5 Facts About Soy and Estrogen

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Posted: 24 Aug 2014 08:00 AM PDT

Soy has been sold as a health food for generations, with soybean oil, soy milk, and even tofu being an important staple in the lives of many people all across the world. Most soy products on grocery shelves are not considered real food by any means, as these products are highly processed and often genetically modified. In North America, soy oil was used during the Industrial Revolution to lubricate machinery. Still sound appetizing? The marketing of soy as a health food is probably one of the greatest public relation stories of all time, at least in the agricultural industry.

One of the primary issues concerning soy is its high level of phytoestrogens, compounds that mimic estrogen in the body. Soy contains two primary phytoestrogens, often termed xenoestrogens. These include genistein and daidzein, ^[1] and both estrogen compounds have harmful effects on the endocrine system in males and females. All estrogen compounds fall into the category known as isoflavones, compounds that could, in theory, stimulate breast cancer cells.

What Do Isoflavones Do?

Isoflavones are estrogen mimickers and increase estrogen activity in the body. This action may be helpful for relieving symptoms in menopausal women ^[2] and may also benefit other females who have low levels of estrogen in the body. Sometimes, isoflavones block real estrogen and replace naturally-produced estrogen in the body. Despite the fact that studies have yet to become clear on soy's possible implications to human health, some researchers believe there is still cause for concern. Natural estrogen plays a role in a variety of biological mechanisms, including maturation and fertility.

Some of the adverse effects that have been related to soy consumption are:

1. Girls are reaching menarche (time of first menstruation) at earlier ages, now more than ever. Fifty years ago, the age of menarche averaged around a girl’s 13th birthday. It’s now become more common before or around the age of 10. Studies on young female rats support soy as a possible contributing factor.
2. Abnormal growth of breasts in males has been tied to dietary soy. ^[3] ^[4]
3. Men may experience a loss of sexual desire, typically as a result of introducing estrogen into the diet. ^[5]
4. Soy may be a factor behind infertility faced by men and women today. ^[6]
5. Xenoestrogens have been tied to breast cancer. Considering that breast cancer cells require stimulation via estrogen, it may be a wise idea to decrease estrogen consumption from all sources, including soy. ^[7]

Soy: A Dangerous Toxin in Disguise

The stance that many scientists take on soy's phytoestrogen content remain mixed. After all, estrogen is a natural hormone that is necessary for a variety of biological processes. Even men require some level of estrogen for optimal health. Natural hormones that your body produces are one thing, but introducing hormones from an external source at high doses may be an issue.

When estrogens are imposed on your body, even unwillingly (as is the case with processed food), hormonal balance can become disrupted. Hormonal imbalance occurs as a result of exposure to endocrine disruptors in the environment, in our food, or our personal care products. We've adapted to xenoestrogens on a small scale, simply because they are pervasive throughout the plant kingdom. The problem with soy is that we no longer eat this product in small amounts. Soy is a cheap, subsidized ingredient that is used in processed foods in the form of oil, thickeners, flavor enhancers, stabilizers, preservatives, and nutritive fillers.

Fermented soy, like tempeh and natto, is incredibly healthy. Goitrogens and nutritive inhibitors are significantly reduced, and many studies have indicated their important health benefits to humans. When it comes to non-organic and unfermented soy, it's best to hold off until conclusive research has been reached. Even still, preliminary studies are already indicating that soy should be off the to-eat list permanently.

What are your thoughts on soy? Do you consume it? If so, what types of soy foods do you use? Please share with us your thoughts in the comments!

-Dr. Edward F. Group III, DC, ND, DACBN, DCBCN, DABFM