Does Eating Soy Products Put You at Risk for Getting Breast Cancer?

Soy products contain isoflavones, which are substances that mimic estrogen in the body. The estrogen receptors in the body are stimulated by the isoflavones in soy. If you have breast cancer, your doctor may have already warned you about eating too many products made with soy. Since soy products, like tofu and soy milk are quite popular in the Atlanta area, it may be difficult to totally take soy out of your daily diet. There is no need to panic about eating soy products, because it isn't really conclusive that soy makes cancer worse or puts people are more at risk for developing breast cancer. There just isn't enough information yet on soy products.

All doctors and researchers don't agree that soy products are dangerous for breast cancer patients. Some medical professionals believe that the isoflavones, also known as phytoestrogens, in soy are beneficial to breast cancer patients. The theory is that the isoflavones are weaker "estrogen-like" substances which take the place of estrogen on the estrogen receptors, and since the isoflavones are weaker, they are believed to inhibit the growth of cancer cells.

The proof that soy might be a viable way to prevent the spread of breast cancer cells is subjective. The evidence is that women in Asia are less likely to have breast cancer. The medical professionals that believe soy is good to prevent breast cancer or diminish the growth of cancer cells are due to a diet rich in soy products.

Dr. Oz warns that there are as many as 50 phytoestrogens (substances that mimic estrogen) and they may or may not be beneficial. Here is what Dr. Oz said:

"... here's the deal: Soy is as unpredictable as a morning DJ's mouth. That's because things such as the soil in which the product grows can influence those levels of phytoestrogens, meaning that there's really no way of knowing whether you're reaping benefits or not (or risking problems if you're a woman with an estrogen-responsive breast cancer)." ₁

What do you think, Atlanta? While researching, this examiner found that people are better off eating soy products than taking soy supplements, because the soy supplements may contain a dangerous amount of phytoestrogens.

₁ Credit given to Dr. Oz for the quoted material.

Sources

Dr. Oz

Breastcancer.com