soy consumption effects on men
Soy Consumption Effects On Men
It is well-known that eating soy is healthy but recent specific studies show soy's protective effects on our body. Soy consumption has effects on bone health, cholesterol and muscle strength. Soy helps fight prostate cancer. Read on to know more.
Did You Know
Henry Ford designed a soybean car, at his Dearborn Day factory in Michigan which had plastic frames and panels made from a combination of hemp, soybean, wheat and flax.- Reduced risk of coronary disease: There is positive correlation between a diet rich in soy protein and reduced risk of cardiovascular disease. It has been observed that Japanese men, whose intake of soy is nearly 50 gm per day, are half as susceptible to heart problems than their American counterparts who consume as little as 5 gm per day. South-East Asians in general have lower incidences of heart trouble than people living in the Western hemisphere, and some researchers link this to their regular substitution of soy protein for animal protein. Even in the US, researchers have successfully lowered (lowered) bad cholesterol or LDL levels in men and women, after subjecting them to a diet rich in soy protein.
- Prevents prostate cancer: People of the Orient face lesser risk of contracting cancers of the prostate than those in Western countries, this too is being linked by epidemiologists to their intake of soy fiber and protein. The hypothesis is that the compound genistein, which is a isoflavone found in soy, retard the progress of tumors.
- Healthy bones: Although research is still inconsistent in this area, bone density loss has been observed to have reduced in certain test cases. Soy milk consumption has in some cases checked the advance of osteoporosis compared to normal milk.
- Benefits to the digestive system: Cancer of the colon is also a leading cause of death in men, and though no irrefutable proof has been forthcoming, some studies have shown that soy helps in maintaining a good digestive system and reduces the risk of colon cancer.
- Helping the brain: Studies have shown that dietary supplements of soy protein can improve cognitive ability in people under the age of 65.
- Hormonal imbalance: Excessive intake of soy products such as soy milk has caused hormonal changes in men, increasing their estrogen levels beyond what normal healthy women would have. This results in gynecomastia, or breast enlargement in men, along with reduced libido and hair loss. Again, there is inconsistency here, as many tests show no danger from soy consumption but there are real-life cases that prove otherwise.
- Soy allergies: Soy has been found to contain 15 proteins, one of them being soy lecithin, a common ingredient, which may trigger allergic reactions. Scientists are still not sure what causes soy allergy but children who show allergic symptoms to soy usually develop immunity by the age of 10. However, soy allergy affects adults of both sexes too, and in rare cases can be severe.
- Suspected Carcinogens: Tests on rats have shown raw soy can cause cancer but these tests have not been duplicated on humans, and there does not exist enough data to correlate them. Although the isoflavones found in soy have been shown to be anti-cancerous, doctors as yet do not recommend taking soy supplements to reduce cancer risk.
- Soy infant formulas: Soy-based infant feeding formulas were also touted as the best way to provide your baby with whole protein and a step up from regular mother's milk. Recent research has proved that in terms of protein content, both soy milk and whole milk are at par. Moreover, soy products have proteins which act as stoppers for the release of nutrients such as vitamin B12. The proteins needed for release of such vital nutrients are called Trypsins and these 'anti-nutrients' act as trypsin inhibitors preventing proteins from being digested. They can only be partially removed through extensive heat treatment. What is more, studies are now showing that male infants reared exclusively on soy-based milk receive the equivalent of five birth control pills a day affecting the development of sexual organs and testosterone.