Soy Causes Infertility?
Is this a myth or a fact? To date, there is no proven scientific evidence male or female infertility being linked to soy consumption.
According to a study conducted a few years ago, men eating a lot of soy foods may end up having a lower sperm concentration than men who don’t eat soy foods.
The study was conducted with about 100 men who presented their semen samples. All males had normal semen analysis and sperm count, shape and quality. Although, the quantity of sperm count did vary, they were within the normal range.
Plus historically, Asians has been one of the highest consumers of soy in all form. But we have not heard of any major infertility issues from that region.
What are the reasons for soy causing sperm reduction in males?
Soy foods products contain compounds called phytoestrogens. There is speculation that phytoestrogens disrupt the endocrine which may result in changing the normal hormone functions. These chemical compounds then hamper the product of normal sex hormones. This has given rise to the debate on whether soy reduces male fertility.
Soy and Female Fertility
What are the effects of soy products on female fertility? One study of women with high soy food intake showed they had symptoms and problems such as abnormal bleeding of the uterus, endometriosis and polyps. These problems subsided once soy was removed from their diet. Research and study is still going on to determine how phytoestrogens really affects a womans hormones.
Does soy milk cause infertility?In short, there is no conclusive evidence that soy causes infertility. So in case you are really worried and have a choice, minimize on your soy intake. This way you do not have to double guess about the negative effects of soy on male or female infertility. Otherwise, on a lighter note, you can ask the millions of Asians who are happily fertile and reproducing merrily even after a heavy soy based diet!
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I was using Depo for my familiy planing, since August 2008 and the last visit was on April 2009. I have not conceived. Is there any tab I can take to booster me so that I can conceive? I want a baby so much, I had but it passed away on September 2008.
After a miscarriage I was considered infertile by several experts at U of M hospital. I went to a holistic doctor who did a work up on me and told me about the negative effects of soy. I had been drinking 2-3 glasses of soy milk a day. I am now in the process of reversing the hormonal effects from the soy. Avoid it at all costs! More research needs to be done, but it is very real.
The causes of premenstrual syndrome are not completely understood till date. There are fewer chances of PMS leading to infertility in future. It may so happen that, you may not have the symptoms of PMS altogether in future.
Ans. There is no convincing data to suggest, the harmful effect of soy, producing infertility in male till date.
A study was conducted on trial basis, where samples of semen with healthy sperm count were taken randomly, which showed men having soy food had low sperm count, compared to others who did not consume soy food.
However this was inconclusive as some men did have normal sperm count even after taking soy food for a long period of time.
So from the above fact relation between soy food and infertility is not conclusive.
Soy contains an isoflavone, Genistein which inhibits the vessel occlusion in femoral artery of the mouse in clinical trials.
This concludes, Genistein prevents thrombogenesis and suppresses platelet aggression.
Soy food consumption is helpful in reduction of thrombosis and atherosclerosis of the cardiac and cerebral arteries.