Risks and benefits of soy?

Hi everyone, just wondering if anyone takes soy isoflavones capsules? I am mixed on the idea and would like some advice. If anyone takes this could you please tell me the benefits or risks? or point me in the right direction.

Thanks again Jeanie

Hi Jeanie I've moved your post over here to the No-Hormone Desert Oasis forum, where our members who may be taking soy isoflavones can see it. You might also check out the thread about studies on soy and black cohosh at the top of this forum - it has a lot of great information on it.

s,
-Linda

As far as my reading goes (and I've read a lot over the years), the best route is to eat whole soy protein rather than soy in a pill. Partly, there is considerable thinking that some of the benfits are coming from the amino acids that are high in soy protein rather from the isoflavones that they put in the pill. Partly too, they just don't know enough yet about what high concentrations of isoflavones do for or to people. They are fairly sure that populations of people who eat soy are benefitted. So, soy milk, soy protein (veggie burgers for instance), tofu, miso, etc.

Maybe they'll know more in a few years, but right now, that seems the safest most effective route.

Jeanie,
I am struggling with this issue also. I noticed in your previous posts that you mentioned you had endo return after your hysterectomy, and now you had your ovaries removed? I am also concerned about continuing endo problems even after I had a complete hysterectomy with removal of ovaries and all. I still have a lot of pain in my lower abdomen and now in my lower back and have had painful bowel movments for the last three months. The gyn that did my surgery did not remove the remaining endo off my bladder and colon areas, then proceeded to start me on hrt right away. Long story. A few weeks ago I went to another gyn and after an internal exam with lots of pain she thinks the endo is being aggravated by the estrogen replacement. So I was told to stop taking all hrt for at least three months to see if the pain goes down.
Soy is a controversial substance when it comes to endometriosis because some say it acts like a weak form of estrogen and may aggravate any endo in larger quantities. However, other studies discuss different types of soy and say some are safer than others. Most seem to agree that the soy in supplements is more risky than in foods, and provides less benefit. Here are a few articles about soy and endometriosis that you may want to read:
http://www.endo-resolved.com/soy.html
http://vegweb.com/articles/monique-1016233987.shtml
http://www.wholehealthmd.com/refshel...,10057,00.html
I hope this helps! I know it is all so confusing and all we really want is relief! Seems when you read about otc supplements it's either someone trying to sell you a product or conventional medicine talking about how dangerous otc supplements can be. What to do?