Soy Lowers Testosterone and Sperm Count

Foods containing soy are touted as healthy and are often associated with lower rates of disease. But for the male population, these alleged benefits come at a very high price. Soy has been shown to lower testosterone and androgen levels as well as significantly reduce sperm count and possibly cause sterility.

I've never been a fan of soy for many reasons. Genetically modified organisms have had specific changes made to their DNA by genetic engineering, and 93 percent of all U.S. soy is genetically modified (GM). A French study compared the effects of GM corn on mammalian health and found that eating GM corn for just five weeks reduced kidney and liver function (primary detoxification organs) and had negative effects on the heart, adrenal, spleen and blood cells. A new study by a Russian scientist claims that consuming GM soy results in mammal sterility. The actual study hasn't been published yet, so I'm unable to comment further until I've reviewed it. In any case, GM crops do have what is referred to as a “terminator” gene, which renders the seeds of the plant sterile.

Traditionally, farmers reused their best seeds to plant crops for the next year. With the new terminator seeds, which don't flower or grow fruit after planting, this is no longer possible. Consequently, control of our food supply has been taken away from farmers and turned over to big companies. I encourage you to look at Delta and Pine Land Company's (now a Monsanto company) terminator seed patent. Delta and Pine and the USDA are the assignees—they jointly own the technology. The USDA receives a royalty from the sale of all GM terminator seed. I think it's fair to say that the USDA can't have our best interest in mind when they're directly profiting from the sale of these GM seeds. What are the long-term health effects of this new “terminator” seed? No one knows, because it's never been tested on humans or used commercially.

In November 1998, Delta and Pine dumped 30,000 sacks of expired GM cotton seed in Paraguay. The label on the seed bags contained this warning, “Contains material which may cause cancer, mutagenic or reproductive effects based on laboratory animal data.” Local residents reported illness, and one person died. How can you tell if your food has been genetically modified? You can't. The U.S. is one of the few countries in which suppliers aren't required to disclose that the food has been genetically modified. You don't need to know. If you did, it might cut into the USDA's profits. In addition to these GM issues , soy may not live up to its reputation as a healthy food.

The human diet requires both omega-3 and omega-6 essential fatty acids. They are called essential because our body requires them but can't make them. We have to get fatty acids from food sources, the most common being fish for omega-3 and vegetable oils and nuts for omega-6. All systems in the human body require balance, and the relationship between omega-3 and omega-6 is no different. At the cellular level, omega-3 reduces inflammation and omega-6 causes inflammation. Unfortunately, due to processed foods, the American diet includes far too much inflammation-causing omega-6 and not enough inflammation-reducing omega-3. This imbalance results in cancer, high cholesterol, high triglycerides, heart disease, metabolic syndrome, obesity, diabetes, IBD, osteoporosis and ADHD. So how does this tie into soy?

Soybean oil contains over 14,000 milligrams of omega-6 per ounce. Soybean oil and/or soy is used in almost all processed foods. Soybeans also contain trypsin inhibitors, which interfere with the digestion of protein and amino acids, and large amounts of phytic acid, an anti-nutrient that is also found in whole grains, which blocks the absorption of calcium, magnesium, iron, copper and zinc. Several studies have documented the ill effects of both GM and non-GM soy.
In a 2001 Brigham Young University Neuroscience Center study, rats were fed either a normal diet or a soy diet. After only five weeks, the rats that were fed the soy diet had testosterone levels that were 50 percent lower than the rats that were fed a normal diet. A “significant” decrease of the androstenedione levels (the precursor of sex hormones) was also observed in the soy-fed rats, and they had significantly lower plasma androgen levels. Androgen controls the development and maintenance of male characteristics in humans.

In another study, infants that were fed a soy-based formula for 30 days had testosterone levels that were significantly lower than infants that were fed cow's milk-based formula. Because the majority of U.S. soy is genetically modified, it shouldn't be permitted to be in infant formula.

But, it gets even worse. A 2008 Harvard School of Public Health study found that men with a high dietary soy intake had 41 million less sperm/ml than men who did not eat soy.

Because of the high levels of omega-6 fatty acids found in soy, which cause inflammation at the cellular level, combined with most soy being genetically modified, I don't recommend soy in anyone's diet. Given soy's proven ability to lower testosterone and androgen, I especially don't recommend soy for males of any age. The best way to avoid soy is to avoid processed foods. Read the ingredients label of the foods you buy, and if you see soy in any form, put it back on the shelf. Better yet, start eating real whole-foods, lots of vegetables, fruit, meat and eggs. Men, your little swimmers are counting on you. Don't let them down.