Posted on 10/31/2008 8:09:31 AM PDT by Oyarsa
A study recently published in Human Reproduction demonstrated that intake of soy foods significantly reduces sperm counts in men.
The study is especially significant because it is the largest study in humans to examine the relationship between semen quality and phytoestrogens (plant compounds that can mimic the physiological effects of the endogenous hormone, estrogen).
Dr. Jorge Chavarro of the Harvard School of Public Health and his colleagues found that men who ate the most soy food had 41 million sperm per milliliter less than men who did not consume soy products. The normal sperm concentrations for men ranges between 80 and 120 million/ml.
The association between soy food intake and sperm concentrations was even stronger in men who were overweight or obese, and 72% of study participants were. They also found the relationship between soy foods and sperm concentration was strongest in men with “normal or high” sperm counts.
Animal studies have linked the high consumption of isoflavones with infertility, but until now there has been little evidence of this effect in humans. Isoflavones are plant compounds with estrogen like effects and are found mainly in soybeans and soy-derived products.
What is particularly revealing is that the men in the highest intake group (who had the largest sperm count reduction) had a mean soy food intake of only half a serving per day. This is equivalent to having one cup of soy milk or one serving of tofu, tempeh or soy burgers every other day!
(Excerpt) Read more at thehealthyskeptic.org ...
“soy foods associated with lower sperm count”
Just ask 1.3 billion Chinese.
New required supplement for NBA rookies?
I use the soy milk now....lower in calories.
LOL!
Yeah, right. I’ve been pregnant 11 times, so I kind of wish this was true ...
They’ve been using soy for thousands of years and have adapted to it’s effects. The spread to western diets leaves people with no inherent adaptive response vulnerable.
Now, that is a good idea. I guess NBA players have shattered the old “weed causes impotence” myth as well!
Isn’t soy a staple of vegans? So, no problem-o!
I think it is true. A lower sperm count doesn’t mean you can’t have kids.
I think my little boy just had his last tofu.
“adapted to it’s effects.”
Ahh, like lactose intolerance. I (maybe incorrectly) believe I heard that a large part of the Chinese population is lactose intolerant because of thousands of years of traditional diet. And the whole processing alcohol thing...
“11 times!”
God bless you ma’am, that is quite a feat!
Real men don’t eat tofu!
Not sure about the alcohol part but lactose intolerance is extremely high among east Asians. For the reason you mentioned.
Quite a feat for my husband, I guess, considering his soy consumption :-).
This is a false perception. The Chinese do not eat soy like we do. They use fermented soy as a dietary supplement. When the soy is fermented to make soy sauce, it loses the estrogen effect. We can eat extremely copious amounts of processed soy which acts like estrogen in the body. That's OK for women, but not for men. This is horrible for youngsters - especially boys.
In pre-pubescent boys the estrogen like effect of process soy products makes the boys more like girls. Baby boys are particularly vulnerable. This can lead to an effeminate disposition, late puberty, and small genitalia. Folks, if you have a baby boy, DO NOT feed him ANY soy products whatsoever.
In pre-pubescent girls the estrogen like effects from processed soy increases their estrogen levels and can lead to early puberty and primary female characteristic development.
In adults it's pretty much OK for women (particularly pre-menopausal women) to eat processed soy products. But in men the effects can be bad. They can lead to decreased sexual interest, low sperm counts, and effeminate behavior.
Please, for his sake, keep all soy products far far away from him. A good old fashioned diet of meat, dairy, nuts, fruit, and whatever vegetables he'll eat is the best medicine for a growing boy.
Drink soy and get your boys kicked off the swim team!
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