Re: meal replacement shakes

[Guest guest]

Try the Nutrigy. It's quite nice and balance ratios of complex carbs, to

proteins, to fats. 50-30-20 and is soy protein. If you want to look at it, I can

try and shoot you some info on it.

chris

meal replacement shakes

Anyone here use a meal replacement shake sans soy? if so what brand?

[Guest guest]

I was looking without soy since soy is bad for the thyroid

meal replacement shakes

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> Anyone here use a meal replacement shake sans soy? if so what brand?

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[Guest guest]

Hmmmm.....interesting you would say that. I have studied the Nutrigy in depth as

a weight managment supplement for replacing a meal and in even helping with

chronic illnesses. It is a well proportioned meal one can use in a delicious

smoothie for an on-the-run breakfast to get the needed nutrients. I have used

them in people with chronic illness to help better maintain the health of an

individual. In many cases Even though not a " magic bullet " , Nutrigy is very

helpful in balancing macronutrients since it supplies the right and needed

proportions of complex carbs to proteins to the right amounts and right types of

fats. It is properly balanced along with the other supplements in the Usana

Health Sciences line and have found them to be some of the finest formulations

yet developed, unparalleled to anything in the marketplace today since they are

all pharmaceutical grade and built the same way many of our drugs are to meet a

potency and purity guarantee. Where exactly are you getting your information

from that soy " is not good for the thyroid " ? In what amounts? You are

undoubtedly aware that there really are no products worth anything that don't

have dissenting opinions and detractors. There are still plenty of researchers

that believe vitamin E and other antioxidants are useless, or even dangerous,

although there are hundreds of published studies to the contrary. Soy is one of

the most researched food products of all time with a massive amount of positive

research, yet there are website and books dedicated to alerting people to the

" evils " of soy. Good and proper science necessitates dialogue, both in the

positive and negative.

For every paper that is potentially controversial, there are 50 others that show

solid evidence of benefits and safety. Most of the negative information

regarding soy consumption is a regurgitation of previous information put

together by a lipid researcher and a chef, Enig and Sally Fallon. Enig

has been a spokesperson and researcher for the beef industry for many years and

has an obvious bias against soy. She is educated enough to be dangerous in this

regard. Nearly all of this negative information on soy is nothing but twisting

of fact and using innuendo to promote an agenda. This is not science, it is

story telling. Anyway, the following information is somewhat lengthy but I hope

it is helpful.

As often is the case, there has been a lot of distortion of fact and most of it

boils down to common sense and moderation. It is always possible to find

negative information on any given subject from some dissenting group. This is

another case of " don't believe everything you read " . There are literally

hundreds of studies that demonstrate that soy and soy components are safe, and

provide positive health benefits to consumers. Soy protein is a complete source

of protein containing adequate quantities of all nine essential amino acids

necessary for the building and maintenance of human body tissues. Several years

ago the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the World Health Organization

(WHO) adapted a new method for evaluating protein quality. The new method,

called the Protein Digestibility Corrected Amino Acid Score (PDCAAS), compares

the amino acids in a protein with human requirements and adjusts for

digestibility. Using this new method of evaluating protein quality, soy was

given the highest possible score and is now considered to be equivalent to

animal protein.

Many of soy's health benefits come from its numerous phytochemicals. One of the

most important class of compounds abundant in soy are called isoflavones. In

women, these estrogen-like plant compounds attach to estrogen receptor sites and

may aid in maintaining healthy hormone levels through the childbearing years and

during menopause. Soy isoflavones may also act as antioxidants and support

healthy growth and protection at the cellular level. Other important compounds

found in soy include protease inhibitors, phytates, saponins, phytosterols,

phenolic acids, and lecithin.

Many people may compromise their health by eating too much animal protein.

Hundreds of studies have conclusively shown that replacing some of that animal

protein with soy protein reduces the risk of several diseases including heart

disease and certain cancers.

