The Truth About Soy

Soy Sauce

Posted by Baldev (Mumbai, Maharashtra, India) on 07/07/2010 185 posts

I would like to know if there are any advantages or disadvantages of taking Dark Soya Sauce in meals? Also, is it true that Sodium bicarbonate depletes Vit. B complex from the body? Thanks

Replied by Baldev
(Maharashtra, India)
09/15/2013
185 posts

Hi, My question is for the Moderator. Once I read on this site Ted's comments about Dark Soya Sauce, I would like to read it again so how to get to that post. Thanks, Baldev


Ted's Defense of Soy

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Posted by Ted (Bangkok, Thailand) on 07/25/2006 391 posts

For years I have tolerated growing onslaught of misinformation about Soy even though most studies relating to soy is quite positive. Today, I am angry and decided to post this myself.

If you don't believe me that soy is good for you, you don't have to! You can prove this for yourself! I will tell you how! The secret is here.

Do this: go to www.pubmed.org and do a search using the following keyword as follows:

  • soy cancer
  • soy dht
  • soy testosterone
  • soy estrogen
  • soy osteoporosis

You will then learn the truth and you don't even have to believe me. I have done this for you already, and here are the summaries in case you don't have time! True information that I will post the research citations verbatim directly from research studies as follows:

1. DHT hormones (dihydrotestosterone) are the major cause of male hormone baldness. When lack of testosterone does not generate that much DHT stays on your head. The only known substance to reduce that is DHT.

2. Phytoestrogen has no effect on estrogen levels or hormone levels or even testosterone.

3. Soy helps with osteoporosis.

4. Soy reduces cancer and is used to treat cancer victims.

I will post the medical abstracts verbatim below.

Now the reason why such a relentless attack on soy is that there are ulterior motives from certain interest groups such as

1. Decreasing milk cows sales.
2. the use of genetically modified cows
3. the use of bovine growth hormones injected into cows which we drink and may cause obesity
4. The prevalence of mad cow's disease
5. The findings of a chemical toxins and toxic vaccines and might be found in cow's milk.

I am an Asian, here where I live we actually consume more soy milk then even fermented soy products. And it has kept us relatively low of osteoporosis.

Because of so much bombardment against soy, I will not put any thing here besides research abstract below. Ted"

Nope: soy does not effect testosterone:

Serum prostate-specific antigen but not testosterone levels decrease in a randomized soy intervention among men.

Maskarinec G, Morimoto Y, Hebshi S, Sharma S, Franke AA, Stanczyk FZ.

1Cancer Research Center of Hawaii, University of Hawaii, Honolulu, HI, USA.

Background: Low prostate cancer incidence and high soy intake in Asian countries suggest a possible protective effect of soy foods against prostate cancer. The goal of this pilot study was to evaluate the feasibility of a randomized, crossover soy trial among men and to investigate the effects of daily soy intake on serum prostate-specific antigen (PSA) and testosterone levels.Methods:We randomized 24 men to a high or a low soy diet for 3 months. After a 1-month washout period, the men crossed over to the other treatment. During the high soy diet, the men consumed two daily soy servings; during the low soy diet, they maintained their usual diet. During the entire study each man donated four blood samples and five overnight urine samples. Dietary compliance was assessed by soy calendars, 24-h dietary recalls, and urinary isoflavone excretion measured by high-pressure liquid chromatography with photodiode array detection. Blood samples were analyzed for serum testosterone and PSA by radioimmunoassay. When necessary, variables were log transformed. Two sample t-tests compared the two groups before each study period. Mixed models incorporating the repeated measurements were used to evaluate the effect of the soy diet on urinary isoflavone excretion and serum analytes.Results:Twenty-three men aged 58.7+/-7.2 years completed the study. The compliance with the study regimen was high according to self-reported soy food intake and urinary isoflavone excretion. No significant between-group and within-group differences were detected. During the high soy diet, dietary isoflavone intake and urinary isoflavone excretion increased significantly as compared to the low soy diet. A 14% decline in serum PSA levels (P=0.10), but no change in testosterone (P=0.70), was observed during the high soy diet in contrast to the low soy diet.Conclusion:The high adherence as shown by three measures of compliance in this pilot trial demonstrated the feasibility of an intervention based on soy foods among free-living men.European Journal of Clinical Nutrition advance online publication, 14 June 2006; doi:10.1038/sj.ejcn.1602473.

