Health Risks of Drinking Soy Milk

For the past few years, both the health benefits and health risks of drinking soy milk have become widely debated. Researches about soy milk and other by-products of soy mainly focus on specific benefits and risks, thus leading to countless debates on which should be acknowledged and which should be ignored. And further complications arise when studies lean towards each specific soy product available on the market.

Overall, it all boils down to one major concern: the processing of these soy products matters a lot in understanding such health risks.

The Processing of Soy Products

• Generally, soy products are heavily processed from soy beans through the use of varying manufacture systems. Such a production approach is different from the fermentation of soy beans, as how most Asian countries utilize soy food like soy sauce and miso. Unfermented soy has a high amount of phytic acid which can lead to lower absorption of certain vitamins and minerals. It has the ability to bind proteins and starch which blocks the uptake of calcium, magnesium, copper, iron and zinc. And this acid is not neutralized by ordinary methods like soaking or cooking.

  Phytic acid is considered a plant toxin from soy (meant to ward off the plants' insect predators). And this is kept in the soy if it remains unfermented. It contains naturally occurring compounds that are toxic to humans and animals. In specific cases, such have the ability to target organs, cells and enzyme pathways with devastating effects.

  Contrary to the idea that Asians have been consuming high amounts of soy food for centuries, and that they get great nutritional benefits from them, the claim is only partly true. Asian countries such as China, Japan, Korea and Indonesia generally consume fermented soy foods; unlike in the Western countries where these soy products undergo industrial processing without fermentation.

The Negative Effects of Isoflavones

• The soy isoflavone controversy involves varying information about the health benefits and risks of isoflavones found in soy milk. There are claims that isoflavones prevent high cholesterol and cancer. However, there are also studies readily showing that isoflavones can depress thyroid function and cause goiters in otherwise healthy children and adults. It also inhibits the uptake of iodine, an important component for human growth and metabolism, and is particularly used by the thyroid gland in the production of thyroid hormones. Soy also contains goitrogen which causes thyroid and gout problems.

The Negative Effects of Phytoestrogen

• One of the most disturbing ill effects of drinking soy milk, especially in large amounts and on a regular basis, is how soy's phytoestrogens provide adverse effects on various human tissues. High levels of phytoestrogen impair fertility. For men, it decreases the amount of testosterone, thus affecting sperm production.

  Phytoestrogen mimics the effects of the female hormone estrogen. And this alters a woman's menstrual cycle as well as disrupts endocrine functionality, which can promote infertility and breast cancer. For children, they become highly susceptible to early maturation due to these hormones. And more growth and reproductive problems can happen when they reach puberty.

Other Health Risks

• Many soy milk health risks are attributed to significant intake. Just like any other food and drugs, anything taken beyond moderation becomes unhealthy, or even fatal. Other health risks of drinking soy milk may include development of kidney stones, weakening of the immune system, developing soy allergens and digestive intolerance. The anti-nutrients due to the phytic acid content of soy can also lead to osteoporosis later in life.