The Dangers of Soy for Women and Infants

I recently read an e-How article I found and they too know soy products are found in over 60% of our food supply. It’s a substitute for animal proteins for vegetarian and vegan diets. Soy also found in many beauty products, vitamin supplements, and candles. That’s why someone like myself with a severe soy allergy must read every label thoroughly. After my extensive research there were questions as to what too much of these products can mean to women’s health issues.

Breast Cancer

Soy has phytoestrogens that is an estrogen-like substance. These substances should be avoided if a woman has an estrogen-dependent breast cancer. Research suggests that eating large amounts of soy products, if you have this type of breast cancer, may be detrimental to your health, according to WomensHealth.gov.

Drug Interactions

Soy may interact with drugs needed for such conditions as diabetes, high blood pressure, diarrhea, obesity, high cholesterol and cardiovascular diseases, according to MedlinePlus. Any woman with these types of problems should consult with her physician before ingesting large amounts of soy products while taking thyroid hormones, antibiotics, diuretics, iron salts, immunosuppressant or other medications. I also recommend that if you have any allergy to soy check with your pharmacist when medication is prescribed because there may be an active or inactive ingredient that contains a form of soy. I have had this happen to me, and I the pharmacist was able to find something else.

Allergic Reactions

According to the Mayo Clinic one of the most common products that causes allergies in children is soy. But I believe the allergy to peanuts comes first. As you know, soy allergies can be mild to severe or life-threatening symptoms, so continue to read your food labels in order to detect any soy or hidden ingredients in the foods you or your family ingest. If you feel you or your child experienced a reaction to soy products, try removing soy from the diet. If there is only a mild reaction, you can take an allergy test to be sure. I haven’t done so because I went into anaphylactic shock and I don’t need to risk that in the doctor’s office.

Gastrointestinal Discomforts

Some women who eat soy products may experience problems with bloating, constipation and nausea, as stated by the Right Health website. They may experience more severe gastrointestinal problems such as diarrhea, and vomiting.

Effects on Development of Infants

High levels of phytoestrogen, found in soy products, has also been linked to earlier development of adolescents and earlier puberty. Soy formula can cause zinc deficiency, which is important to the development of the nervous system. It also contains ten times the amount of aluminum than milk and has a toxic effect on the kidneys Many pediatricians feel that increased soy consumption in young girls has resulted in a higher frequency of early breast development and pubic hair growth in patients as young as eight years old.

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Thank you for posting. I have heard of this before. I have a question, though–maybe you have an answer. I have been on a special diet for about 15 weeks now and my estrogen levels have dropped significantly. Would eating some soy increase my levels?

Comment by Rebeca Porter on September 21, 2010 at 7:34 am

I used to give my kids soy formula as babies and we used to drink lots of flavored soy milk. After researching the topic and reading up on your article, I'm going to be keeping on top of soy intake in my family.

I had a friend who's girls LOVED everything soy. Unfortunately, both the girls started developing around 8 years old.

Interesting how something that people thought for so long was healthy, turns out to be worse than what it replaced.

Comment by Angie on February 26, 2011 at 8:11 am

Hi Angie, Thanks for sharing you and your friend's experience with soy products. We just have to keep spreading the word.

Nothing wrong with fermented soy – the toxins are removed. But, all the processed foods are killing us slowly!

Comment by Dianne on February 26, 2011 at 7:14 pm

In addition to the above published article, one needs to keep in mind that the majority of soy used is genetically modified organisms or (GMO) and that's another reason why so many people are coming down with allergic reactions. Another highly genetically modified organism is peanuts, again high allergic reactions confirm this. As well as increased cancer risks and the types of cancers especially those that are gastrointestinally related.

Yes, soy protein and soy products do contribute to weight gain and other ailments, but still keep in mind that biotechnology is also playing a role here.

Just wanted to share that.

Comment by Deborah on March 13, 2011 at 4:18 pm

I have to say I disagree with almost everything in this article. Where's the research by the way? Where do these claims come from because I haven't even seen references to peer reviewed medical journals that actually make those claims. (I doubt my comment will be published already – but I surely hope you allow some transparency from public comments) Only pro-dairy organizations that have created mock studies to purposely undermine soy have made such claims. Those studies, by the way, were performed on animals – mostly lab rats who were given extremely high doses of soy protein isolates – such high quantities that no human could possibly even consume the equivalence.

Everything should be consumed in moderation. Even high doses of spinach or celery (as also performed on lab rat studies) are lethal. There's a difference between highly processed foods such as high fructose corn syrup vs. corn and soy protein isolates (which are extracted using hexane) vs. foods made from whole soybeans. Soy protein isolates are found in protein powders and other highly refined cereals, but there are lots of healthy soy foods made from real whole soybeans: tofu, tempeh, natto, soymilk, soygurts, etc.

