Soy Milk Cuts Breast Cancer Hormones

Soy Milk may help reduce the risk of developing breast cancer by lowering levels of oestrogen, according to researchers at the University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston, U.S.

The benefits are put down to antioxidant compounds in soy foods which help lower female hormones.

Oestrogen and progesterone have been shown to stimulate the growth of some forms of cancer cells and women exposed to high levels of these hormones are believed to be at greater risk from developing breast cancer.

meanwhile, an article in the Journal of the American Medical Association suggests feeding babies soy milk and cow milk are equally safe.

Some experts are increasingly concerned over the high levels of hormones and antibiotics in cows milk while soy milk is high in phytoestrogens, a natural form of oestrogen found in plants. 20% of the U.S infant population are fed on soy milk which has been linked with accelerated puberty and thyroid problems.

Researchers at the University of Pennsylvania's Centre for Clinical Epidemiology and Biostatistics studied over 800 people, who have been fed cow or soy milk as infants, for evidence of developmental problems, thyroid problems, cancer and a range of other conditions.

They found no higher incidence of the conditions with either cow or soy milk.

Monday, 10 September 2001