Soy and Fertility; Yes or No?
Several patients have emailed me about my opinion of a new study that has come out about soy. I have never been a big proponent of soy as a healthy alternative and especially now after this study I am even more convinced that soy is not the perfect health food and definitely not the right choice when you are trying to improve fertility.
Women who are trying to conceive may want to heed the following: Avoid eating too much soy. According to a study involving humans, a compound found in soy known as genistein has been found to impair sperm as they swim toward the egg. Even tiny doses of the compound in the female tract could destroy sperm. What's more, researchers explain avoiding soy around a woman's more fertile days of the month might actually aid conception. Genistein can be found in all soy-containing products, including: Soy milk, tofu, any vegetarian foods, some pre-packed meals and pizzas.
Running Tests Researchers tested what happened to human sperm when it was exposed to genistein in a dish in the laboratory: The soy chemical was found to create a premature reaction in the sperm, forcing them to peak long before they could fertilize an egg. In real life, this does not usually occur until the sperm have been inside the female for some hours and are close to completing their long swim toward the egg. Without the presence of genistein around a woman's womb, sperm would peak as they should--far closer to completing their journey to the egg. Moreover, what was surprising and telling about soy's harmful effects on human health was that it took smaller doses of genistein to create infertility problems in human females than in mice. Based on the findings, a spokeswoman for the Vegetarian Society said that for anyone trying to become pregnant, avoiding soy products for a few days a month is worth a try ... even if there is a slim chance it will aid in fertility. BBC News June 21, 2005.
My suggestion is to avoid unfermented soy completely. There are plenty of better sources of protein that will actually improve your health and could therefore improve your fertility. Yogurt is a source of protein and contains acidophilus for your digestion. Lentils are also an excellent source of protein. Buckwheat is also a good source of protein. If you eat fish this can also a good source of protein but smaller fish should be consumed to avoid excess mercury exposure. If you eat meat, stick to grass fed beef and free range chicken as well as any hormone free meat. Organic is preferable when you can get it. Nuts are good sources of protein and nuts have the good fats that are healthy for you. If you would like another good source about the potential problems with soy, please log onto www.mercola.com and click on the link, The Truth About Soy.
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