Intolerant To Soy?

[Katja]

Since I can't do dairy, eggs, and casein along with Gluten I started putting Silk Soy Creamer in my coffee 3 days ago and had a soy latte 2 days ago (I was getting a little tired of Rice and Almond milk ) I have had Soy milk in my pre-diagnosis days and never seem to have an issue with it. I did react to certain kids of Tofu, so I usually stayed away from that.

The past 2-3 days I have gradually gotten more exhausted and tired. I haven't felt this tired since going gluten-free about 5 months ago. After about 8.5 hours of sleep last night I woke up completely tired and with a headache this am. Took me ages to get out of bed and I have been exhausted all morning.

It seems like I have glutened myself, but I am 99.9% sure I haven't. Seems like this will never get better I am getting so frustrated.

What are the symptoms/reactions to soy allergy or intolerance? Anybody have had similar problems?

[AndreaB]

I am both soy allergic and intolerant as well as gluten allergic and intolerant. I never hand much in the way of symptoms so I can't help you there. I do know that soy can cause the same damage as gluten. If your positive that you haven't been glutened then drop the soy again for a bit and see if you feel better, then have some again and see if the symptoms reappear.

I'm sorry I couldn't be of more help.

[kabowman]

My soy reaction is different from my gluten reaction which is different from my yeast reaction. Now I bring up yeast because my yeast reaction is similar to what you are describing. It kind of knocks me out for 2-4 hours (cannot stay awake) then for a day or two afterwards I am in a total fog.

[happygirl]

andrea-

you mention that soy causes the same damage as gluten. can you provide a reference for that? i would appreciate your help!

thanks,

Laura

[AndreaB]

I have copied over articles from mercola.com. He is not the only one who references these articles though.

One of them is Newest Research on Why We Should Avoid Soy.

Open Original Shared Link

Snippet from article.

In 1991, Richard and Valerie James, bird breeders in Whangerai, New Zealand, purchased a new kind of feed for their birds - one based largely on soy protein.47 When soy-based feed was used, their birds 'colored up' after just a few months. In fact, one bird-food manufacturer claimed that this early development was an advantage imparted by the feed. A 1992 ad for Roudybush feed formula showed a picture of the male crimson rosella, an Australian parrot that acquires beautiful red plumage at 18 to 24 months, already brightly colored at 11 weeks old.

Unfortunately, in the ensuing years, there was decreased fertility in the birds, with precocious maturation, deformed, stunted and stillborn babies, and premature deaths, especially among females, with the result that the total population in the aviaries went into steady decline. The birds suffered beak and bone deformities, goiter, immune system disorders and pathological, aggressive behavior. Autopsy revealed digestive organs in a state of disintegration. The list of problems corresponded with many of the problems the Jameses had encountered in their two children, who had been fed soy-based infant formula.

Startled, aghast, angry, the Jameses hired toxicologist Mike Fitzpatrick. PhD, to investigate further. Dr Fitzpatrick's literature review uncovered evidence that soy consumption has been linked to numerous disorders, including infertility, increased cancer and infantile leukemia; and, in studies dating back to the 1950s,48 that genistein in soy causes endocrine disruption in animals. Dr Fitzpatrick also analyzed the bird feed and found that it contained high levels of phytoestrogens, especially genistein. When the Jameses discontinued using soy-based feed, the flock gradually returned to normal breeding habits and behavior.

The Jameses embarked on a private crusade to warn the public and government officials about toxins in soy foods, particularly the endocrine-disrupting isoflavones, genistein and diadzen. Protein Technology International received their material in 1994.

In 1991, Japanese researchers reported that consumption of as little as 30 grams or two tablespoons of soybeans per day for only one month resulted in a significant increase in thyroid-stimulating hormone.49 Diffuse goiter and hypothyroidism appeared in some of the subjects and many complained of constipation, fatigue and lethargy, even though their intake of iodine was adequate. In 1997, researchers from the FDA's National Center for Toxicological Research made the embarrassing discovery that the goitrogenic components of soy were the very same isoflavones.50

Twenty-five grams of soy protein isolate, the minimum amount PTI claimed to have cholesterol-lowering effects, contains from 50 to 70 mg of isoflavones. It took only 45 mg of isoflavones in premenopausal women to exert significant biological effects, including a reduction in hormones needed for adequate thyroid function. These effects lingered for three months after soy consumption was discontinued.51