Here's just one link to a recent article with well researched evidence: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/neal-barnard-md/set…

The reality is that people in Asia have been consuming soy for hundreds of thousands of years and they certainly have not been afflicted by such problems until the western diet of fast food/dairy/high fructose corn syrup/additives/preservatives/artificial sweeteners & flavors entered their regular diet. All those "foods" (which most can't even qualify as food) are what really cause weight gain. Where in the recent obesity epidemic news coverage has anyone said soy is where the problem is? Nowhere. it's soda, diet soda, school lunches (which also don't contain real whole soy – maybe soy protein isolates in the 75% artificial taco bell and McDonald's "meat" but the problem is that there's an over-consumption of calories – over 1,000 per meal). That's where the real concrete studies prove weight gain and obesity are linked to, not soy.

The only bit of accuracy I see in this article is about thyroid disorders. Unfortunately studies do actually show that soy proteins interfere with the effectiveness of medications for hypothyroidism. But other foods also interfere with that same issue such as buckwheat! Recently a major pesticide approved in California to "treat" strawberries has been linked to causing severe thyroid disorders – including hypothyroidism. More attention should be brought to this catastrophic pesticide.

Lastly I agree that Genetically Modified soy is bad, as is also GMO alfalfa, salmon, tomatoes, corn, etc. But there is a growing amount of non-genetically modified soy for human consumption. Something like 96-97% of soy is genetically modified but most of that goes to cow/pig/chicken feed that is consumed by the majority of the U.S. population. Concern should be placed on this issue since you are eating higher on the food chain rather than from a protein rich plant source that is low on the food chain.

In summary, there are good sources of human grade soy where whole soybeans have been used to make the product and the soybeans are organic and not genetically modified. But there is the downside that highly processed artificially enhanced foods contain soy protein isolates which are not the best way to go. Whole foods over highly processed artificiality.

Comment by Jess Allende on March 22, 2011 at 11:54 pm

For someone that was a vegetarian for years, consumed a lot of soy to replace my lost protein, I would disagree. I have a disease called endometrosis and it is an estrogen fueled disease. Since removing almost all traces of Soy from my diet I am in remission. I also don't have to take allergy meds anymore and My stomach issues(Gas, Bloating, diarrhea) have all disappeared too. Definitely not a coincidence.

Comment by kathleen on April 12, 2011 at 10:23 am

HI! There is a great book out that explains all about soy. "The whole soy Story" By Kaayala T. Daniel, Ph D, CCN.
She has referenced places that you can look up on study after study about soy. It is an eye opener. It is not wrong to look and seek knowledge in what we put in our bodies. More and more people are dieing and there is a cause. You owe it to yourself to research and learn what you are putting in our bodies.

Comment by Deborah K. on May 9, 2011 at 4:22 pm

I too believe that after 25 years of being veg/vegan, that I have developed a sensitivity to soy. I started to eat it heavily about 10 years ago and no matter how much or how long I excercised I had gained weight, and started feeling foggy headed. I have since given up soy of all types and kept the same excercise regimen ( aerobic and weights) and hour to 3 daily, and I have lost the 100 lbs of weight I had gained! now, this is NOT to say EVERBODY will experience this but clearly soy did not do ME well!! DIET (what we eat) is NOT one size fits all…

Comment by Trinka on May 11, 2011 at 2:26 pm

Did the research also say anything if soy milk only affects certain ethnicity? My point is that I'm Asian and I grew up eating white rice and drink soy milk all my life. Some people cannot eat plain white rice without having some kind of weight gain or stomach problem. I don't know any White people that eats white rice everyday for breakfast, lunch and dinner. JMO and from my observation. Perhaps soy milk only affects certain ethnicity? I believe I'm better off with soy milk than cow's milk. Besides, at least I know that there aren't any hormones in my milk. I love soymilk and wouldn't dare or care to change.

Comment by middlegirl on July 16, 2011 at 12:28 pm

I have an intolerance to cow’s milk and have been drinking soy milk for years. I grumbled to a friend the other day that my breasts are getting bigger and bigger, even if I diet I lose weight everywhere else but by breast, I used to be a C cup now I'm G but I'm only 30 bra size (UK sizes), my friend said she had read an article about soy increasing breast size, has anyone else had this problem?

Comment by Jenny on January 8, 2012 at 5:41 am

If I'm on cholesterol is high then it's okay to have Almased that contains fermented soy…right? My daughter is considering becoming a vegan, but articles like this scare me for her…she's only 13.

Comment by Pamela on January 22, 2012 at 6:43 pm