View Products

Search Products

Order Form

Rejuvenation Medicine

FAQs

Health Concerns

Contact Us

Who We Are

Home

Experts Believe Soy May Help Prevent Heart Disease, Cancer, Kidney Disease and Osteoporosis; Studies Cited

Source: PR Newswire

WASHINGTON, Feb. 13 /PRNewswire/ via Individual Inc. -- Medical and scientific experts have found that the soy bean may help in the fight against heart disease, kidney disease, cancer, osteoporosis and other serious maladies.

Soy, primarily used as a source of protein in poorer countries that lack sufficient red meat or where red meat is forbidden by religion, has become the focus of many U.S. and world studies on nutrition that led to a recent international symposium of health experts on the benefits of soy in the fight against serious illness.

The two leading producers of soy products are the Archer Daniels Midland Company of
Decatur, Ill., and the Ralston-Purina Corp. of St. Louis, Mo. Many nutritionists believe that soy will likely become increasingly important to the American diet because of its many contributions to good health. Study findings included:

Heart Disease

Several major studies have focused on the benefits soy may have toward reducing heart
disease.

One such study, reported in the New England Journal of Medicine, "Meta- Analysis of the Effects of Soy Protein Intake on Serum Lipids," found that the cholesterol-lowering effects of soy protein may help against coronary heart disease.

"There is very good evidence that soy protein may protect against cardiovascular disease, stroke, and heart attacks," said the report's author, Dr. James W. Anderson of the Metabolic Research Group, VA Medical Center and University of Kentucky. Among other results, he found that nations consuming high amounts of soy products had far fewer incidents of coronary heart disease than nations consuming lower amounts of soy in their diet.

Dr. Anderson pointed out that a one percent reduction in cholesterol values is associated
with a two to three percent reduction in the risk of coronary heart disease. Two to three
servings daily of soy protein can reduce cholesterol values by over nine percent, thus
reducing the risk of heart disease by more than 20 percent, he reported.

Kidney Disease

Dr. Anderson also found that soy may help prevent kidney disease. In another study, "Soy Protein Effects on Renal Function In Type II Diabetic Men With Nephropathy," presented at the Second International Symposium on the role of Soy in Preventing and Treating Chronic Disease, in Brussels, Belgium, Dr. Anderson reported the effects on the kidney of soy protein versus the effects of animal protein.

"People at risk of developing kidney disease or with existing kidney disease may benefit by consuming diets where protein is derived largely from soy," Dr. Anderson said. According to Dr. Anderson, soy protein had lower levels of blood urea nitrogen and serum creatinine than animal proteins. These findings suggested improved kidney functions from soy proteins.

Cancer

In another study, Dr. Mark Messina, recognized as a leading soy authority, found that soy may also help prevent many types of cancer.

"Substances almost exclusively found in soyfoods have been shown to reduce the risk of
breast, colon and prostate cancer," Dr. Messina concluded in his book, The Simple Soybean and Your Health, which cites a long list of studies from universities and research institutes to back up his findings.

The substances found in soy, primarily isoflavones, "tie up" receptors on certain tissue cells preventing the onset or growth of cancer, according to Dr. Messina, who has worked for the National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health and who currently co-edits and writes for The Soy Connection, a newsletter for dietitians.

Many other international studies have linked soy to cancer prevention and were reported at the Second International Symposium on the role of Soy in Preventing and Treating Chronic Disease late in 1996; Dr. Messina was chairman.

Osteoporosis

In bone research, a study by the University of Illinois, "Short Term Effects of Soybean
Isoflavones on Bone in Post-Menopausal Women," found that soy isoflavones inhibit bone breakdown and may stimulate bone formation.

"The fact that we actually saw bone density increasing was exciting," said Susan Potter, one of the study's authors. The six-month study found that women consuming high levels of soy protein experienced increased bone density and core mineral content in the lumbar spine region. The study was also presented at the International Symposium on Soy.

Sources of soy beans and soy bean products include tofu, bean curd, tempeh, soy milk, miso and soy sauce. There are also many soy products available such as soyburgers
(veggie-burgers), soy hotdogs, soy-based cheese, soy ice cream, and soy yogurts.

Soy products contain all three "macro-nutrients" for good nutrition -- protein, carbohydrates and fat -- and many micro-nutrients, including vitamins, minerals, calcium, folic acid and iron.

These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.