Can Soy Effect Your Fertility?

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. See the article below from the BBC news:

Eating Soy Can Decrease Your 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
Many 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. Fermented forms of soy do seem to be less of a concern. These include miso, tempeh, natto, and most soy sauces.

There are plenty of better sources of protein that will actually improve your health and could therefore improve your fertility. Yoghurt 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.

More information regarding how you can address your fertility issues can be found at www.naturalfertility.com or our blog www.haveababy.blogspot.com

This article is under the (C) copyright of Stacey Roberts and Positive Image publishing. This material is not to be distributed or reproduced in any fashion without expressed written of Stacey Roberts

Stacey Roberts PT, MH, PhD-C has been involved in health care since 1989 in both conventional and complementary medicine. Stacey is an international therapist who has assisted people in over 32 countries with improving their overall health and wellbeing by addressing their physical, physiological, and psychological health with complementary medicinal products and services.

Stacey is an international speaker, and best selling author, written and or co written over 7 books/ebooks and has been featured on World News Now in New York, A Current Affair, Oprah, filmed by the Discovery Channel , Sunrise in Sydney, and WIN TV among other radio and television shows in the US and Australia. Stacey has given lectures on fertility, hormone health, kinesiology, musculoskeletal assessment, parenting issues, and how to get rid of what is holding you back from creating optimal health now.

Stacey balances the traditional approach with science and gets this information to her patients via her blog http://www.haveababy.blogspot.com