Soy May Impair Future Fertility
Recent research which looked at the impact of phytoestrogens found in soy on brain function in rats shows that physiologically relevant doses of the phytoestrogens genistein and equol have an impact on the region of the brain which controls reproductive functions in female rats. This brain region is very similar to the region of the human brain that controls hormones involved in human reproduction.
In this study, when rats were exposed to phytoestrogens in the neonatal period, they experienced an early interruption in their estrous cycles. This is similar to an early onset of menopause in humans. The neonatal stage of brain development in rats is similar to the brain development seen in human fetuses in late pregnancy.
While I’m definitely interested in seeing follow up to this study, it raises two immediate areas of concern for me. First, is a human fetus potentially at risk for reproductive problems if their mother has a diet that is high in soy (specifically vegetarians or vegans)? Second, are premature babies at significant risk if they are placed on a soy based infant formula soon after birth, particularly before they reach their due date, and does this have any relationship to the higher rates of difficulty conceiving among female former preemies?
Of course, there aren’t any answers here yet, because researchers are only looking at rats, but it makes me think twice about soy formulas and other foods that are high in soy.
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