During the FDA's consideration of the soy protein health claim, all relevant

scientific studies were considered. Due to significant scientific agreement, the

FDA has allowed the following health claim: 25 grams of soy protein a day, as

part of a diet low in saturated fat and cholesterol, may reduce the risk of

heart disease. With regard to isoflavones, the FDA addressed the safety of

isoflavones with the approval of the soy protein health claim. A panel of

world-renowned scientists have reviewed the safety data available on both soy

protein and isoflavones and concluded they are safe for their intended use and

have positive health benefits.

The soy protein used in USANA's Lean Lifelong Foods is produced by an

isoelectric/water process. This process delivers a high concentration of soy

protein that leaves most of the isoflavones intact. The result is an isolate

with a protein content of at least 90 percent with a high concentration of

isoflavones.

Only high quality raw materials go into USANA products. We purchase only the

best ingredients from the most reputable suppliers who meet our high quality

standards. Furthermore, all raw materials that enter our facilities are

thoroughly inspected and analyzed to ensure that they meet our rigorous

standards for potency and purity. To further ensure potency and purity,

extensive testing of all finished products is done in our own in-house

laboratories. We also rely on independent testing performed by outside

laboratories to validate our in-house results. These efforts underline our

commitment to provide you with only the highest quality products.

Another USANA advantage lies in our adherence to strict quality assurance

standards in all aspects of manufacturing. USANA has elected to set their

minimum standard as those set for developing drugs in the pharmaceutical

industry. These rigorous guidelines, known as Good Manufacturing Practices, or

GMP's , work to ensure that quality ingredients and quality workmanship go into

all of our products all the time. It's the basis for quality you can trust.

So, to recap the USANA advantage: We provide innovative, science-based

formulations, manufactured using the best raw materials available, and delivered

with rigorous and detailed attention to quality at all stages of the

manufacturing process.

References of Interest

Scheiber MD and Rebar RW. Isoflavones and postmenopausal bone health: a viable

alternative to estrogen therapy? Menopause 1999 Fall; 6(3):233-41.

Klein KO. Isoflavones, soy-based infant formulas, and relevance to endocrine

function. Nutr Rev 1998 Jul;56(7):193-204.

Messina MJ et al. Soy intake and cancer risk: a review of the in vitro and in

vivo data. Nutr Cancer 1994;21(2):113-31.

JN et al. Inhibition of prostate specific antigen expression by genistein

in prostate cancer cells. Int J Oncol 2000 Jun;16(6):1091-7.

Lamartiniere CA. Protection against breast cancer with genistein: a component of

soy. Am J Clin Nutr 2000 Jun;71(6 Suppl):1705S-7S.

Arjmandi BH et al. Bone-sparing effect of soy protein in ovarian

hormone-deficient rats is related to its isoflavone content. Am J Clin Nutr 1998

Dec;68(6 Suppl):1364S-1368S.

Lissin LW and Cooke JP. Phytoestrogens and cardiovascular health. J Am Coll

Cardiol 2000 May;35(6):1403-10.

Soy and Thyroid

There is no convincing evidence that soy protein has an adverse effect on

thyroid function, particularly at the moderate level of consumption (25 grams)

that would occur due to the approval of a health claim for coronary heart

disease.

There is evidence that animals exposed to large amounts of soy protein (e.g.,

40%) will develop goiter, particularly when fed an iodine deficient diet (Kimura

et al., 1976; Filisetti and Lajolo, 1981). The mechanism for this effect can be

explained by the fact that the principal isoflavones in soy, genistein and

daidzein, have been shown to inhibit thyroid peroxidase (Divi et al., 1997) and

5'-deiodinase (Cody et al., 1989), key enzymes involved in thyroid hormone

biosynthesis. The inhibition of these enzymes results in decreased levels of

circulating thyroid hormones (e.g., T4 and T3) which leads to increased

secretion of thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) by the anterior pituitary. The

increased levels of TSH provides a growth stimulus to the thyroid, resulting in

goiter. It must be emphasized, however, that this occurs only with large amounts

of soy isoflavones in the diet and/or when the diet is low in iodine.

