogen hormones in men, interfering with make hormones, thyroid
and absorption of nutrients.
A. I do not suspect there would be any such problems.
Articles
saw palmetto for prostate
Chemopreventive property of a soybean peptide (lunasin) that binds to
deacetylated histones and inhibits acetylation.
Cancer Res. 2001.
Lunasin is a unique 43-amino acid soybean peptide. Our results point to the role of lunasin as
a new chemopreventive agent that functions possibly via a chromatin modification
mechanism.
5-htp for serotonin
coq10 or coenzyme q10