, and hormone levels. Be cause soy can have estrogenic properties, its effects can vary depending on the existing level of hormones in the body. Premenopausal women have much higher circulating levels of estradiol—the major form of estrogen in the human body—than postmenopausal women.
Soy is one of the richest sources of phytoestrogen, containing the highest levels of isoflavones in food. Effects Soy isoflavones activate your body’s estrogen receptors, proteins that detect the presence of estrogen and carry out effects such as changes in gene expression. However, isoflavones do so more weakly than your body’s natural estrogen.
These compounds are only tangentially related to human estrogen. Soybean oil has been shown to have estrogen-like response and activity in rats. However, this is not because soybean oil contains estrogen, but rather the isoflavone compounds that mimic a reaction similar to estrogen in rats.
Do soy products really contain estrogen?
You may have heard that soy should be eaten in moderation due to its ability to mimic estrogen in the body. Soy has been eaten in Asian cultures for a very long time in the form of tofu, miso, tempeh and soy milk. It is true that soy contains phytoestrogens, but they act as a very weak form of estrogen.
Is it true that Soy has a lot of estrogen?
There’s no estrogen in soy. What there is in soy are phytoestrogens or plant estrogens. Plant estrogens can bind to estrogen receptor in your body making the body think you have high estrogen levels., and or not. In other words, your body can react to the plant estrogens as if your natural estrogen were higher…or lower.
Soy and estrogen are related because soybeans contain a plant form of the hormone. Known as isoflavones, these phyto -estrogens are similar to those produced by the human body, although they are typically much weaker and thus do not cause as much of a response.
This begs the question “Does eating soy increase estrogen production?”
The most common answer is, soy protein-containing foods, like tofu, textured vegetable protein and edamame, do not significantly increase estrogen levels in either men or women. Soy may have mild, beneficial anti-estrogenic or estrogenic effects, depending on your time of life.
Do soy isoflavones increase estrogen?
The effects of soy isoflavones on human estrogen levels are complex. Soy is safe for everyone to consume in moderation and can have a modest effect on estrogen levels. Phytoestrogens are compounds found in plants that are chemically similar to the hormone estrogen.
Does soy negatively affect your testosterone levels?
Studies are ongoing regarding the effect of soy on health and fertility. Soy does not currently appear to lower testosterone levels or affect sperm health, but if you’re concerned about your fertility, you may consider limiting your consumption of soy. Specific nutrients in foods and supplements may help increase your testosterone levels.