Furthermore, soy isoflavones are not the only dietary flavonoids that can

inhibit thyroid peroxidase. A variety of other flavonoids have also been shown

to be even more potent in inhibiting the activity of this enzyme, including

kaempferol, naringenin, and quercetin (Divi and Doerge, 1996). Such flavonoids

are widely distributed in plant-derived foods and would be consumed daily at

relatively high levels (possibly up to 1 gram or more per day) by vegetarians or

semi-vegetarians, yet such individuals do not have a significant increased

incidence of goiter. Goiter has also been reported in infants where soy has

served as the sole source of food (Hydovitz, 1960). However, this situation is

hardly comparable to adults consuming soy protein in moderate amounts as a means

to lower total or LDL cholesterol levels.

Soy products have safely been consumed as a staple in many areas of the world

for hundreds of years. Even though there have been some issues of concern

surrounding soy, there has been no evidence that soy should not be part of a

healthy diet, and it has been shown that soy has a positive effect on many

disease areas in human health.

Soy protein does not cause goiters or adversely effect thyroid function,

especially at moderate levels of consumption. Studies in humans have not shown

any clinically significant changes in thyroid function. In the laboratory,

genistein and daidzein, the principal isoflavones in soy, have been shown to

inhibit thyroid hormone biosynthesis enzymes (Divi et al.,1997). However,

resulting thyroid problems only occurred with a diet low in iodine combined with

very high amounts of dietary soy isoflavones. Asian populations have a long

history of consuming soy products without significant occurrence of goiter as do

vegetarians who consume high levels of other flavonoids that have been shown to

inhibit thyroid enzyme activity.

Soy and " Anti-nutritional "

There are a variety of what can be referred to as " anti-nutritional " factors in

soy. These include protease (trypsin) inhibitors, lectins, and phytate. Trypsin

inhibitors reduce the efficiency of digestion of dietary proteins if soybeans

are consumed raw. However, they do not prevent protein from being digested when

foods are processed or cooked, as they are inactivated when heated. Furthermore,

soybean trypsin inhibitor is rapidly inactivated when incubated in human gastric

juices. There have been reports that these compounds may cause pancreatic cancer

in animals. Feeding raw soybeans can cause enlargement of the pancreas in rats,

however, there is no direct evidence to show that the human pancreas is

adversely affected (Erdman & Fordyce,1989). If eating soy were linked to

pancreatic cancer, we would expect to see high rates in South East Asian

countries that consume large quantities of soy, which is not the case. In

addition, several studies have found protease inhibitors to be anti-cancer

agents both in vitro and in animal studies (without toxicity), and thus protease

inhibitors are thought to be a promising cancer prevention agent in humans

(Messina & Messina, 1994; Kennedy, 1998). Finally, Seventh-Day Adventists

consuming soybeans as their primary source of protein have reduced, not

increased, rates of pancreatic cancer (Mills et al., 1988).

Another " anti-nutritional factor " is a class of proteins referred to as lectins

(or agglutinin) which are able to bind to carbohydrate-containing molecules. It

is true that soybean-derived agglutinin (or phytohemagglutinin, PHA) can reduce

the growth of rats, but, according to the scientist who conducted the research

on the growth-inhibiting effects of PHA, the low levels of lectin found in soy

products would be very unlikely to cause any risk to human health (Leiner,

1994).

Soybeans contain phytate, which does reduce the bioavailability of calcium, iron

and zinc to some extent by binding them in the small intestine and thus reducing

absorption. With respect to calcium, however, soy consumption has not been shown

to have an overall negative effect on calcium balance. In addition, some

soyfoods are very high in calcium. Phytate only seems to substantially lower

calcium absorption when high levels are present in foods such as in cereals rich

in wheat bran. In fact, the absorption of calcium from soybeans is almost

identical to the absorption from a glass of milk (Proulx & Weaver, 1994). While

it is true that soy inhibits iron absorption, the overall effect on iron balance

is not negative and thus should not be considered a problem, even in two

populations that might be more at risk: vegetarians and populations with diets

low in protein and promoters of iron availability (Macfarlane & Bothwell, 1993).

