Does soy milk affect estrogen levels?

Soy is unique in that it contains a high concentration of isoflavones, a type of plant estrogen (phytoestrogen) that is similar in function to human estrogen but with much weaker effects. Soy isoflavones can bind to estrogen receptors in the body and cause either weak estrogenic or anti-estrogenic activity.

Can soy affect your period?

Soy Doesn’t Affect Menstrual Cycle.

Can I drink soy milk on my period?

—Laura Sullivan, MD, Downey, Calif. Soy milk contains relatively low concentrations of plant estrogens (isoflavones). Therefore, it is extremely unlikely that regular consumption of soy milk will alter normal menstrual cyclicity.

Is soy bad for female hormones?

Soy consumption has been suggested to exert potentially cancer-preventive effects in premenopausal women, such as increased menstrual cycle length and sex hormone-binding globulin levels and decreased estrogen levels.

What happens if you drink soy milk everyday?

Soy milk is packed with protein. Drinking soy milk every day, even three glasses of it, is unlikely to have negative side effects, and it is good for you. One advantage is that it does not have lactose, which makes it especially good for people who are lactose intolerant. Soy milk has less saturated fat than almond milk.

Does soy milk increase estrogen levels in men?

Soy milk, however, typically doesn’t contribute to higher estrogen levels in men and children. Its ability to boost estrogen in menopausal women, thus diminishing or preventing hot flashes, is not proven, however.

Is soy milk bad for your thyroid?

A study reported in Public Health Nutrition in 2016 showed that women with normal thyroid functioning should not have any problems drinking soy milk or eating other foods with soy. Women with borderline abnormal levels of thyroid-stimulating hormone, or TSH, however, may develop thyroid problems.

What is phytoestrogen and how does it affect sperm?

Phytoestrogen is a chemical found in soybeans that can act as a weak estrogen. This is why many women drink soy milk and eat soy products during menopause, to combat the body’s natural drop in estrogen production. Phytoestrogen was once thought to contribute to decreased sperm production in men, but those studies are inconclusive.