It is a massive achievement that a Committee of a major European government has examined soy products and
isoflavone supplements in the face of heated denials of soy processing interests that either there are no estrogens in soy products («our processing removes the toxins» has been a favorite war cry) or that they are beneficial («why complain, they are good for you» has been another).
Meal Replacement Beverages Smoothies Snack / Energy Bars containing soy products Soy - based Breads or breads containing soy flour Soy Ice Cream Soy Infant Formula Soy
Isoflavone Supplements Soy Milk Soy Sausages Textured Vegetable Protein Tofu Veggie Burgers
The researchers also found women who took soy
isoflavone supplements tended to have lower levels of testosterone, harmful cholesterol known as LDL and triglycerides, or fats in the blood, than their counterparts who received the placebo.
«Soy may help protect women with PCOS from diabetes, heart disease: Soy
isoflavone supplements boosted markers of metabolic, cardiovascular health.»
And soy
isoflavone supplements, he counsels, should be regarded as «totally untested new drugs.»
Half of the women were randomly assigned to take a daily 50 mg / d soy
isoflavone supplement daily for 12 weeks.
Two exceptions: First, avoid soy
isoflavone supplement pills and powders.
Effects of
isoflavone supplement on healthy women.
At the end of the 2 year period, women taking a placebo versus women taking
the isoflavone supplement showed no differences in bone loss or menopausal symptoms such as hot flashes and night sweats.
In their randomized trial, Unfer and colleagues gave 213 women undergoing IVF
a isoflavone supplement (1,500 mg / day) or placebo.
Eating soy (or any sort of
isoflavone supplement) has no measurable effect on free testosterone levels.
Not exact matches
Solbar is a global leader in specialty soy proteins and soy
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As has been suspected by many in the natural health community for a while, research from the University of Illinois has confirmed that the concentration of soy
isoflavone in
supplements may help drive tumor growth in women with estrogen - receptor positive breast cancer.
The data provided from this study does not suggest that women should avoid soybeans altogether, but rather the concentration of
isoflavones found in
supplements.
These
isoflavones can be found in soy
supplements, edamame, tofu, tempeh, miso, and other soy products (such as soymilk).
Since soybeans contain approximately 3.5 milligrams of
isoflavones per gram of protein, and since one cup of cooked soybeans contain about 29 grams of protein, we're talking about intake of approximately 100 milligrams of
isoflavones from 1 cup of cooked soybeans, or an amount about 40 % less than the
supplemented amount that was found to have no impact on thyroid function.
These studies — which include analysis of the
isoflavones genistein, daidzein, malonylgenistin, and malonyldaidzin — show a limited impact of soy food intake on thyroid function, even when soy
isoflavones are consumed in
supplement form at levels higher than expected from food.
For example, one study done at the Schools of Public Health and Medicine at the University of North Carolina concluded based on their study results that a soy
isoflavone - rich
supplement appears to have little or no effect on bone in young adult women with normal ovarian function during the course of their one year study.
But research published in the March issue of The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism [1999; 84 (3): 895 - 8] suggests that Promensil, an
isoflavone - based dietary
supplement derived from red clover, may help women maintain blood vessel elasticity and prevent hypertension during menopause.
When we look at soy protein that lacks the
isoflavones, and is basically just a vegan source of complete protein, it does seem to be comparable to whey as a protein
supplement when timing is not relevant while less effective when used as an intra-workout.
All the above also applies to the soy protein containing the
isoflavones but they also give benefits to older women who want a daily protein
supplement to help mitigate bone deterioration.
However, we do know that whole food soy products provide better cardiovascular support than dietary
supplements containing isolated soy components (like purified
isoflavones).
High levels of soy
isoflavones — plant estrogens found in products like soy milk and soy nuts as well as many menopausal
supplements — put women at risk for cardiovascular disease.
In addition to ensuring healthy adrenal gland function, natural
supplements like soy
isoflavones have been shown to help modulate estrogen receptor sites and therefore assist in maintaining healthy bones.
More: Ginger - prostate cancer inhibitor 07.10.2011 Anti-cancer
supplements need plant - based proteins to be effective 21.09.2011 Curcumin,
isoflavone and androgen mix protects prostate 03.09.2011
Soy protein — probably the most popular non-dairy protein
supplement — often comes under fire for its
isoflavones.
The AdvantaSoyTMClearTM
supplement would add 30 - 50 mg of
isoflavones to a 100 - gram serving of various common western foods, levels that exceed the amounts found in traditional diets and that are in the range of levels shown to cause problems, especially for sensitive individuals.
Be Careful About Too Much Soy: There's evidence that excessive
isoflavones, found in popular soy products and
supplements, may cause hypothyroidism, goiter or nodules.
Research out of the University of Maryland and reported in the Journal of Agriculture and Food Chemistry found that quail feed
supplemented with the soy
isoflavone genistein ended up in the egg yolk but not the egg white.
At the same time, however, soy intake (especially processed soy intake, including soy protein concentrates, isolated soy protein, and
supplements containing purified soy
isoflavones) has often failed to show any improvement in bone mineral density or bone metabolism.
«Excess consumption of soy can affect thyroid function, if you have a thyroid disorder to begin with or if you're not getting enough iodine in your diet... you're unlikely to get too many
isoflavones as a result of adding soy foods to your diet — but you probably will take in too much if you take soy
supplements in pill form.