If dietary zinc is sufficient, the binding of zinc by phytates in soy should not

cause any problems (Sandstrom & Cederblad, 1980). The Nutrimeals are fortified

with zinc to achieve a level of 40% of the RDI.

The claims that nitrosamine, nitrite, lysinoalanine or normal isoflavone content

make soy protein unsafe are insufficiently scientifically substantiated to say

that moderate (25g/day) levels of soy protein are not safe for humans.

In summary, most people of all age groups can safely incorporate moderate

amounts of soy into their diet, unless they are allergic to it. In fact adding

soy products to your diet would be highly recommended, especially in light of

the increasing amount of data showing that the consumption of soy products has a

number of positive effects on human health.

References:

Cody V, Koehrle J and Hesch RD. Structure-activity relationships of flavonoids

as inhibitors of iodothyronine deiodinase. In: Environmental Goitrogenesis,

Gaitan, E. (ed), pp. 57-69, CRC Press, Boca Raton, FL, 1989.

Divi RL, Chang HC and Doerge DR. Anti-thyroid isoflavones from soybean. Biochem.

Pharmacol 54:1087-1096, 1997.

Divi RL and Doerge DR. Inhibition of thyroid peroxidase by dietary flavonoids.

Chem. Res. Toxicol. 9:16-23, 1996.

Filisetti TM and Lajolo FM. Effect of the ingestion of soybean fractions, raw or

autoclaved, on the rat thyroid. Arch. Latinoam. Nutr. 31:287-302, 1981.

Hydovitz JD. Occurrence of goiter in an infant on a soy diet. N Engl. J. Med.

262:351-353, 1960.

Kimura S, Suwa J, Ito B and Sato H. Development of malignant goiter by defatted

soybean with iodine-free diet in rats. Gann 67:763-765, 1976.

Soy and Cancer

In 1998, there were an estimated 178,700 new cases of breast cancer in women and

1,600 cases of breast cancer in men in the United States. Incidence rates in

women have leveled off in the last decade to about 110 cases per 100,000. There

were an estimated 43,900 deaths (43,500 women, 400 men) from breast cancer in

1998 (Cancer Facts & Figures, 1998). Mortality rates are declining, especially

in younger women, probably due to earlier detection and improved treatment. The

risk of breast cancer increases with age and is higher in women with: a

family/personal history of breast cancer; early menarche; late menopause; recent

use of postmenopausal estrogens or oral contraceptives; atypical cell growth;

first live birth at a late age or no children; and higher education and

socioeconomic status. Other possible risk factors include weight gain, physical

inactivity, high fat intake, alcohol consumption, pesticide/chemical exposure,

and induced abortion. The National Cancer Institute estimates overall annual

costs for cancer in general at $107 billion: $37 billion/direct medical costs,

$11 billion/morbidity costs (cost of lost productivity), and $59

billion/mortality costs (Cancer Facts & Figures, 1998).

Soy products contain 5 known classes of anti-cancer agents including

phytoestrogens (isoflavones, which are uniquely high in soy), protease

inhibitors, phytate, phytosterols, saponins, as well as other possible

anticarcinogens such as phenolic acids, lecithin and omega-3 fatty acids

(Messina et al., 1994). Isoflavones are currently the most intensively

researched soy phytochemical with respect to breast cancer, although there is a

growing body of literature supporting protease inhibitors as anticarcinogens.

Although protease inhibitors have been considered antinutrients, because they

are heat sensitive, they are mostly destroyed upon cooking. In addition, certain

protease inhibitors, such as the Bowman-Birk inhibitor (BBI) found in soy, have

been shown to prevent and suppress malignant transformation in vitro and

carcinogenesis in animal models without toxicity. A concentrated form of BBI

(referred to as BBIC) has been awarded Investigational New Drug Status (IND no.

