The Effects of Soy Milk on Children

Soy milk, a product derived from the soy bean plant, is a popular alternative to traditional milk. Many vegan, vegetarian and health-conscious parents provide soy milk for their children, but recent findings report that soy milk may not be safe for infants or adolescents.

Effect on Developing Certain Cancers

• A 2009 study completed by the Harvard School of Public Health in Boston determined that soy consumption during childhood may reduce the risk of developing cancers later in life. Researchers determined that soy products contain phytoestrogen, a hormone that mimics estrogen, which may increase the levels of estrogen in children. For this reason, researchers believe soy products may reduce the risk of breast cancer in girls and may reduce the risk of prostate caner in males, but further testing is required to confirm these findings.

Effect on Thyroid Conditions

• The Weston A. Price Foundation, an organization rooted in the study of food and farming, argues that the phytoestrogens found in soy milk are strong anti-thyroid agents which may cause hypothyroidism and thyroid cancer later in life. The organization claims that children who consume soy regularly, or more than three times a week, are more likely to develop autoimmune thyroid disease later in life (Weston A. Price). In addition, the Weston A. Price Foundation also warns that increased soy consumption can cause children to develop pancreatic disorders, growth problems, infertility and breast cancer later in life. The foundation also argues that soy contains toxic aluminum which may damage the kidneys and nervous system.

Effects on Development

• High levels of phytoestrogen, found in soy products, has also been linked to earlier development of adolescents and earlier puberty. Many pediatricians feel that increased soy consumption in young girls has resulted in a higher frequency of early breast development and pubic hair growth in patients as young as eight years old.