PMID: 16775579 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]

Asians have less osteporosis because of soy milk consumption! We consume more soy milk then the so called fermented things that Dr. Mercola claims!

Osteoporosis prevention education programme for women. Chan MF, Ko CY.

School of Nursing, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hung Hom, Hong Kong SAR, China.

AIM: This paper reports an evaluation of a nurse-initiated education programme on four specific osteoporosis prevention behaviours which led to their adoption or to positive attitude changes.

BACKGROUND: In the past, osteoporosis was a serious health concern that most commonly affected women in Northern Europe and the United States of America, but was less commonly seen in Asian women. However, in Hong Kong, osteoporosis is currently among the top five conditions causing disability and prolonged hospital stay for older people. From an economic perspective, the most cost-effective approach is to focus on primary prevention via education, and nurses often have the responsibility of providing such educational programmes.

METHOD: A randomized controlled study was conducted from July 2004 to March 2005 with 76 women (38 cases and 38 controls) recruited in two private beauty clinics in Hong Kong. Pre-, post- and follow-up education data were compared regarding attitudes and adoption frequency before and after the education programme. RESULTS: The results showed statistically significant increases for each behaviour: consumption of soy foods (P < 0.001), milk (P < 0.001), more exercise (P = 0.01) and vitamin D/exposure to sunlight (P < 0.001) for the case group compared with the control group. Most participants either disagreed (n = 15, 39.0%) or strongly disagreed (n = 23, 61.0%) that there was not enough information provided in the education programme to motivate them to change. They rated the nurse's performance as either satisfactory or very satisfactory on presentation, ability to answer their questions and ability to describe each behaviour clearly.

CONCLUSION: Although positive results with a nurse-initiated education programme were demonstrated, future research examining the effects of education and occupation on these four adoption behaviours should focus on more diverse populations with respect to age, income or ethnicity. The findings suggest the value of creative approaches in future health education for the prevention of osteoporosis, and the need for a critical appraisal of current strategies and a re-evaluation of services and funding.

PMID: 16553702 [PubMed - in process]


A rat study confirms improved bone when fed with soy

Soy affects trabecular microarchitecture and favorably alters select bone-specific gene expressions in a male rat model of osteoporosis.

Soung DY, Devareddy L, Khalil DA, Hooshmand S, Patade A, Lucas EA, Arjmandi BH.

Department of Nutrition, Food & Exercise Sciences, Florida State University, 436 Sandels Bldg, Tallahassee, Florida, 32306-1493, USA,

We have recently reported that soy isoflavones particularly when provided in the context of soy protein are capable of preventing loss of bone mineral density due to orchidectomy in F344 rats. We hypothesize, that soy isoflavones also exert beneficial effects on bone microstructural properties, in part, by enhancing bone formation. Therefore, in the present study, we examined the dose-dependent effects of soy isoflavones on femoral bone microarchitectural properties and select bone-specific gene expressions in the same rat model. Seventy-two, 13-month old rats were either orchidectomized (ORX; 5 groups) or sham-operated (Sham; 1 group) and immediately placed on dietary treatments for 180 days. Four of the ORX groups were fed either casein- or soy protein-based diets each with one of two doses of isoflavones either 600 or 1200 mg/kg diet. Rats in the remaining ORX control and Sham groups were fed a control casein-based diet. Soy protein at the high isoflavone dose, and to a lesser extent with the lower dose, reduced the magnitude of the ORX-induced decreases in trabecular bone volume (BV/TV) and trabecular number (Th.N) and increase in trabecular separation (Tb.Sp) at the femoral neck site. These modulations of trabecular microstructural properties by isoflavones may be due to increased mRNA levels of alkaline phosphatase (ALP), collagen type I (COL), and osteocalcin (OC), which are associated with enhanced bone formation. These findings confirm our earlier observations that the modest bone protective effects of soy isoflavones are due to increased rate of bone formation.

