# Soy products affecting female fertility



## Faerie

My sister read an article today about soy products affecting female fertility. Apparently even a small cup of soy per day can affect fertility. She's going to email me the article tomorrow, but has anyone else heard of this? I don't eat dairy (allergic to the proteins) and drink soya milk daily.


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## Mynxie

https://yourtotalhealth.ivillage.com/can-too-much-soy-affect-fertility.html

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/2448631/Eating-soy-regularly-could-harm-mens-fertility.html


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## Faerie

Thanks Mynxie. I believe it was an article regarding soy products interfering with the menstrual cycle, ie shortening or lengthening it. Also apparently drinking unfiltered water can clog up the fallopian tubes (not to mention arteries etc) in the same way as it does pipes. Still waiting on her to send it to me.
I agree with the one article you posted that plenty of people aren't affected by it at all, but maybe as I already have issues and I consume a lot of soy it's worth taking a look at.


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## Halle71

It was in an article in Grazia mag last week - apparently it's one of the foods most likely to cause infertility in women. The article is by Sarah Dobbyn, a nutritionalist who was single and childless at the age of 43 and who wrote a book called 'The Fertility Diet'.

'When high levels of isoflavones in soya are ingested, they interfere with, or block your body's own oestrogen production. Just one cup a day can alter the length of the menstrual cycle"

Also beware of rhubarb (prevents implantation) and peas (a natural contraceptive). 

Then give up sugar, non organic meat, go easy on dairy... all common sense stuff.

Hx


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## Faerie

Halle71 said:


> It was in an article in Grazia mag last week - apparently it's one of the foods most likely to cause infertility in women. The article is by Sarah Dobbyn, a nutritionalist who was single and childless at the age of 43 and who wrote a book called 'The Fertility Diet'.
> 
> 'When high levels of isoflavones in soya are ingested, they interfere with, or block your body's own oestrogen production. Just one cup a day can alter the length of the menstrual cycle"
> 
> Also beware of rhubarb (prevents implantation) and peas (a natural contraceptive).
> 
> Then give up sugar, non organic meat, go easy on dairy... all common sense stuff.
> 
> Hx

Thanks, sounds like the one!! Damn it, do you know how many peas I eat?? I'm like, addicted to them!! :dohh:


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## Halle71

I know what you mean. I love soya stuff/edamame beans and eat peas at least once a week. Dammit. Rhubarb won't be such a problem though! I do like it but can't remember the last time I ate it.

It might be a bit alarmist but if you are having problems conceiving it's worth knowing stuff like this so you can decide whether or not it is worth eating it.

Hx


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## pixielou

Hmm, I've raed about this too from some books I have. Although I have read other books which say that soy can lengthen a cycle and therefore help with conception. I think maybe it's worth thinking about what they mean when they say Soya. For example there are soya products in a more pure forms such as organic soya, tofu, miso etc and then there the soya products which may be GM and non organic and are added to foods to bulk them out and aparently it is in many foods that we wouldn't even imagine( I always examine labels!)

I also went to see my acupuncturist, who is chinese, and I mentioned this to her-she laughed and said that the Chinese and Japanese have been eating it for centuries!

So I believe it must be in moderation as there are also studies that say that we should not be drinking dairy as it can block the absorbtion of nutrients etc. I have tried in the past to do so many of these things like cut out this and that but to no avail, I think I was driving myself nuts! Can certainly understand your concerns though!!


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## yaya

I agree with pixielou -- there is soya and soya IYKWIM. I consume organic soy milk and it doesn't affect my cycle at all -- there is huge disagreement about the health benefits (or not) of soya and lots is said about its oestrogenic effects -- however, lots of fruit, veggies and nuts have plant hormones and phyto-oestrogens -- but they are actually beneficial as opposed to the xenoestrogens in pesticides, plastics etc. Anyway, it's controversial stuff and I guess everyone needs to make their own mind up about it! 

Nice to see you about Faerie! :hugs:

Yaya xx


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## Sinead

I personally believe in everything in moderation. However, if you are worry about it, then it could be causing you more stress so it may just be worth cutting down/giving it up.


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## Faerie

Thanks for all your opinions girls. It just sucks because I'm already on such a reduced diet anyway - everything makes me sick these days. I've been tested and tested and they can't find out what's wrong BUT the Swiss don't seem to believe in IBS, so I'll wait and see what an English Dr says about that.

I always drink non-GM soya milk, but today I picked up some oat milk instead, give that a try - just in case!


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## Mynxie

surely though, there's more Chinese people in the world than any other race...and I'm guessing that the majority of them eat alot of Chinese food, which has alot of soy sauce in....so doesn't that mean that it's not reflecting their study very well? Maybe it's something to do with race too? ie, if you're of whatever ethnic group, the soy may affect your fertility? just a convo DH and I had about it.


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## tansey

I'm veggie and so DF and me eat a lot of quorn, soya beans, peas AND rhubarb (crumble) do you think this could be affecting us then? I've started to cook real meat for DF but as sperm takes 3months to be produced am i going to have to wait that long to see the fruits of my labour? 

(It's so unfair we both hardly drink, are not over weight and not very stressed! I thought we ate quite healthily.)


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## Faerie

Mynxie said:


> surely though, there's more Chinese people in the world than any other race...and I'm guessing that the majority of them eat alot of Chinese food, which has alot of soy sauce in....so doesn't that mean that it's not reflecting their study very well? Maybe it's something to do with race too? ie, if you're of whatever ethnic group, the soy may affect your fertility? just a convo DH and I had about it.

I don't think the study is talking about pure soy products (ie tofu, miso, soy sauce) but rather soya milk etc - as pixielou said.

I'm not sure whether it makes a difference if the soya milk is organically sourced or not. Oh well, the oat milk I bought yesterday is yum, so I'm happy to try that instead. The problem just comes if I want yoghurt etc.. Well, I won't stress about it too much, but I won't consume loads either.


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## Tishimouse

I can't believe it. Only today I was researching Clomid and came across a number of discussions on soy.

The one's I was reading were recommending soy for ovulation instead of Clomid.

Some women were taking 100mg daily from CD3-8
another 120mg daily from CD3-7
another 120mg in table form of 3 x 40mg pill doses)

The recommendation was to take it like Clomid for 5 days and then stop. The dosage mentioned was between 80 - 200 mg daily.

I am not certain if soy products such as milk and beans etc., fall into the same category as the discussions only referred to tablets. But I was curious and would like to know more about it. I also wondered if soy could be used in conjunction with Clomid.

It looks like I have even more research to conduct now. We could do with a few answers couldn't we. Don't want to mess with anything dodgy so think medical advice might be the best.


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