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Soy

Phytoestrogens Alter Adrenocortical Function – (11-19-01)

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Phytoestrogens Alter Adrenocortical Function

This study finds that the genistein and daidzein (both found in soy) lower cortisol levels and increase DHEA levels, essentially reversing the pregnonolone steal. The pregnonlone steel occurs when precursers in the adrenal cortex get shunted over to cortisol production instead of DHEA in times of chronic or extreme stress.

JCEM — Abstracts: Mesiano et al. 84 (7): 2443

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Isoflavone-Free Soy Diet and Ovarian Hormones – (07-12-01)

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Isoflavone-Free Soy Diet and Ovarian Hormones

There are two things to consider here. First, that despite its bad press, soy unquestionably has health benefits. The cultures with the highest intakes of soy typically have lower rates of many chronic conditions. But they consume soy in its unprocessed form. Here in a Western culture we need the active component hammered down into a small pill to give us the same health benefits. Well, this article shows that, without the isoflavones that are typically given most of the health-containing benefits, that soy still has the potential to positively affect a woman’s circulating hormone levels.

JCEM — Abstracts: Lu et al. 86 (7): 3045

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Soy Extract Slows Prostate Cancer Growth in Mice – (06-21-01)

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Soy Extract Slows Prostate Cancer Growth in Mice

More evidence is accumulating that altered estrogen metabolism in men can lead to prostate problems. This would be the unhealthy conversion of estrogen into a more dangerous by product, potentially irritating the prostate. It makes sense that soy would attunate these effects. Cruciferous vegetables high in indole-3-carbinol (brussel sprouts, broccoli) would also aid the proper metabolism of estrogens.

American Urological Association meeting in Anaheim, California The soy extract, genistein, slows prostate cancer growth in mice, suggesting a possible role as an adjunct to conventional therapy or as a preventive agent, according to Dr. Ralph deVere White, director of the University of California Davis Cancer Center, who presented his findings on Saturday at the American Urological Association meeting in Anaheim, California. Dr. White’s team treated PC-3 prostate cancer cells with aglycone isoflavones (GCP), a proprietary form of genistein that functions as a general protein kinase inhibitor, or with AHCC, a non-specific immune modulator found in shiitake mushrooms. The investigators also tested the two compounds in combination. GCP reduced PC-3 cell growth in a dose-dependent fashion. It also reduced vascular endothelial growth factor production, increased p21 production and induced apoptosis. AHCC enhanced GCP’s effects, but had no effect on prostate cancer cell growth when used alone. Armed with this information, Dr. White’s team subcutaneously inoculated 32 five-week-old nude mice with the treated prostate cancer cells. Some of the mice also received water or water plus genistein daily. “There was a significant drop in the cancer growth of the mice fed genistein in water,” Dr. White told Reuters Health. He said his team plans to continue their studies of GCP in a clinical trial of men with prostate cancer who have failed radical prostatectomy or radiation therapy and have a slow rising PSA to see if the extract can lower the PSA. “If it can, it might be used in an adjuvant fashion to make radiation therapy more effective and ultimately as a chemopreventive agent. But that is a long way off,” he added.

Soy Genistein Produces Acute NO–Dependent Dilation of Vasculature – (01-18-01)

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Soy Genistein Produces Acute NO–Dependent Dilation of Vasculature

This study shows an efficacy of soy phytoestrogens in increasing blood flow that is similar to estrogen. This vasodilation is believed to be one of the ways that estrogen may protect against heart disease.

Circulation — Abstracts: Walker et al. 103 (2): 258

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Genistein Increased DMBA-Induced Mammary carcinoma in mice – (12-27-01)

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Genistein Increased DMBA-Induced Mammary carcinoma in mice

This article shows an increase in carcinogen induced breast tumors in mice. A few things to consider here. I have always said that there is a danger in taking components of natural compounds and taking them in high levels. Mother Nature, in her infinite wisdom put compounds together in foods to work together. Unfortunately, many times certain “health companies” grab onto an idea and mutate it. Soy based diets have shown to protect against many chronic health conditions. Remember that soy based diets usually include high levels of whole grains as well as vegetables and spices. If we take one or two compounds in soy, isolate them and manufacture them in high levels of course we’re likely to see adverse effects.