PMID: 16830200 [PubMed - in process

Soy reduces dangerous DHT that causes you to go bald But yet had no effect on good hormones!

1: J Nutr. 2005 Mar;135(3):584-91.
Soy protein isolates of varying isoflavone content exert minor effects on serum reproductive hormones in healthy young men.

Dillingham BL, McVeigh BL, Lampe JW, Duncan AM.

Department of Human Biology and Nutritional Sciences, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario N1G 2W1, Canada.

Inverse associations between soy and prostate cancer and the contribution of hormones to prostate cancer prompted the current study to determine whether soy protein could alter serum hormones in men. Thirty-five men consumed milk protein isolate (MPI), low-isoflavone soy protein isolate (SPI) (low-iso SPI; 1.64 +/- 0.19 mg isoflavones/d), and high-iso SPI (61.7 +/- 7.35 mg isoflavones/d) for 57 d each in a randomized crossover design. Twenty-four-hour urine samples indicated that urinary isoflavones were significantly increased by the high-iso SPI relative to the low-iso SPI and MPI. Serum collected on d 1, 29, and 57 of each treatment revealed that dihydrotestosterone (DHT) and DHT/testosterone were significantly decreased by the low-iso SPI [9.4% (P = 0.036) and 9.0% (P = 0.004), respectively] and the high-iso SPI [15% (P = 0.047) and 14% (P = 0.013), respectively], compared with the MPI at d 57. Other significant effects included a decrease in testosterone by the low-iso SPI relative to the MPI (P = 0.023) and high-iso SPI (P = 0.020) at d 29; an increase in dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate by the low-iso SPI relative to the MPI at d 29 (P = 0.001) and relative to the MPI (P = 0.0003) and high-iso SPI (P = 0.005) at d 57; and increases in estradiol and estrone by the low-iso SPI relative to the MPI at d 57 (P = 0.010 and P = 0.005, respectively). In conclusion, soy protein, regardless of isoflavone content, decreased DHT and DHT/testosterone with minor effects on other hormones, providing evidence for some effects of soy protein on hormones. The relevance of the magnitude of these effects to future prostate cancer risk requires further investigation.

PMID: 15735098 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

Soy is used in cancer treatment!! Cancer causing? You have been lied to by the Cow's milk consortium! Yes it protects against Prostate Cancer!

Effects of a diet rich in phytoestrogens on prostate-specific antigen and sex hormones in men diagnosed with prostate cancer.

Dalais FS, Meliala A, Wattanapenpaiboon N, Frydenberg M, Suter DA, Thomson WK, Wahlqvist ML.

International Health and Development Unit, Monash University, Clayton, VIC, Australia.

OBJECTIVES: To determine the effects of diets rich in soy and linseed compared with a control diet on biochemical markers of prostate cancer in men diagnosed with prostate cancer. METHODS: Twenty-nine men diagnosed with prostate cancer and scheduled to undergo a radical prostatectomy were randomized to one of three groups: soy (high phytoestrogen), soy and linseed (high phytoestrogen), or wheat (low phytoestrogen). A bread was specially manufactured to incorporate 50 g of heat-treated (HT) soy grits or 50 g of HT soy grits and 20 g of linseed as part of the study participant's daily diet. Baseline and preoperative levels of prostate-specific antigen (PSA), free PSA, testosterone, sex hormone-binding globulin, free androgen index, and dihydrotestosterone were measured. RESULTS: Statistically significant differences were detected between the HT soy grits group and the control wheat group for the percentage of change in total PSA (-12.7% versus 40%, P = 0.02) and the percentage of change in free/total PSA ratio (27.4% versus -15.6%, P = 0.01); and between the HT soy grits group and the HT soy grits and linseed group for the percentage of change in free androgen index (16.4% versus -15.5%, P = 0.04) and the percentage of change in free/total PSA ratio (27.4% versus -10%, P = 0.007). CONCLUSIONS: The data from this study indicate that a daily diet containing four slices of a bread rich in HT soy grits favorably influences the PSA level and the free/total PSA ratio in patients with prostate cancer. This work provides some evidence to support epidemiologic studies claiming that male populations who consume high phytoestrogen diets have a reduced risk of prostate cancer development and progression.