One hundred grams of soy protein - the maximum suggested cholesterol-lowering dose, and the amount recommended by Protein Technologies International - can contain almost 600 mg of isoflavones,52 an amount that is undeniably toxic. In 1992, the Swiss health service estimated that 100 grams of soy protein provided the estrogenic equivalent of the Pill.53

In vitro studies suggest that isoflavones inhibit synthesis of estradiol and other steroid hormones.54 Reproductive problems, infertility, thyroid disease and liver disease due to dietary intake of isoflavones have been observed for several species of animals including mice, cheetah, quail, pigs, rats, sturgeon and sheep.55

It is the isoflavones in soy that are said to have a favorable effect on postmenopausal symptoms, including hot flushes, and protection from osteoporosis. Quantification of discomfort from hot flushes is extremely subjective, and most studies show that control subjects report reduction in discomfort in amounts equal to subjects given soy.56 The claim that soy prevents osteoporosis is extraordinary, given that soy foods block calcium and cause vitamin D deficiencies. If Asians indeed have lower rates of osteoporosis than Westerners, it is because their diet provides plenty of vitamin D from shrimp, lard and seafood, and plenty of calcium from bone broths. The reason that Westerners have such high rates of osteoporosis is because they have substituted soy oil for butter, which is a traditional source of vitamin D and other fat-soluble activators needed for calcium absorption.

Birth Control Pills For Babies

But it was the isoflavones in infant formula that gave the Jameses the most cause for concern. In 1998, investigators reported that the daily exposure of infants to isoflavones in soy infant formula is 6 to11 times higher on a body-weight basis than the dose that has hormonal effects in adults consuming soy foods. Circulating concentrations of isoflavones in infants fed soy-based formula were 13,000 to 22,000 times higher than plasma estradiol concentrations in infants on cow's milk formula.57

Approximately 25 per cent of bottle-fed children in the US receive soy-based formula - a much higher percentage than in other parts of the Western world. Fitzpatrick estimated that an infant exclusively fed soy formula receives the estrogenic equivalent (based on body weight) of at least five birth control pills per day.58 By contrast, almost no phytoestrogens have been detected in dairy-based infant formula or in human milk, even when the mother consumes soy products.

Scientists have known for years that soy-based formula can cause thyroid problems in babies. But what are the effects of soy products on the hormonal development of the infant, both male and female?

Male infants undergo a "testosterone surge" during the first few months of life, when testosterone levels may be as high as those of an adult male. During this period, the infant is programmed to express male characteristics after puberty, not only in the development of his sexual organs and other masculine physical traits, but also in setting patterns in the brain characteristic of male behavior. In monkeys, deficiency of male hormones impairs the development of spatial perception (which, in humans, is normally more acute in men than in women), of learning ability and of visual discrimination tasks (such as would be required for reading).59 It goes without saying that future patterns of sexual orientation may also be influenced by the early hormonal environment. Male children exposed during gestation to diethylstilbestrol (DES), a synthetic estrogen that has effects on animals similar to those of phytoestrogens from soy, had testes smaller than normal on manturation.60

Learning disabilities, especially in male children, have reached epidemic proportions. Soy infant feeding - which began in earnest in the early 1970s - cannot be ignored as a probable cause for these tragic developments.

As for girls, an alarming number are entering puberty much earlier than normal, according to a recent study reported in the journal Pediatrics.61 Investigators found that one per cent of all girls now show signs of puberty, such as breast development or pubic hair, before the age of three; by age eight, 14.7 per cent of white girls and almost 50 per cent of African-American girls have one or both of these characteristics.

New data indicate that environmental estrogens such as PCBs and DDE (a breakdown product of DDT) may cause early sexual development in girls.62 In the 1986 Puerto Rico Premature Thelarche study, the most significant dietary association with premature sexual development was not chicken - as reported in the press - but soy infant formula.63

The consequences of this truncated childhood are tragic. Young girls with mature bodies must cope with feelings and urges that most children are not well-equipped to handle. And early maturation in girls is frequently a harbinger for problems with the reproductive system later in life, including failure to menstruate, infertility and breast cancer.

Parents who have contacted the Jameses recount other problems associated with children of both sexes who were fed soy-based formula, including extreme emotional behavior, asthma, immune system problems, pituitary insufficiency, thyroid disorders and irritable bowel syndrome - the same endocrine and digestive havoc that afflicted the Jameses' parrots.

Another article I had copied (don't remember where from).

