Soy drinks have become a large part of the American diet. They provide an alternative to pasteurized cow milk for the lactose intolerant as well as vegetarians and also offer possible cardiovascular health benefits. As with any food product, however, there are some side effects; soy drinks are no exception. When consumed in vast quantities, there are potential dangers to drinking soy.
Hypothyroidism
If you suffer from hypothyroidism, you must think carefully as to when and if to drink soy. While soy does not cause hypothyroidism, it may interfere with your body's ability to absorb thyroid medication. As a result, your thyroid medication may not work as well. Because of this, never take thyroid medication with soy milk or any drink containing soy, and wait at least four hours before consuming any soy after taking thyroid medication.
Male Fertility
Soy contains a protein called isoflavones, which may have an effect on male fertility. In a report summarized by a July 25, 2006, edition of "The Guardian," a study conducted by Edinburgh University's Richard Sharp, showed that soy milk interferes with testosterone levels in male monkeys. When consumed in large amounts during infancy, Sharpe theorizes, children may become inadvertently predisposed to male infertility.
Vitamin Deficiencies
Soy protein isolate is a chief ingredient in most foods containing soy, including some brands of soy milk. SPI can only be produced in an industrial factory setting using a process that includes acid washing and an alkaline solution. Animal feeding experiments have suggested that the addition of SPI created vitamin deficiencies for calcium, magnesium, manganese, copper, iron and zinc. The potential therefore exists that drinking soy with SPI could lead to vitamin deficiencies in people.
Gynecomastia
Gynecomastia is the presence of breast-like tissue in males, and it is caused by an imbalance of testosterone and estrogen hormones and usually occurs during adolescence. Consuming large amounts of soy -- including soy milk -- may also cause gynecomastia in adult males, perhaps because soy contains phytoestrogens or plant estrogens that resemble human estrogens.
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