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Soy Product Consumption Seems to Protect Against Hot Flashes – (05-31-01)

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Soy Product Consumption Seems to Protect Against Hot Flashes

Those of us following natural medicine didn’t exactly drop our jaws at this study. I would like to take this opportunity to explain something that most people would find very shocking. During perimenopause, it has been shown that women’s estrogen levels are actually high. That seems to run totally contrary to what the medical dogma says, huh? Symptoms such as hot flushes actually result from a rapid change in estrogen levels. So, the goal of a woman in perimenopause is NOT to fall into the knee jerk HRT therapy, but rather to work on lowering the highs and raising the lows so that these rapid shifts of estrogen levels do not occur. Phytoestrogens such as those found in soy can help raise the lows as well as lower the lows. Progesterone cream can help to lower the highs as well. Hopefully you can start to see a nice program that can reduce or eliminate hot flushes safely and quickly.

Am J Epidemiol 2001;153:790-793 A dietary survey of Japanese women indicates that intake of soy products correlates inversely with menopausal hot flashes. Dr. Chisato Nagata and colleagues, from Gifu University School of Medicine, in Japan, report the results of a prospective study analyzing the association between soy intake and the onset of hot flashes in 1106 women between the ages of 35 and 54 years who were premenopausal at baseline. During the study period, 101 women experienced new moderate or severe hot flashes according to the Kupperman test of menopausal distress. After controlling for age, total energy intake, and menopausal status, hot flashes were significantly inversely associated with soy product consumption and isoflavone intake. Hazard ratios for hot flashes were 0.47 and 0.42 for high versus low tertiles of soy product and isoflavone intake, respectively, the team reports. “Although traditional hormone replacement therapy is effective in controlling hot flashes, compliance with this therapy is not great, and there is a desire for a more natural approach to the management of menopausal symptoms,” Dr. Nagata and colleagues say. “Our findings suggest that consumption of soy products is a practical strategy for preventing hot flashes.

Exposure to Soy-Based Formula in Infancy – (11-26-01)

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Exposure to Soy-Based Formula in Infancy

When it comes to infant feeding breastfeeding for at least 6 months is unquestionably the best. Unfortunately this is not common and the infant is moved to formula too early. At this point we have an immature immune system being bombarded with foreign proteins via the GI tract. I don’t care what type of formula is offered–dairy, soy, goat…the risk of sensitization is high. The developing immune system just cannot handle it. If breastfeeding cannot be continued (and many times it is discontinued inappropriately because of some GI or skin complaint in the infant that is really related to the modifiable maternal diet and NOT the breastfeeding itself) than a hydrolyzed formula that has already undergone significant protein degradation is the best option. Less proteins for the infant to react to.

Exposure to Soy-Based Formula in Infancy

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Caution Urged on Soy-Based Menopause Remedies – (05-02-02)

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Caution Urged on Soy-Based Menopause Remedies

Remember what I said about natural medicine being held to a higher standard than traditional medicine? Here we have a researcher saying that we are not fully informed on how soy works in the human body and so we need to be careful with its use. A little reality check for the author–a large chunk of the drugs listed in the PDR have “mechanism of action unknown” on them and yet we throw these about like candy. But soy, with literally centuries of use, needs to be approached with caution. I would have to add that using soy supplements that have the percieved active constituents concentrated is probably not the best way to approach the use of soy in a healthy lifestyle.

British Endocrine Societies’ annual meeting in Harrogate, Yorkshire Apr 08 – So little is known about how plant oestrogens act on the human body that sales of soy supplements as a “natural” alternative to hormone replacement therapy (HRT) must be questioned, a researcher reported on Tuesday at British Endocrine Societies’ annual meeting in Harrogate, Yorkshire. Soy has been widely promoted as a natural alternative to HRT. Soy contains genistein, a plant oestrogen that has similar but weaker effects as the oestrogen found in women. But Dr. Saffron Whitehead, reader in reproductive physiology at St. George’s Hospital Medical School, London, said new studies on human cells have shown that genistein and other phyto-oestrogens may also block the enzymes that make these hormones. This could explain why the incidence of breast cancer, which in many cases is dependent on oestrogen, is about two thirds lower amongst Japanese and Chinese women who consume diets rich in soy compared with women living in England, she told her colleagues. Dr. Whitehead’s team examined the effects of phyto-oestrogens on human ovarian cells obtained during procedures for in vitro fertilization. The results showed that several phyto-oestrogens, including genistein, inhibited the conversion of androgen to oestrogen. The researchers believe this could be significant in postmenopausal women because as ovaries cease to function in menopause, oestrogen converted from androgen becomes the only source of oestrogen. “This finding is potentially important to the phyto-oestrogen story,” Dr. Whitehead said in a statement. “We really don’t know how phyto-oestrogens act in the human body. They could be weak oestrogen mimics, oestrogen blockers or enzyme inhibitors. “If they do stop the natural production of oestrogens, we should consider whether soy supplements be sold as a natural alternative to HRT.”