Chemical in soy alters reproductive organs in male rats

[Guest guest]

As a researcher/statistician here are my questions

that would clarify this news release:

 

First, was it the high dose group, the low dose group

or both groups that had the changes in reproductive

organs? If it was the high dose group, that has

implications for humans and the results. For example,

how many of us eat soy with every meal or eat large

amounts of soy?

 

The chemical that was given to the rats, genistein,

was it given in pill form or liquid? or were the rats

actually given products made from soy, like milk or

tofu? Was the chemical lab created, naturally

occurring, or genetically modified? This matters.

 

How much of the chemical were the rats given and how

does this compare to the actual amount of the chemical

found in soy products? Was even the low dose group

given more genistein than would occur in the amount of

tofu a person might eat?

 

There was an article by Robbins that was put on this

list. If I remember correctly, a section of it

addresses this topic. I also remember him commenting

that if this chemical (or maybe it was another

estrogen chemical) is a problem to humans it is only

if soy is consumed in extremely large amounts, like in

those soy powders. I think he also mentioned that the

preparation process of making foods like tofu and milk

may decrease the amount of this chemical or maybe it

was another estrogen related chemical.

 

Honestly, if soy were a problem, wouldn't " Asian "

countries and peoples who have been eating soy for

hundreds of years have reproductive problems? They

haven't exactly gone extinct like the Shakers (their

religion forbid intercourse).

 

I personally am very skeptical of this article. If

anyone knows how to contact the researchers, let me

know. I will email them.

 

 

 

 

Joann

 

 

 

 

 

 

--- " Maynard S. Clark " <MaynardClark wrote:

>

> Chemical in soy alters reproductive organs in male

> rats

> Public release date: 10-Mar-2003

>

> Contact: Jessica Collins

> jcolli31

> 410-516-4570

> Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions

>

> Chemical in soy alters reproductive organs in male

> rats

>

> Researchers at the Johns Hopkins Children's Center

> and the Johns Hopkins

> Bloomberg School of Public Health report that male

> rats whose mothers were

> fed diets containing genistein, a chemical found in

> soybeans, developed

> abnormal reproductive organs and experienced sexual

> dysfunction as adults.

> While these findings do not indicate that genistein

> has a similar effect in

> humans, researchers say the increasing popularity of

> soy and soy-based

> foods, such as tofu and some infant formulas, may

> warrant further research

> to determine if genistein exposure in the womb and

> during breast-feeding

> influences human reproductive development.

> In the study, described in the April issue of the

> Journal of Urology,

> pregnant female rats were randomly assigned to one

> of three regimens: a

> genistein-free diet, a diet supplemented with a low

> dose of genistein, and a

> diet with a high dose of genistein.

> Male offspring were exposed to genistein indirectly

> through maternal

> consumption during pregnancy and lactation.

> When the genistein-exposed offspring matured,

> researchers found the males

> had smaller testes and a larger prostate gland

> compared to unexposed rats.

> Although their sperm counts were normal, exposed

> adult males had lower

> testosterone levels and were also less likely to

> ejaculate when presented

> with the opportunity to mate with a female.

> " The effects of genistein continued long after the

> rats were exposed,

> leading us to believe that exposure to this

> plant-derived estrogen during

> reproductive development can have long-term

> detrimental effects in males, "

> said the study's lead author, Amy B. Wisniewski,

> Ph.D., a researcher at the

> Johns Hopkins Children's Center.

> " Genistein may act as an estrogen or an

> anti-androgen, blocking the function

> of endogenous androgens - the sex hormones necessary

> for males to develop a

> normal reproductive system - and ultimately leading

> to the reproductive

> abnormalities and sexual dysfunction we saw in the

> exposed rats, " added

> study co-author Sabra L. Klein, Ph.D., of the School

> of Public Health.

> " However, additional research is needed to determine

> if this is the case. "

> Whether the long-term effects of genistein on the

> reproductive development

> of male rats are caused by exposure during

> gestation, lactation, or both

> also requires further investigation, Wisniewski

> said.

> The study was funded by The Brady Urological

> Institute of The Johns Hopkins

> Hospital. In addition to Wisniewski and Klein, other

> co-authors include John

> P. Gearhart, M.D., and Yegappan Lakshmanan, M.D., of

> the Johns Hopkins

> Children's Center and The Brady Urological

> Institute.

> ###

> Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions' news releases

> are available on an

> EMBARGOED basis on EurekAlert at

> http://www.eurekalert.org, and from the

> Office of Communications and Public Affairs' direct

> e-mail news release

> service. To enroll, call 410-955-4288 or send e-mail

> to bsimpkins.

>

> On a POST-EMBARGOED basis find them at

> http://www.hopkinsmedicine.org.

> Media Contacts:

> Jessica Collins, Children's Center

> 410-516-4570

> E-mail: jcolli31

> Tim Parsons

> Bloomberg School of Public Health

> 410-955-7619

> E-mail: tmparson

>

>

>

>

> [Non-text portions of this message have been

> removed]

>

>

>

 

 

 

 

Web Hosting - establish your business online

http://webhosting.