Soy Alert

By Jane Sheppard

Is soy really the perfect food it's made out to be? I thought so until I began to investigate. I was shocked to find that much of the information we are given about soy is based on half-truths and flimsy facts. The multi-billion dollar soy industry has gained consumer acceptance of tofu, soy milk, soy ice cream, soy cheese, soy sausage and soy derivatives, particularly soy isoflavones, the estrogen-like compounds found in soybeans. After looking into the health effects of feeding soy products to children, I have stopped giving my daughter soy milk and tofu.

Soy infant formula is the most cause for concern, since the daily exposure of infants to isoflavones in soy infant formula is 6 to 11 times higher on a body-weight basis than the dose that has hormonal effects in adults consuming soy foods. It is estimated that an infant exclusively fed soy formula receives the estrogenic equivalent (based on body weight) of at least five birth control pills per day! Here are some of the detrimental effects of feeding soy products to children:

o Soybeans contain large quantities of natural toxins or "antinutrients", including potent enzyme inhibitors that block the action of trypsin and other enzymes needed for protein digestion.

o Soy also contains goitrogens - substances that depress thyroid function.

o Soybeans are high in phytic acid, a substance that can block the uptake of essential minerals - calcium, magnesium, copper, iron and especially zinc - in the intestinal tract.

o Soy phytoestrogens may disrupt endocrine function

o Fragile proteins are denatured during high temperature processing to make soy protein isolate and textured vegetable protein.

o Processing of soy protein results in the formation of toxic lysinoalanine and highly carcinogenic nitrosamines.

o Free glutamic acid or MSG, a potent neurotoxin, is formed during soy food processing and additional amounts are added to many soy foods.

Visit the following websites for more information about soy:

Open Original Shared Link

Open Original Shared Link

Open Original Shared Link

And another one (again don't remember where from). I had just typed in some search for soy.

Dangers of Soy Products

Return to

Soy Info Online!

A number of recent articles have been published about potential dangers of soy. A person who ocassionally ingests traditionally-processed soy products (miso, tempah, natto, tofu) and otherwise has a balanced, healthy diet and lifestyle will not have to be overly-concerned with the potential dangers of soy. However, those who eat soy regularly, especially products with heavily-processed or genetically-manipulated soy ingredients should pay close attention to the issues relating to the potential dangers of soy products.

The following web pages contain articles on the potential dangers of soy products. After looking through these web pages, please come back to Soy Info Online! and look below for a discussion on how to best ingestion soy products for health and safety.

Tragedy & Hype: The Third International Soy Symposium

Dr. Mercola's Soy Page

Traditional Use of Soy

Soy Online Service

The Whole Soy Story

There are three ways to get the benefits of soy products and avoid the possible dangers of soy products:

Avoid non-organic, genetically-manipulated soy ingredients. See the following web page for more information: Open Original Shared Link.

Avoid heavily-processed soy ingredients such as soy protein isolate, soy protein concentrate, hydrolyzed soy protein, texturized soy protein. These ingredients are will not provide any significant health benefits and may cause health problems as discussed above. Instead use traditionally-processed soy products such as miso, tempeh, tofu, natto, and soy milk.

Use soy products ocassionally. Eating miso soup several times per week and having tempeh or tofu in a dish a couple of time per week is fine. Use other legumes or lean meats to get the bulk of your protein.

I hope this helps a little.

The first article is actually about 10 pages long on word processing program if you want to access it off of mercola's site.

[Katja]

My soy reaction is different from my gluten reaction which is different from my yeast reaction. Now I bring up yeast because my yeast reaction is similar to what you are describing. It kind of knocks me out for 2-4 hours (cannot stay awake) then for a day or two afterwards I am in a total fog.

Thanks for all the feedback so far. Very interesting on the soy front, I had heard about problmes with processed soy foods, but this sounds plain scary!

Kate:

yeast? I did have a +3 on bakers and brewers yeast in my Immunolab test results. I have been sorta ignoring it as it's been hard enough to deal with all the other allergies. Could it be the yeast? Garr!

Do you have any other symptoms along with it? I have no D or any other of the "glutened" issues that I usually get. Just VERY tired, exhausted, and foggy.

Think I will actually need to go to bed an get some sleep.

[Kaycee]

I have copied over articles from mercola.com. He is not the only one who references these articles though.

One of them is Newest Research on Why We Should Avoid Soy.

Open Original Shared Link

Snippet from article.

In 1991, Richard and Valerie James, bird breeders in Whangerai, New Zealand, purchased a new kind of feed for their birds - one based largely on soy protein.

