Article in Men's Health: Soy messes with male hormones

[Matt Gregory]

Careful what you eat, guys. This dude started growing breasts and turning into a woman when he found out it was caused by drinking soymilk. Unfortunately, soy is in everything nowadays and it's hard to completely eliminate it from your diet.

Link!

[Diebert van Rhijn]

Similar stories pop up now and again, however....

The article forgets to mention that phytoestrogens (plant-produced estrogens) are just as present in many grains and seeds, as well as other common foods. The amount of intake could add up though in specific diets, combining soy products with certain grains and seed mixes, added to certain fruits. So it's then probably more about the whole diet, not just the soy.

Forget the diet though, there's more happening: Pollution threatens male gender

The report, which draws on more than 250 scientific studies from around the world, concentrates mainly on wildlife, identifying effects in a range of species.

"Males of species from each of the main classes of vertebrate animals (including bony fish, amphibians, reptiles, birds and mammals) have been affected by chemicals in the environment.

"Feminisation of the males of numerous vertebrate species is now a widespread occurrence. All vertebrates have similar sex hormone receptors, which have been conserved in evolution. Therefore, observations in one species may serve to highlight pollution issues of concern for other vertebrates, including humans," the report concludes.

So this leads to the solid speculation that retired U.S. Army intelligence officer James Price was daily stuffing himself with a cereal breakfast of flax and sesame seed, wheat, oats and soy milk. A lunch of apples, carrots, pomegranates, ricebran. Diners of lentil soup, bread and beans. Further gulping loads of beer through the night. All the stuff doubly wrapped, also he was using cosmetics and baby powders, he has used several flame retardants in furniture and electrical goods; his house full of PCBs and his job involves spraying pesticides on crops.

And then complaining about just some swollen nipples! I guess he's one of the lucky ones.

[Diebert van Rhijn]

Oh and this: "... a retired U.S. Army intelligence officer who once flew attack helicopters in Vietnam".

A lot of guys got mild dioxin poisoning (agent orange) and other crap out there. Stores in tissue, esp the liver (also an estrogen source) for many years, perhaps accumulates with crap at the home front (it doesn't say but as a pilot and farmer I suppose he sprayed crops). This all can accumulate decades even and then comes out with stress (like death of a spouse!). Hormonal issues are just one of the many symptoms of this.

Then again, one of the very common soy or corn allergies might be the case. His "Ensure" drink had loads of corn stuff as well but wasn't mentioned. Also there are still reports about effect of genetic manipulation on soy and corn. It's only one year since the import ban is partially lifted in the EU while already 80% of the US food was modified. It's kind of a long story...

This wasn't meant to debunk as it's best to limit soy intake but dairy, soda, stress and bread too.

[Matt Gregory]

Sounds good. I don't really know much about health, but I'm trying to do better.