For vegans and vegetarians, soy is a staple part of a healthy diet because it provides much-needed protein. Without sufficient amounts of protein, you’re likely to experience muscle loss, fatigue, low sex drive, anxiety, and depression.
If you’re trying to have a baby, you’ve probably heard about a potential connection between soy and infertility.
Are these rumors true? In this article, we’ll give you the facts on how soy impacts fertility.
What Does the Science Say?
Soy and infertility can be connected.
Soy and tofu topics make great headlines on the internet. It’s beneficial for women struggling with menopausal symptoms or trying to prevent cancer.
It’s also an excellent protein source while pregnant. This is especially true for vegetarian women.
Yes, soy can cause ovulation problems. But you need to eat a lot of it. If you’re trying to conceive, you should eat soy-based foods in moderation. Stay below 60 grams per day.
They contain a plant-derived estrogen called isoflavones. If you eat too much soy, isoflavones can have a negative impact on the female body and your ability to conceive.
Will It Make Me Infertile?
High levels of soy protein sometimes increase the length of your menstrual cycle and decrease FSH hormone levels.
Don’t worry. The simple act of eating tofu won’t make you infertile. Unless you’re eating over 60 grams of soy protein every single day for over a month, you have nothing to worry about.
As with any other food, if you eat tofu in moderation and implement it into a healthy diet (packed with the right nutrients), you won’t experience any infertility issues from soy.
How to Know If Soy and Ovulation Are Connected
If you’re having fertility issues, try severely limiting how much soy you take into your diet. After limiting your intake, see what impact it has on your fertility issues.
If nothing changes, you can rule out soy as a potential source of the problem. Take one month and avoid soy-containing foods such as:
- Tofu
- Soymilk
- TVP
- Tempeh
- Soy nuts
Don’t worry about soy sauce. Unlike the above examples, it doesn’t contain high enough levels of isoflavones to pose a potential problem.
Avoid Genetically Modified Soy At All Cost
Genetically modified soy, known as soy protein isolate, is found in a lot of soy products.
Some examples include:
- Soy protein bars
- Shakes
- Mayonnaise
- Soy-based cereals
- Veggie burgers
While natural soy hasn’t been proven to cause reproductive problems, genetically modified soy can cause issues like:
- Erectile dysfunction for men
- Miscarriages
- Endometriosis
- Infertility
- Hormonal changes
Avoiding GMOs (genetically modified organisms) is important for every diet. If you eat a lot of soy be extra careful to avoid genetically modified versions of it.
Your fertility could suffer.
Now You Know the Facts
If you’re struggling with fertility and thought that soy and fertility might be related, now you know the truth.
There could be any number of issues impacting your ability to conceive. Request an appointment with us today so we can dive into these issues and get them solved. We look forward to working with you at Kofinas Fertility Clinic, a top Fertility Doctor in New York!
