Fibroids affect as many as three out of four women, according to the Mayo Clinic. African-Americans have the highest occurrence. Some women have asymptomatic fibroids and do not realize they have them. Because soy contains a natural estrogen that may help balance excessive fibroid-promoting estrogen produced by the ovaries, soy nuts could theoretically help prevent fibroids. However, as of publication, there is no medical evidence to support that theory.
Fibroids
Fibroids are non-cancerous rubbery masses that develop from the smooth muscle tissue of the uterus. They vary in size and may cause symptoms including abdominal pain, digestive problems, bloating and heavy bleeding. Fibroids have an abnormally excessive amount of estrogen and progesterone receptors, which may stimulate their growth in the uterus, especially during child-bearing years. Fortunately, uterine fibroids rarely develop into cancer.
Soy Nuts
Soy nuts are available deep-fried or dry-roasted. They are made from soaked whole soybeans, which are baked until crispy. Similar in taste to peanuts, soy nuts are nutrient-dense and the richest source of isoflavones, which are a type of phytoestrogens that may manipulate estrogen levels by inhibiting or blocking some cells from using estrogen produced by the ovaries.
The Theory
A higher-than-normal amount of estrogen, commonly produced in pre-menopausal women in their 40s, can cause health risks, including impaired ovulation, which can result in excessive estrogen levels. This can cause retention of the uterine lining, leading to fibroid cysts, fibrocystic breasts and possible malignancies. Isoflavones contained in soy nuts may help decrease this detrimental estrogenic activity by competing for estrogen in receptor cells, resulting in a smaller production of unhealthy estrogen by the body, according to Rita Elkins, M.H., author of Genistein, Potent Soy Isoflavone.
The Proof
Despite the rationale of using soy isoflavones to relieve fibroids, there is no conclusive study that proves soy has benefits over the long term. The University of California, Davis conducted a study to evaluate the effects and risk of soy isoflavones in healthy women. A 24-month trial involved 403 postmenopausal women who consumed an 80- or 120-mg equivalent of soy isoflavones daily. Conclusions, published in the December 2010 issue of "American Journal of Clinic Nutrition," showed no significant difference in endometrial thickness or fibroids in any of the women.
Detriment
A high incidence of uterine fibroids has been associated with the consumption of soy-based formula fed to women in infancy, as compared to those that were breast-fed or given milk-based formula. A four-year study involving 50,000 women concluded a 25-percent increase in the likelihood of developing fibroids, by age 35, in women fed soy formula, as published by the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences. (See Reference 6)
References
- Mayo Clinic; Uterine Fibroids: Definition; June 2011
- Medical News Today; Talking Soy: Safe For Women, Breast Cancer, In General?; 2011
- Linus Pauling Institute: Soy Isoflavones: Biological Activities
- "Genistein: Potent Soy Isoflavone Estrogen: the Good and the Bad"; Rita Elkins, M.H.
- "American Journal of Clinic Nutrition"; Clinical Outcomes of a 2-Y Soy Isoflavone Supplementation in Menopausal Women; FM Steinberg et al; 2010
- Environmental Health News; Soy Formula Associated with Higher Risk of Fibroids in Women; A.A. D'Aloisio; 2009
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