PMID: 15351581 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]


Genistein and daizein is o.k.

Genistein and daidzein downregulate prostate androgen-regulated transcript-1 (PART-1) gene expression induced by dihydrotestosterone in human prostate LNCaP cancer cells. Yu L, Blackburn GL, Zhou JR.

Nutrition/Metabolism Laboratory, Department of Surgery, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02215, USA.

Epidemiologic investigations and laboratory studies suggest that bioactive soy phytochemical components may be used as an effective dietary regimen for prevention of prostate cancer. Studies designed to identify new genes that are responsive to androgens and are sensitive to the prevention of prostate cancer using soy bioactive components have become a research priority. In this study, we determined the effect of soy isoflavones on the expression of prostate androgen-regulated transcript 1 (PART-1), a newly discovered androgen-induced gene that may represent a novel androgen-dependent prostate cancer tumor marker. In an androgen-depleted cell culture system, 5alpha-dihydrotestosterone (DHT) induced expression of PART-1 transcript in androgen-sensitive LNCaP, but not in androgen-independent DU 145 or PC-3 human prostate cancer cells. The soy isoflavones genistein and daidzein dose-dependently inhibited DHT-induced expression of the PART-1 transcript. Genistein at 50 micro mol/L completely inhibited expression of the PART-1 transcript in LNCaP cells induced by DHT at 0.1 and 1.0 nmol/L. Daidzein was less potent than genistein, whereas glycitein at the same levels as genistein or daidzein did not inhibit DHT-induced PART-1 transcript expression. Our studies suggest that use of the PART-1 gene as a biomarker for evaluating the efficacy of soy isoflavones on androgen-dependent prostate cancer warrants further investigation.

PMID: 12566472 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

Replied by Jordan
(Lincoln, Nebraska Usa)
12/08/2011

So I am sure that there are no alterior motives pushing soy? No certain interest groups, multinational companies or goverments who might benefit from more soy being sold?

If you are going to post something like this on the internet at least be non biased. I dare you to find five studies that just as staunchly will tell you how bad soy is. Just because you can copy and paste is no excuse to think you are right.

I was just reading this little tid bit before I ran accross this.

http://humrep.oxfordjournals.org/content/23/11/2584.full

Funny how if you only look at papers supporting your point of view, you end up looking right. Be the devils advocate to your own point of view.

Replied by Francisca
(Zug, Zug, Switzerland)
12/09/2011

I understand where you are coming from Jordan.... I have never understood how we have come to be in this place. We live in a society where no one seems to know anything anymore! Everything can kill you or be of great help, amazing! From all I have read I won't touch unfermented soy and I am very sorry that I gave soy formula to two of my daughters when they were babies, is Ted right? I have no clue but as I don't really feel like trying out soy and I don't drink milk anyway for me it is not a problem! But too bad we live in a society where no one seems to be able to make up their minds on anything, leaving people not know what to do! It is like playing Russian roulette....

Replied by Rob
(Manhattan, Ny)
12/09/2011

I agree with Ted.. The strongest proofs are in the epidemiological studies. Japan for instance. That said there is propably a percentage that have adverse reactions to it. One should definitely choose organic as Monsanto has been manipulating this one as a "Roundup Ready" crop. (as well as Canola) Truly an evil company but that's another topic..

I also point to Weil's view here after reconsidering new evidence...

http://www.drweil.com/drw/u/id/QAA326575

Replied by Jen
(Bozeman, Mt, Us)
12/09/2011

I am truly thankful that we live in a world where we are free to make our own decisions. The only problem is that not everyone is willing to research everything they put in and on their bodies. But they have the choice to do so and that is wonderful. I myself choose not to eat, drink, or put soy on my body. That does not mean that I disagree with Ted but that I have researched the subject and have chosen for myself and my family to steer clear of it. As my family has thyroid problems I have decided that there is too much evidence against it for people with thyroid disease. I also do not know much about how to prepare organic home made soy and therefore do not trust that it is healthy for me or my family.

