Babies and Soy

Babies and Soy: A Word of Caution
By Katie Mehrer

Considering all of soy’s health benefits, it is tempting for new and expectant mothers to see soy-based infant formula as a “miracle food” and to stock their pantries sky-high with the stuff. Well, hold on there mama. That most vulnerable member of the population, an infant unable to breastfeed, stands at great risk of developing a serious thyroid disorder due to a diet based entirely on soy formula. That disorder is hypothyroidism, or an under-active thyroid and it is a common cause of fatigue, depression, obesity, constipation, extreme sensitivity to cold and a number of other symptoms, most so common that the disorder can go undiagnosed for years.

Precocious (Early) Puberty – Beware of infant soy formulas and other soy products

Elaine Hollingsworth, director of the Hippocrates Health Center of Australia and author of Take Control of Your Health and Escape the Sickness Industry, writes about the terrible effects of soy products on children: “I am not exaggerating when I say that HUNDREDS of people have rung me during the past year to tell me about dreadful health problems that started after taking up the soy habit. Serious thyroid malfunctioning is one of the most common complaints.  This is not surprising, since it has been known for years that isoflavones in soy can depress thyroid function, causing autoimmune thyroid disease and even cancer of the thyroid. By far the worst calls are from women whose children have been fed soy formula.  They tell me heartbreaking stories about baby girls who show signs of early maturation, such as underarm  odour, breast development, body hair and even menstruation as early as two, three and four years of age! The risk appears to be greatest in girls who ingest soy formula for nine months or more.  In baby boys, 12 months of soy feeding can lead to gross effects by the age of 11 or 12.  Breasts can appear and testicles do not develop.  Several women have rung asking what to do for these pathetic boys, who refuse to participate in sports, fearing shower-room ridicule, and who will be dependent upon thyroid drugs for life. I can’t help, and I don’t think anyone can.  Nature did not intend infants to be fed hormones, and life-threatening consequences occur when they are. Of course, these horrible problems do not occur with every soy-fed baby, but is it worth taking such a chance?  Your child will not thank you, and you may never have grandchildren. Drinking soymilk during pregnancy can cause a failure to produce breast milk, which can lead to feeding the baby soy formula.  By far the worst cases of soy damage are reported to us by women who have drunk soy milk while pregnant, and then fed their babies soy formula.  This is a deadly combination.  These women cannot restrain their tears when describing the dreadful health problems their children have.  They keep repeating to me, “I didn’t know, I just didn’t know, the doctor told me to drink it for my bones and give him soy formula.”

Soy research/references