Is Soy Safe? Great article from LifeExtension.com. Click HERE.
Another great article on soy. This is from NaturesOne.com. Click HERE.
There seems to be much misinformation on soy from well-meaning complementary care providers. However, the above links and the studies below provide much scientific evidence to the benefits of soy in the human diet.
Asia Pac J Clin Nutr. 2004;13(Suppl):S123.
The long term effects of soy-based formula on isoflavone concentration of plasma and urine, and growth and recognition development at 10 and 20 months old infants.Ryowon C, Lee JY, Lee HO, Chung SJ, Cho MR, Kim JY, Lee IH. Department of Medical Nutrition, Kyung Hee University, Korea.
Results: The measurements of weight, height, head and chest circumference at 10 and 20 months of age were all in normal growth range in comparison with Korean of pediatric growth chart. No significant differences were found for the consumption of daily nutrients and the recognition development among the four groups. Conclusions: These data suggest that soy-based formula could be used for long-term feeding.
J Nutr. 2005 Oct;135(10):2379-82.
Calcium bioavailability of calcium carbonate fortified soymilk is equivalent to cow’s milk in young women.
Zhao Y, Martin BR, Weaver CM.Department of Foods and Nutrition, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, USA.
Abstract
Calcium (Ca)-fortified soymilk has gained popularity in the United States. Tricalcium phosphate (TCP)-fortified soymilk was shown to have a lower Ca bioavailability than cow’s milk in men. However, the most popular soymilk in the U.S. is fortified with Ca carbonate (CC) and has not been evaluated. Ca bioavailability from CC-fortified soymilk (CCSM) and TCP-fortified soymilk (TCPSM) was compared with cow’s milk in young healthy women using the dual stable isotope technique. Our result suggests that calcium absorption is equivalent for CCSM and cow’s milk at similar calcium loads.
PMID: 16177199 [PubMed – indexed for MEDLINE]
J Med Food. 2007 Jun;10(2):300-7.
Age-related uterotrophic response of soy isoflavone intake in rats.
Chang MJ, Nam HK, Myong N, Kim SH. Department of Foods and Nutrition, Kookmin University, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
Isoflavone supplementation did not alter the histological phenotype of endometrial cells in growing rats, but a hyperplastic response of endometrium was shown in the adult rats. Dietary isoflavones, therefore, may not have an estrogenic effect on the uterus at these dose levels during the growth period, but this organ would be expected to be a likely target for isoflavone action in adults. We observed in the present study that isoflavones are more bioavailable in adult rats than in the juvenile rats. Therefore, soy isoflavone supplementation may not act as an endocrine disrupter during the growth period but may exert a phytoestrogenic effect on the uterus of adult rats.
PMID: 17651066 [PubMed – indexed for MEDLINE]
Reprod Domest Anim. 2009 Dec;44(6):937-42. Epub 2008 Dec 22.
Morphology of reproductive organs, semen quality and sexual behaviour of the male rabbit exposed to a soy-containing diet and soy-derived isoflavones during gestation and lactation.
Cardoso JR, Báo SN. Institute of Biological Sciences, University of Campinas, Campinas, SP; Department of Cellular Biology, University of Brasilia, Brasília, Brazil.rokette@bol.com.br
Perinatal exposure to soy-containing diet and soy isoflavones did not alter testis, epididymides, proprostate and prostate weight and gross morphology.
After puberty, sexual behaviour and semen parameters did not differ significantly from the control group. These results indicate that intrauterine and lactational exposure to soy-containing diet and soy-derived isoflavones may not adversely affect reproductive development and function of male rabbits.
J Pediatr Endocrinol Metab. 2004 Feb;17(2):191-6.
Soy protein formulas in children: no hormonal effects in long-term feeding. Giampietro PG, Bruno G, Furcolo G, Casati A, Brunetti E, Spadoni GL, Galli E.
Research Center, S Pietro Hospital Fatebenefratelli, AFaR, Rome, Italy. giampietro@mbox.thunder.it
We enrolled 48 children, mean age 37 months (range 7-96 months), 27 males and 21 females. All children underwent physical examination. Bone age, urinary markers of bone metabolism, serum levels of bone alkaline phosphatase, osteocalcin, 17beta-oestradiol, and intact parathyroid hormone were measured. Eighteen healthy children represented the control group. No abnormalities were observed in auxological parameters; none of the enrolled girls showed signs/symptoms of precocious puberty and none of the boys presented gynecomastia; bone age waswithin the normal range. The serum level of bone alkaline phosphatase, osteocalcin, 17beta-oestradiol, and intact parathyroid hormone, and the urinary levels of the markers of bone metabolism were all within normal values. We conclude that long-term feeding with SPFs in early life does not seem to produce oestrogen-like hormonal effects.
JAMA. 2009 Dec 9;302(22):2437-43.
Soy food intake and breast cancer survival. Shu XO, Zheng Y, Cai H, Gu K, Chen Z, Zheng W, Lu W.
Department of Medicine, Vanderbilt Epidemiology Center, 2525 West End Ave, Ste 600, Nashville, TN 37203-1738, USA. xiao-ou.shu@vanderbilt.edu
RESULTS: Soy food intake, as measured by either soy protein or soy isoflavone intake, was inversely associated with mortality and recurrence. The hazard ratio associated with the highest quartile of soy protein intake was 0.71 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.54-0.92) for total mortality and 0.68 (95% CI, 0.54-0.87) for recurrence compared with the lowest quartile of intake. The multivariate-adjusted 4-year mortality rates were 10.3% and 7.4%, and the 4-year recurrence rates were 11.2% and 8.0%, respectively, for women in the lowest and highest quartiles of soy protein intake. The inverse association was evident
among women with either estrogen receptor-positive or -negative breast cancer and was present in both users and nonusers of tamoxifen. CONCLUSION: Among women with breast cancer, soy food consumption was significantly associated with decreased risk of death and recurrence.
PMCID: PMC2874068 [Available on 2010/12/9]