34671) for use in human cancer prevention trials (Kennedy, 1998). The two

primary isoflavones in soy products are genistein and daidzein which have been

shown to be anticarcinogenic in several ways. Isoflavones are very similar in

structure to estrogen and are able to bind estrogen receptors, though they

exhibit only a weak estrogenic effect, only 1/100th to 1/1000th that of

estradiol. Since high levels of estrogen have been linked to breast cancer and

other hormone-related cancers, isoflavones may work by binding estrogen

receptors and blocking the harmful effects of the more potent form of estrogen,

thus functioning as an overall antiestrogen. A variety of other non-hormonal

anti-cancer mechanisms have also been proposed. Genistein has been shown to

inhibit growth of both human and rodent cancer cell lines in vivo and in vitro

and one proposed mechanism is through its inhibition of certain enzymes that

stimulate cancer cell growth such as protein tyrosine kinases ( et

al.,1995).

Genistein also induces differentiation of some malignant cells into benign

cells, possibly interfering with carcinogenesis (Constantinou et al., 1998), and

inhibits angiogenesis (the formation of new blood vessels) thus reducing the

blood supply to growing tumors (Korzenik et al., 1998). Genistein also works as

an antioxidant, preventing cell damage from free radicals (Ruiz-Larrea et al.,

1997) and may also inhibit cancer cell growth by inducing changes in signaling

pathways of transforming growth factor (TGF) 1 (Kim et al., 1998).

The presence of isoflavones in soy may be why the incidence of breast cancer in

Japan and China is one-fifth of that in Western women (Stoll, 1997). The average

intake of soy protein in Southeast Asia ranges from 10-50g per day in contrast

to 1-3g per day consumed by Americans ( et al., 1995). Asian women consume

20-80 mg of isoflavones per day compared to women in the U.S. whose intake is

less than 5mg per day (, 1995). Soy has been shown to be protective

against breast cancer in women in epidemiological studies, against mammary

cancer in rat models and also in human mammary cancer cell lines grown in

culture. However, no clinical trials have been published yet documenting soy's

ability to reduce breast cancer in women at high risk. One clinical trial

currently underway at Northwestern University in Chicago involves 200

premenopausal women, some of which will consume 40g of soy protein isolate per

day for 4 months after first spending a lead-in period of one year consuming a

high-fiber, low-fat diet (L. Van Horn, Personal Communication). There have been

no published studies in women regarding soy and tamoxifen taken together.

Many, but not all, of the epidemiological studies which have specifically

examined soy consumption and later incidence of breast cancer have shown that

soy intake can be protective. In one study done in Singapore on 200 Singapore

Chinese women with breast cancer and 420 matched controls, a decreased risk of

breast cancer was associated with high intakes of soy products in premenopausal

but not postmenopausal women (Lee et al., 1991). A more recent case-control

study done at the University of Southern California, Los Angeles, interviewed

597 Asian-American women with previous incidence of breast cancer and 966

controls. Risk of breast cancer decreased with increasing frequency of tofu

consumption in both pre- and postmenopausal women. However, other factors

besides soy may be involved (Wu et al., 1996). Diets containing the isoflavone

genistein have been shown to decrease tumor numbers and size in animals which

have been exposed to carcinogens, and the rate at which tumors appear. In

two-thirds of studies conducted prior to 1995 on the effect of

genistein-containing soy in animal models of cancer, the risk of cancer was

significantly reduced (, 1995). In a more recent review of animal studies

published between 1990 and 1997, 16 of 17 studies (94%) showed that soy was

protective, five of these were in breast cancer models (Fournier et al., 1998).

An intriguing finding is research by Lamartiniere et al. (1995) who showed that

administration of genistein to rats in the perinatal period was sufficient to

cause a marked latency in the appearance of mammary tumors after the

administration of a mammary cancer causing agent at 50 days of age. This

protection was possibly due to enhanced mammary gland differentiation

(Lamartiniere et al., 1998). This means that women exposed to soy early on in

their lives may be protected. Two studies published in the Proceedings of the

American Association for Cancer Research in March, 1998 reached the same

conclusion (Fritz et al., 1998; Hakkak et al., 1998). Similar results by another

group found that both soy and whey reduced chemically induced mammary cancer in

rats (Badger et al., 1999) and if there was parental consumption prior to

conception, there was a possible enhanced benefit for the offspring (Hakkak et

al., 1999). Conversely, however, maternal exposure to genistein during pregnancy

was shown to increase breast cancer risk among off-spring (Hilakivi-e et

al., 1998). In yet another study, in rats fed a diet containing different levels

of soy, larger mammary tumors occurred with increasing soy intake, though the

severity of lung metastasis was reduced significantly (Connolly et al., 1997).

