Soy products come from soybeans, a plant that contains proteins and amino acids that can be beneficial to your health. Soy protein is often used as a replacement in some foods to reduce the intake of animal proteins. It is available in foods such as tofu, tempeh or natto and some types of substitute foods, such as soymilk, soy flour, soy cheese and soy frozen desserts. While many people recognize the healthy benefits of soy, there are some misconceptions about its use in the treatment or prevention of certain types of diseases.
Isoflavones
Soy contains isoflavones, which are types of phytoestrogens, compounds that mimic the activity of estrogen. These isoflavones can bind to estrogen receptors in the body that are found in the bones, the heart and the brain as well as those affecting the reproductive system. When the isoflavones bind to estrogen receptors, they exhibit estrogen-like behaviors, sometimes blocking or inhibiting actual estrogen from working. Because of this activity, many people attribute isoflavones to have powerful benefits in health conditions that are normally affected by estrogen.
Menopause
Many women take estrogen supplements to help reduce some symptoms of menopause, including hot flashes. The theory that soy isoflavones can replace estrogen supplements to reduce menopause symptoms has had mixed results. According to the University of Maryland Medical Center, women who normally eat more soy each day often have fewer symptoms of hot flashes or night sweats when their intakes range between 20 to 60 g of soy daily. Alternatively, the use of soy products specifically to reduce the symptoms of menopause is not necessarily a successful preventive measure.
Breast Cancer
Some people believe that eating large amounts of soy will reduce their risks for developing breast cancer because of the estrogenic effects. According to the Linus Pauling Institute at Oregon State University, there is conflicting evidence that soy isoflavones prevent breast cancer, and that eating large amounts of soy does not necessarily reduce the risk of developing breast cancer. The idea that soy reduces breast cancer risk may be associated with the fact that Asian women, who may have diets higher in soy than those who follow Western diets, have a lower incidence of breast cancer. This fact could also be related to other lifestyle factors and is not solely based on soy intake.
Osteoporosis
Soy products are thought to prevent the development of osteoporosis because of their activities that are similar to estrogen. Estrogen helps to prevent the bones from getting thinner and many women take estrogen supplements after menopause to reduce their risks of osteoporosis. While soy isoflavones and estrogen may presume to work in the same way, the New Jersey Medical School states that soy protein with isoflavones does not necessarily impact bone mineral density. Although there are positive effects of eating soy products to promote nutrition and possibly to support healthy bones, claims that soy works as a supplement for osteoporosis have yet to be proven.
References
- Linus Pauling Institute at Oregon State University: Soy Isoflavones
- New Jersey Medical School Healthful Life Project; Soy and Isoflavones in Mental Function, Cholesterol Lowering and Osteoporosis; May 2005
- University of Maryland Medical Center: Soy
- University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign: All About Soy
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