Soy Guide for Women seeks to determine if there is a link between the consumption of soy, the decrease in cancer development and increased infertility in women.
(Soy is an erect, busy, hairy herb, native to Asia, whose oil-rich seeds are edible and nutritious. These seeds are also referred to as soy and can be added to food and shakes to enhance nutrition).
The author cites various studies that prove that the daily consumption of soy reduces the development of breast cancer in both menstruating and postmenopausal women.
[Postmenopausal women no longer see their period (menstruate)].
However, he goes on to explain that what is less known, is that increased consumption of soy may increase infertility in a few women.
This according to a study he cites, dating as far back as the 1940's, which showed that soy isoflavones were capable of causing fertility problems in sheep.
(Isoflavones are naturally-occurring organic compounds with cancer-fighting properties).
He explains that in a more recent study of 395 postmenopausal women, although none had tissue overgrowth or cancer within the 3rd year of the study, 8 women (or 2% of those studied) had side effects such as tenderness of the breasts and menstrual bleeding irregularities.
(This study infers that since menstrual bleeding irregularities have been known to cause fertility problems in menstruating women, soy intake may cause fertility problems in a few menstruating women).
One can safely assume from the author's discourse, however, that soy's overall benefits far outweigh the small percentage of infertility cases, with the most benefits to be derived by postmenopausal women, who as a result of ingesting daidzein and genistein, two phytoestrogens (naturally-occurring estrogens) in soy, had decreased:
1) Hot flash occurrence by 69%
2) Depressed mood by 64%.
This factor added to soy's, cancer-fighting properties, makes soy an essential contributor to women's health.
(Estrogens are a class of hormones that influence the female reproductive system's development, maturation and function).
Gillian