It is quite funny, well not funny, but I do remember a little about this thing about the birds in whangarei. I will have to read the article first, but I replied first.

The funny bit is I live in Whangarei. Isn't it a small world. My home town is bought up on an American site.

I will now read the article and see if i need to reply

Cheers

Cathy

[Kaycee]

Read enough of the article to think it is poison, and is has bought back memories of the gist of the article. And that could be a reason why subconsiously I have not always liked soy. Thankfully I am avoiding soy, primarily because it does not agree with me. Do I miss it, no, and it is easy to avoid, as it just does not happen to be in fresh food.

Cathy

[kabowman]

Katja, my yeast reactions are I pass out, basically, have to go lay down and sleep for 2-4 hours then I am in a fog for a couple of days along with the big D. All yeast does this to me so I can really pinpoint when it is just a food issue like bananas make me cramp but no fog. Oh, and run a low-grade fever.

My symptoms were there for years with the fever but built and built until I couldn't ignore it anymore and eventually was able to figure out the culprit.

Now, when I do get something with a yeast issue (pie more than a couple of days old), it isn't as bad because I quit eating it immediatly but I still have a fog issue - there are other family members that can eat food longer than I can.

I avoid all vinegar, wine, yeast breads, dried fruit, over-ripe fruit, and I avoid most baked sweet foods unless they are put in the 'fridge immediatly and then only for a limited time.

[wolfie]

My soy reactions are very similar to my gluten reactions. I didn't realize that soy is in SO much of what we eat. I have now switched to canola mayo, corn oil for cooking and real butter instead of vegetable oil (soy) based margarines. I have a lactose intolerance, too, but can take Lactaid to help with that for the butter.

Maybe try eliminating the soy for a week or so and see if your symptoms improve? I hope you feel better soon!

[happygirl]

Thanks for those articles, Andrea. I appreciate them.

Does anyone know if there are peer-reviewed journal articles about the effects of soy? I know there is much more written about gluten in the medical journals but was wondering the state of research in this area (as well as casein).

[AndreaB]

Thanks for those articles, Andrea. I appreciate them.

Does anyone know if there are peer-reviewed journal articles about the effects of soy? I know there is much more written about gluten in the medical journals but was wondering the state of research in this area (as well as casein).

I had done my searching online and didn't really find peer reviewed stuff. I didn't go beyond the first page of google searches either.

[happygirl]

i'm gonna try pubmed and the journals through school-who knows what i'll find.

[va-slp]

Hey y'all...

While a close friend and co-worker of mine is gluten intolerant, I never thought I could have a problem with wheat or soy until yesterday when I visited a new physician. Based on a long history of dairy and egg allergies, skin disorders, sleep disturbances, cold intolerance, and gastrointenstinal problems, she recommended I tried eliminating wheat from my diet for 2 weeks and then wheat and soy for 2 weeks following. I've been reading over a lot of other postings and found frighteningly familiar symptoms. While I've got no problem modifying my diet as needed, reading labels, education, etc, I'm starting to panic because I'm vegan! A HUGE percentage of my diet is soy-based in one way or another! Can anyone recommend alternative protein sources (besides the standard nuts and beans) that are animal friendly, wheat-free, AND soy-free?!

Any recommendations, stories, personal reflections, etc are highly welcomed!!! I appreciate it, folks!

Jenn

[AndreaB]

Based on a long history of dairy and egg allergies, skin disorders, sleep disturbances, cold intolerance, and gastrointenstinal problems, she recommended I tried eliminating wheat from my diet for 2 weeks and then wheat and soy for 2 weeks following.

While I've got no problem modifying my diet as needed, reading labels, education, etc, I'm starting to panic because I'm vegan! A HUGE percentage of my diet is soy-based in one way or another! Can anyone recommend alternative protein sources (besides the standard nuts and beans) that are animal friendly, wheat-free, AND soy-free?!

Any recommendations, stories, personal reflections, etc are highly welcomed!!! I appreciate it, folks!

Jenn

Jenn,

Welcome to the board!

I was on a vegan diet until this came up. I am now eating meat again along with eggs, but we only buy 100% grass fed beef, organic, free range chicken, eggs etc. Are you sincerely allergic to eggs or could it be a hidden problem with gluten and/or soy? I don't know of any other protein sources aside from alternative grains like millet and quinoa. Rice is good. Still don't know if it would be enough for you but others are still maintaining a vegan diet on this board.