I do not believe that Ted has sided with the certain interest groups, multinational companies or goverments on this topic as he is always willing to offer help that is unconventional and unbiased. His post was a long time ago so things change and will keep changing depending on different diseases popping up, studies being done, and lawsuits being faught. Some day soy will be back on the ok list just like eggs and dairy are now. There is no doubt that certain interest groups, multinational companies and governments will always try to sway the people into taking or not taking certain foods and supplements but we are free to decide (at least for the time being) if we will follow the rest of the herd or choose to do the unconventional.

Replied by Susan
(San Francisco, Ca)
12/09/2011

My two cents worth on soy - 1) The soy that is good for you is formented soy (miso is one example) - 2) Why is soy in the ingredients lists of thousands (... Hundreds?) of products? Because the people who grow soy are the same people who grow corn (think high fructose corn syrup). Soy is cheap to grow so it gets pushed as being a health benefit and is now hard to avoid.

Replied by Louwrence
(Rustenburg, North West South Africa)
12/09/2011

Hi Jen, I fully agree with you, phytoestrogens in soy is 2nd to flax, I will strongly advise people to stay away from anything that contains phytoestrogens, it makes girls out of boys & girls are reaching puberty earlier than they should. Men lose testoterone & suffer from ED. Estogen dominance is a very serious thing. Look up estrogen dominance & research it & you will never touch soy & flax seeds again. Then there xenoestogens in plastic, chemical sprays etc that disrupt your hormones.

Replied by Quixote
(Las Vegas, Nv)
03/11/2012

I am very interested in Ted's info about Soy as I had only heard one other person an MD say it was good for men bu, it seems everyone else thinks it is bad-so would Ted say that if you get the NON GMO soy would he recommend it for reasons stated?

Love the website by the way, Quixote

Replied by Quixote
(Las Vegas, Nv)
03/11/2012

I am very interested in Ted's info about Soy as I had only heard one other person an MD say it was good for men bu, it seems everyone else thinks it is bad-so would Ted say that if you get the NON GMO soy would he recommend it for reasons stated?

Love the website by the way, Quixote

Replied by Tvo
(Australia)
09/20/2014
★☆☆☆☆

I just checked my pantry, 95% of the packaged foodstuffs have soy included. This ranges from bread, margarine... etc etc etc you name it and its got a soy incredient in it. The butter is the only thing that denied a 100% oucome. Clearly, we are already being force fed soy and its deriviate products. Reason enough to "pause and think". I fear this generation and possibly the next will be the end days for humanity. The monster is too big & too powerful. The "independent" human too small and too weak. I now understand with great remorse the true meaning of futility.

Replied by Mmsg
(Somewhere, Europe)
09/20/2014

Tvo, no need for pessimism. You can always make your foods from scratch!

Replied by Mama To Many
(Tennessee)
09/20/2014

25 years ago I had allergy testing done. I was told that I was allergic to soy and peanuts. So I stopped eating them. I started reading labels and found, even then, that soy, at least, soybean oil, was in EVERYTHING! You are right, Tvo.

So, I guess I started to do what Mmsg was suggesting, I fixed everything from scratch. I lost 20lbs without even trying. (It was 20lbs I had gained when I had started a new job and was also eating out a lot.) I don't know if it was soy or something else in processed foods. I wasn't even trying to diet and hadn't increased my exercise. It was an interesting benefit from giving up soy.

~Mama to Many~

Replied by Tvo
(Australia)
09/21/2014
★☆☆☆☆

So, with new found vigour I went shopping!

Lets start with some Pink Himalayan Sea Salt I pondered as a replacement to normal table salt. The Pink Himalayan Sea Salt contains all the trace minerals that were removed in the generic table salt so this would be a good place to start in regards to improving my health I reasoned.

You could have blown me over with a feather when I read the ingredients: Pink Himalayan Sea Salt, may contain traces of soy. REALLY! ? Soy - in salt!

I rest my case. SOY, dirnk it, eat it, touch it, even think of it and you'll be touched by the hand of Big Brother and its de-population agenda. Use at your own risk.



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