Soy is often recommended as a dietary way to improve hormone balance. Studies suggest that hormone-like substances in soy may help to even out pre-menstrual symptoms or PMS, decrease menstrual cramps and pain, and even lessen symptoms of menopause.
The Trouble with Soy
Despite their promising marketing, the phytoestrogens in soy may also contribute to hormone imbalance. They resemble human hormones enough to fool the body in some ways – but not others. Some concern also exists about the nutritional value of soybean products that have been heavily-processed (such as TVP, most veggie burgers, soy ice cream, and soy cheese).
GMO, Heavily-Processed and Chemical Laden Soy “Foods”
Soy has been touted as a health food – but today soy is rarely healthy.
Most soy beans used to make products like tofu and soy milk are genetically modified organisms (GMOs) – a process that introduces unpredictable elements into our food supply. Unless the package explicitly says otherwise, assume all soy is GMO.
Many soy products are also heavily processed and contain dozens of chemical ingredients. Reading the labels on plain tofu usually reveals two or more preservatives with unpronounceable names; soy oil, mayonnaise, textured vegetable protein (“TVP”), soy and veggie burgers/patties, soy ice cream, soy cheese, and vegetarian deli meats usually contain several more (a large part of the reason eating vegetarian is no guarantee that your diet is a healthy one.) TVP is an ingredient in most meat substitutes (burgers, “veggie ground round”) and usually contains MSG.
MSG, preservatives, and other artificial flavorings are known to contribute to allergic reactions, headaches, weight gain, degenerative disease, and certainly don’t do any good in the long run for hormone balance.
Soy Phytoestrogens and the Impact on Human Hormones
Some women seem to do remarkably well on soy milk and other soy products. In particular, a small amount of soy seems to alleviate peri- or pre-menopausal symptoms. For other women, however, soy may exacerbate symptoms, and for some men and women it can be downright harmful.
Soy is high in phytoestrogens and other hormone mimickers – naturally occurring chemicals that resemble estrogen and other human hormones. Once inside the human body, they act like hormones – but not exactly.
In women, these compounds trigger estrogen receptors but do not completely fulfill estrogen’s roles in the body. In the process, they block real estrogen from having access to its receptors. The result is as though there is not enough estrogen in the body.
These phytoestrogens trigger the same hormone receptors in men – with the same partial effect - but men have far less estrogen in their bodies normally than do women. A man who consumes a lot of soy may appear to have too much estrogen in his system.
Many women report more severe menstrual pain, bloating, or a more irregular cycle when they consume soy. For these women, eating less or no soy during and just before their period usually lessens their symptoms.
Soy may be one of those foods that is good in moderation, but harmful in excess.
For related reasons, soy is not recommended for people with underactive thyroid.
Fermented Soy: Tempeh and Miso
Miso is the one exception. The fermentation process involved in making miso seems to make the hormone mimickers safe. It is considered a very healthy food.
Tempeh, another fermented soy product, is more questionable since the fermented soy protein is hard for many people to digest.
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Victoria Anisman-Reiner - Victoria Anisman-Reiner is a freelance writer with extensive experience in holistic health care and animal training.
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