Soy Isoflavones Reduce Chronic Disease
Soy is often a controversial topic online. Many claim it has feminizing effects or promotes cancers and other chronic diseases. However, our current evidence mainly highlights its protective role in various chronic diseases.
This demonization of soy mainly stems from isoflavones, a phytoestrogen that has estrogen-like characteristics. Many animal studies have shown concerns about how soy affects hormones (1). However, when looking at human models, soy seems more of a hero than a villain.
Breast cancer is one of the most common hormonal cancers in women. When soy isoflavones were tested against postmenopausal women, there were no significant changes in breast parenchyma. The tissue that composes the breast did not change between hormonal and fatty tissue (2).
Soy has positive impacts on cardiovascular disease risk (CVR). Soy isoflavones significantly reduced CVR biomarkers in postmenopausal women (3). Well, what about men? The protective role is not gender-selective, as isoflavones reduce many cardiometabolic parameters in both men and women (4).
The many studies on soy in humans can make it confusing that soy is still controversial. So, as long as you eat whole forms of soy with a well-balanced diet, there is no need to worry about soy consumption.