Genistein at high concentrations has been shown to block cell proliferation in

vitro, though in vivo it resulted in the proliferation of estrogen-dependent

human breast cancer cells in mice while having no effect on the growth of

estrogen independent cells (Helferich, 1998). Similar results were found at the

recent Experimental Biology Conference where one study on breast cancer cells

found that in vitro genistein, but not daidzein, inhibited growth of MCF-7

(estrogen-dependent) cancer cells partly by inducing apoptosis and that both

genistein and daidzein inhibited growth of another line of cancer cells by

reducing mitochondrial metabolic function (Xu & Loo, 1999). However, research in

vivo using animal models, found that both genistein and genistin stimulated

growth of MCF-7 cells (Allred et al., 1999). One last study found that genistein

had no protective effect on chemically induced breast tumor formation in mice,

though the researchers noted that their use of two carcinogens together may have

provided an unreasonably large tumor response (Mac et al., 1999). Studies

in postmenopausal monkeys showed that the addition of soy protein isolate to

estrogen replacement therapy may protect against the tumor promoting effects of

exogenous estrogen in both endometrial and breast tissues (Foth & Cline 1998).

Even though phytoestrogens have been shown to inhibit human breast cancer cell

proliferation in vitro and breast cancer development in animal models, little

data exists regarding the effects on the normal human breast. One study, which

has caused some concern, examined the effect of soy on the proliferation rate of

premenopausal normal breast epithelium and found a significant increase after 14

days of soy supplementation of 60g/day containing 45mg isoflavones

(Mc- et al., 1998). However, there are other events, such as

pregnancy and breast-feeding, which cause mammary cell proliferation and are

linked to a reduction, not an increase, in breast cancer risk. The first human

study to evaluate the influence of long-term ingestion of soy protein isolate on

breast secretory activity took place at the University of California (Petrakis

et al., 1996). A total of 24 pre- and postmenopausal women ages 30-58 consumed

38g/day of soy protein isolate containing 38 mg of genistein. Of concern was

that an increase in nipple aspirate fluid (NAF) was found in premenopausal women

consuming the soy. A minimal increase or no response was found in postmenopausal

women. Also of concern was the appearance of hyperplasic epithelial cells in the

NAF of 30% of the women, which has been found to be indicative of a modest

increased risk of breast cancer. The study concluded that the prolonged daily

consumption of soy protein isolate appeared to have a stimulatory effect on the

premenopausal female breast, suggesting a persistent estrogenic stimulus.

However, the study did mention that 38mg/day of genistein consumed in the study

is considerably higher than the amount normally eaten by Asian populations and

may have a pharmacological rather than physiological effect on the breast. There

has been a lot of controversy on the topic of whether women with estrogen

receptor positive tumors should avoid consuming soy products, particularly in

relation to breast cancer, because of the ability of the phytoestrogens to have

both estrogenic and anti-estrogenic effects. The controversy lies in the fact

that, because genistein is an estrogen-like compound, it could actually promote

breast cancer. Pre-menopausal and post-menopausal women have vastly different

levels of circulating estrogen. It is possible that women with very low

circulating levels of estrogen (as would be the case in post-menopausal women)

who have an estrogen responsive tumor would respond adversely to very high

levels of phytoestrogens by having the estrogen-responsive cancer be further

stimulated to grow.

However, the answer to that question is still not known and would be unlikely

with the consumption of moderate amounts of soyfoods in a well balanced, low-fat

diet.

