Micah Stanley
The soybean is very controversial as a food. Some even describe it as carcinogenic, others claim that it protects against cancer. Clarity about breast cancer came in the spring of 2015 when researchers at the University of Illinois/USA discovered how soy accelerated the growth of breast cancer and how soy could suppress breast cancer. So it depends very much on whether you are consuming wholesome soy products or taking the isolated isoflavones as a dietary supplement.
Soy – Carcinogenic or anti-cancer
The soybean is the raw material for soy drinks, soy yogurt, soy cream, and soy flour as well as tofu, tofu sausages, and much more. And while all of these foods are growing in popularity, there are of course critics who never miss an opportunity to loudly warn about soy.
As far as the supposed risk of breast cancer from soy is concerned, there should now be a little more clarity in this regard:
In April 2015, researchers at the University of Illinois published the following findings that show why soy is so often referred to as a carcinogen, but on the other hand, is also recommended for the prevention of breast cancer:
The scientists mapped the genes that are influenced by the phytonutrients (secondary plant compounds) in the soybean. They found that minimally processed soy flour suppresses breast cancer, while isolated isoflavones stimulate genes that speed up tumor growth.
The study was published in the journal Molecular Nutrition and Food Research.
One test group received a diet of soy flour with the isoflavone mixture naturally contained in the flour, another group received a mix with isolated isoflavones (without soy flour). Each diet contained 750 ppm genistein equivalents, an amount comparable to that consumed by a woman eating a typical Asian diet that regularly includes soy products.
Genistein is the main isoflavone in soybeans and a number of studies over the past few years have raised concerns about the long-term effects of genistein and its role in carcinogenesis. The Illinois researchers addressed these concerns to clarify the ambiguous situation.
The big difference: soy consumption or a dietary supplement made from isoflavones
Asian women are three to five times less likely to get breast cancer than women eating a Western diet. Some researchers explain the reduced risk of breast cancer with the soy consumption that is common in Asia. However, Asian women eat tofu and other soy products, while women in the West are often offered the isoflavones isolated from the soybean as a dietary supplement.
The question the scientists now asked was whether the isolated isoflavones – which most Western women do not take until the onset of menopause – can provide the same health benefits as the lifelong consumption of tofu and soy products in Asia. No, they can’t!
What we always emphasize from a holistic point of view – namely that an isolated product is rarely equal to a full-fledged product in terms of its effects – has now been confirmed by scientists with regard to soy and soy isoflavones.
If wholesome soy products are consumed, e.g. B. soy flour or tofu products, then those genes that suppress tumors become more active. At the same time, genes are suppressed that would otherwise promote tumor growth and the uncontrolled spread of cancer cells.
Soy strengthens the immune system, isoflavones weaken the immune system
Particularly important to us was the fact that soy flour boosted overall immune function, which could also explain why it didn’t stimulate tumor growth,” said lead researcher Yunxian Liu (PhD in Human Nutrition and Master of Statistics). The isolated isoflavones activated cancer-promoting ones genes and even weakened the body’s immune functions and thus its abilities to seek out and destroy cancer cells.”
Liu also found that the isolated isoflavones promoted two genes that led to a shorter survival rate in women with breast cancer. At the same time, another gene that would increase survival was suppressed.
For breast cancer: Wholesome soy products – yes! Isoflavones as a dietary supplement – no!
Liu’s findings thus support the hypothesis called the Soy Matrix Effect, according to which the cancer-protective effect of soy only comes from whole food. So it is by no means the isoflavones, but the combination of all the bioactive substances contained in the soybean that bring health benefits in their entirety.
It was also interesting that both groups consumed the same amount of genistein. One in isolation and the other in the context of the whole food – and while the substances in isolation were harmful, the same substances in combination with all the other substances from the soybean could be very beneficial.
Women with breast cancer should therefore never take dietary supplements with isolated isoflavones from soybeans, but simply soy products such as e.g. B. Include tofu, tempeh, or soy flour in a healthy diet rich in vital substances with lots of fruit, legumes, vegetables, and whole grains.
