HEALTH & SCIENCE

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STUDY FINDS SOY CUTS SPERM COUNT

NEW SCIENTIST - Men who eat just half a serving of soya a day have
drastically fewer sperm than those who do not consume such foods,
according to a small, preliminary study.
The study's researchers say larger trials are needed to determine
whether men hoping to conceive a child should try to avoid soya foods,
such as tofu, tempeh and soya milk. However, soya industry
representatives caution that the new findings contradict earlier studies
that have shown no impact on sperm count from soya-based products.

Soya foods contain high amounts of isoflavones, compounds that mimic the
effects of estrogen in the body. For this reason, women sometimes
increase their intake of soya foods to treat hot flushes caused by
declining estrogen levels in menopause. Estrogen-like compounds can also
have a dramatic impact on the male body. And previous rodent studies
have suggested that high intake of soya products can reduce male
fertility.

http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn12792-eating-soya-could-
slash-mens-sperm-count.html

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