In light of the above, it is not recommended that post-menopausal women with

estrogen responsive tumors consume high doses of isolated isoflavones. However,

moderate amounts of soyfoods can play a beneficial role in an overall dietary

and lifestyle approach to breast cancer reduction, which includes a low fat

diet, high consumption of a wide variety of fruits and vegetables and aerobic

exercise. Soyfood forms of phytoestrogens, which are normally consumed in

moderate amounts and have been consumed for centuries in Asian culture with no

adverse effects.

Soy and the Brain

The study, " Brain Aging and Midlife Tofu Consumption " , which was recently

published in the Journal of the American College of Nutrition (Vol 19, No. 2,

pp. 242-255, 2000) by Lon White and colleagues reported that poor cognitive test

performance, enlargement of ventricles and low brain weight were each

significantly and independently associated with consuming two or more servings

of tofu per week in a longitudinal study in which dietary data were collected

retrospectively during 1965-1967 and again in 1071-1974.

This study has a number of limitations, some of which were pointed out in an

editorial accompanying the article authored by Francine Grodstein,

Mayeux and Meir Stampfer, who also state the following:

" ...we stress again that these provocative data must be regarded as

preliminary. "

The following points should be taken into consideration when reviewing Dr.

White's observations:

1. Tofu consumption may be an indicator (not a cause) of other risk factors for

dementia. There are many environmental and genetic factors involved in the

development of dementia. It is possible that other foods or lifestyle factors

linked with high tofu consumption, but not the consumption of tofu per se, are

responsible for the relationship found.

2. East Asian countries have a lower incidence of dementia and tend to have a

lower incidence of Alzheimer's disease than do European countries. It is

inconsistent to conclude that high tofu consumption, which is indicative of an

Asian lifestyle, increases the risk of dementia if rates of the latter increase

as a Western lifestyle is adopted.

3. An article published by Dr. White in the Journal of the American Medical

Association in 1996 (Vol. 276, pp. 955-960) found that dementia was probably

more prevalent among those men who did not return for cognitive exams compared

to those who participated. The absence of data from these men could have greatly

skewed the study results, particularly if they were low tofu consumers.

Inclusion of data from these men in the study might have shown that dementia

levels do not change with the amount of tofu consumed.

4. Many foods in addition to tofu comprise a traditional Asian diet. Dr. White's

study looked at only 26 of these foods. In addition, the form documenting

dietary intake in 1965 may not have been the best tool to collect these data.

The revision of the tool for the 1971 collection changed the way tofu intake was

recorded. Tofu intake may not have been accurately measured when these two data

sets were combined for Dr. White's analysis.

These are only SOME of the issues that need to be considered when assessing the

White study. There are many others. Finally, and most importantly, this is only

a SINGLE STUDY. No public health recommendations should even be hinted at, let

alone declared, with such a paucity of data.

Soy and Male Reproduction

We are currently very aware of the research behind soy isoflavones as they

relate to puberty and males. According to the actual legitimate data, there is

no reason to be concerned. I would advise you to be careful where you get your

information, especially if it originates from the internet or e-mail.

Here are a couple of research abstracts on that subject:

1. Soybean isoflavones improve cardiovascular risk factors without affecting the

reproductive system of prepubertal rhesus monkeys.

MS, son TB, CL Jr, TM, Burke GL.

Comparative Medicine Clinical Research Center, Bowman Gray School of Medicine of

Wake Forest University, Winston-Salem, NC 27157, USA.

