Estrogen in soy: Does tofu make men impotent?

Does estrogen in soy, tofu and soy drinks make these foods unhealthy or even dangerous for men? Here you can find out what the truth is behind these claims and what the current research says.

Soy is generally considered healthy – for women. This is because soy contains estrogen. It is a plant hormone that is very similar to the female hormone estrogen.

Conversely, does this mean that soy drinks, tofu, miso, etc. can harm men? If you believe the stories circulating on social media and the internet, soy is a threat to reproduction. So do men become “feminized” by consuming soy? Or do they even become impotent?

Disclaimer: We use the terms “men” and “women” here for people who are classified as such by research based on their biological sex characteristics. This is what the study results refer to. At the same time, we are aware that the people concerned do not necessarily identify as men.

Estrogen in soy: similar but not identical

The soy plant produces a secondary plant substance, an isoflavone. This has a similar effect to the human hormone estrogen.

The medical portal DocCheck informs that estrogen is a term for several hormones that play an important role in the female cycle and in pregnancy. Incidentally, the male body also produces estrogen, but in much smaller quantities.

The isoflavone contained in soy is very similar in structure to human estrogen. It is therefore often referred to as a “plant hormone” or phytoestrogen. The Federal Center for Risk Assessment (BfR) explains that the isoflavones in soy mimic the effect of the female hormone estrogen, but can also block it.

A medical article explains this effect in more detail: Soy plant hormones can dock onto the same receptors in the human body as estrogen. This either triggers the hormone-like effect or blocks the docking site for the body’s own estrogen.

How dangerous is the estrogen in soy?

Do men have to avoid the plant-based protein source because of the estrogen in soy? Does soy make men impotent?

Research has not yet reached a uniform answer to this question. However, recent meta-studies suggest that the situation is more reassuring.

There are studies that establish a connection between the consumption of soy isoflavones and a lower sperm count. However, other studies have found no medically proven effect of soy on male reproductive hormones.

A critical evaluation of the studies on this topic comes to the conclusion that the consumption of soy isoflavones has no “feminizing” effects on men:

• Soy products and isoflavones do not cause any changes in the hormone levels of the male body.
• Soy therefore has no influence on the number of sperm.

Another argument that supports the harmlessness of estrogen in soy is traditional Asian cuisine. Tofu and fermented soy such as tempeh or miso have been on the menu here for generations.

The BfR reports that people in Southeast Asia traditionally eat a lot of soy. As a result, they consume around 60 milligrams of soy isoflavones daily. By comparison, the average intake in Europe is two milligrams. However, the institute points out that soy-based foods are becoming increasingly more important than meat substitutes in Europe. Therefore, an increase in the daily amount of isoflavones from soy products can also be expected here.

For this reason, data for Europe are not yet very reliable. The BfR has not yet formed a final opinion on the health aspects of foods containing soy. This not only concerns the possible danger to men from the estrogen in soy, but also potential risks from soy allergies or contamination from the cultivation of the soy plants.

Estrogen in soy – healthy for men and women

The estrogen in soy should therefore not be a problem for men either. Research goes even further and suggests that a diet enriched with soy can also be healthy for men.

Similar to women, soy may also prevent certain cancers in men:

• Prostate cancer – study results suggest that the estrogens in soy could also protect men from cancer.

• Prostate enlargement – ​​A urological article describes that soy isoflavones could be used to relieve symptoms caused by an enlarged prostate. As men get older, they often suffer from problems urinating due to an enlarged prostate.

The estrogen in soy can also have a positive effect on women’s health beyond cancer prevention. In particular, complaints related to the female cycle or menopause could be alleviated by a diet rich in soy.

In a 2008 presentation, the BfR shows further areas of application for soy isoflavones that doctors are discussing. These include, for example:

• Prevention of osteoporosis
• Effects on the cardiovascular system
• Prevention of cancer (such as breast cancer)

Conclusion: Does estrogen in soy make men impotent?

There is no solid evidence to support the claim that the estrogens in soy are harmful to men. On the contrary: current studies indicate that a diet rich in soy can have a health-promoting effect. Medical observations from Southeast Asia support these assumptions.

Soy is rich in high-quality proteins and is therefore a nutritious alternative to meat. The biological value of soy protein is comparable to that of pork. According to a table from the Academy for Sports and Health, the value for both types of protein is 85. The biological value indicates how efficiently the body can process proteins from food. Egg protein serves as a reference value of 100.

However, make sure that you use organic soy from sustainable cultivation. Sometimes soy can come from genetically modified cultivation – or the plantations are built on cleared rainforest. As the rainforest is cleared, the natural CO₂-Storage systems that bind greenhouse gases.

Read more on Techzle\.com:

• Buying, growing and preparing edamame: What you need to know about soybeans
• Soy lecithin: good for your health or harmful?
• Environmental hormones: Everyday life becomes a health hazard – government takes action

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