Although the beneficial effects of dietary soybean protein compared with animal

proteins on plasma lipids, lipoproteins and atherosclerosis have been known for

about 50 years, it has been uncertain whether these effects are due to its amino

acid concentrations or other components in soybeans. To assess the effect of

soybean protein's alcohol-extractable components (including the isoflavonic

phytoestrogens genistein and daidzein) on plasma lipid and lipoprotein

concentrations and to establish its lack of effect on the reproductive system,

we fed 27 peripubertal male and female rhesus monkeys moderately atherogenic

diets in which the source of dietary protein was a soy isolate (20% by weight),

either containing phytoestrogens (also termed isoflavones) or with the

phytoestrogens removed by alcohol extraction. The study was a crossover design

with each period lasting for 6 mo. The phytoestrogen-intact soy protein

(compared with the alcohol-extracted soy protein) had favorable effects on

plasma lipid and lipoprotein concentrations, specifically by significantly

reducing LDL+VLDL cholesterol concentrations in both males and females

(approximately 30-40% lower), significantly increasing high density lipoprotein

cholesterol (HDLC) concentrations for females (approximately 15% higher) and

significantly lowering total plasma cholesterol (TPC):HDLC ratios (approximately

20% lower for males and 50% lower for females). The phytoestrogens had no

adverse effects on the reproductive systems of either the males or females, as

evaluated by reproductive hormone concentrations and organ weights at necropsy.

Thus, the isoflavones in soy protein improve cardiovascular disease risk factors

without apparent deleterious effects on the reproductive system of peripubertal

rhesus monkeys.

2. Clin Sci (Lond) 2001 Jun;100(6):613-8

Effect of a phytoestrogen food supplement on reproductive health in normal

males.

JH, Cawood E, Kinniburgh D, Provan A, AR, Irvine DS.

Division of Cellular Integrity, Rowett Research Institute, Greenburn Road,

Bucksburn, Aberdeen AB21 9SB, Scotland, UK.

Animal studies and human intervention trials have demonstrated the cancer

chemopreventive properties of plant phytoestrogens, and phytoestrogen

supplements are now widely available 'over-the-counter'. However, consumption of

phytoestrogen-rich diets can cause impaired fertility and reproductive tract

disorders in some animals and the apparent decline in human sperm quality over

recent decades may be related to increased exposure to environmental endocrine

disruptors. The present study determines the effects of a short-term

phytoestrogen supplement on semen quality and serum sex steroid and

gonadotrophin levels in human males. Healthy volunteers took a supplement

containing 40 mg of isoflavones daily for 2 months and donated blood and semen

samples monthly for 2 months before and 4 months after supplementation. Semen

samples were analysed for ejaculate volume, sperm concentration, total sperm

count, motility and morphology. Blood samples were analysed for sex hormone and

gonadotrophin levels and phytoestrogen concentrations, and testicular volume was

measured using an orchidometer. The phytoestrogen supplement increased plasma

genistein and daidzein concentrations to approx. 1 microM and 0.5 microM

respectively; yet, there was no observable effect on endocrine measurements,

testicular volume or semen parameters over the study period. This is the first

study to examine the effects of a phytoestrogen supplement on reproductive

health in males. We conclude that the phytoestrogen dose consumed had no effect

on semen quality.

Soy, like any other nutrient, can be misused and inappropriate for some people.

But the overwhelming scientific evidence shows a clear benefit for most people

when used properly. It is certainly not the nutritional " evil " that some are

claiming.

Best regards,

Parsons N.D. Ph.D

Science Information Services

meal replacement shakes

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> Anyone here use a meal replacement shake sans soy? if so what brand?

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[Guest guest]

http://www.thyroid-info.com/articles/soydangers.htm

http://www.goddessdiet.com/Reports/NYDailyNews.htm

http://thyroid.about.com/cs/soysdownsides/a/soyformula.htm

http://www.metabolictherapies.com/soy.html

http://www.soyonlineservice.co.nz/thyroid.htm

http://www.testosterone.net/html/body_143soy.html

(mary shomon is the author of Living Well wih Hypohyroidism)

I am not saying if soy is good or bad .. just she would know a lot more than

me and I have to try something new to help myself.. I have drunk GALLONS of

soy isolate protien and would lsoe like 3 pounds a month on a 300 pound

frame on a strict diet very low carb and lasted about a year and a half and

its just not working. So for me I have to try something else. I am looking

into HMR 70 or 500 which have no or very little soy.. just wish there was

stuff at walmart I could buy

meal replacement shakes

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> > Anyone here use a meal replacement shake sans soy? if so what brand?

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