Guest guest Posted August 19, 2004 Report Share Posted August 19, 2004 > " HSI - Jenny Thompson " > <HSIResearch > Staking Their Claim > Thu, 19 Aug 2004 08:51:29 -0400 > > Staking Their Claim > > Health Sciences Institute e-Alert > > August 19, 2004 > > ************************************************************ > > Dear Reader, > > If you think the current political scene is > divisive, just try > mentioning soy to a group of natural health > practitioners. And then > stand back and give them some swinging room. You > might also want to > wear a safety helmet. > > For many years, the questions about soy's benefits > and drawbacks have > raised passionate debates. And those debates > intensified recently when > The Solae Company (a soy protein producer) submitted > a petition to the > FDA, requesting that manufacturers of soy products > be allowed to claim > that soy consumption may reduce the risk of certain > types of cancer. > > That's a pretty tall claim. And some are saying that > there's no merit > to it. But others go even further, claiming that soy > intake may > actually increase cancer risk. > > Battleground states have got nothing on this face > off. > > --------------------------- > > Interested party > --------------------------- > > > In a press release about the FDA petition, The Solae > Company describes > itself as " a leader in the research of soy protein. " > And it's true; > Solae does research soy protein. In fact, Solae > researchers spent > three years conducting an analysis of 58 studies > they say supports the > claim that soy protein-based foods reduce the risk > of breast, prostate > and colon cancer. > > But Solae isn't exactly a modest little mom'n'pop > operation just > trying to make a go of it in a competitive > marketplace. And when it > comes to research, the folks at Solae certainly > don't represent a > disinterested party. Solae is one of the world's > largest soy > producers, co-owned by Bunge Limited (an > international agribusiness > giant), and DuPont. In other words, they're big. And > they're playing > for keeps. And if the FDA allows them to make the > claim that soy helps > prevent cancer, just imagine what that could do for > soy products > sales. > > Solae executives have imagined that very thing, and > by their own > estimate soy profits could easily double if the FDA > gives a green > light to the cancer claim. > > --------------------------- > > The proof is in the processing > --------------------------- > > > By and large, soy has a reputation as a health food. > But that > reputation has been changing over the past few > years. > > In the e-Alert " Adult Swim " (4/16/03), HSI Panelist > Allan Spreen, > M.D., expressed his doubts about soy, saying, " When > you take the basic > components of the soybean, and then add to that the > modern procedures > of cultivation and mass production, you have a > highly processed food > of dubious nutritional value. " > > But Dr. Spreen's soy reservations are mild compared > to those of Kaayla > T. Daniel, Ph.D., author of the book " The Whole Soy > Story " (scheduled > for publication later this year). Dr. Daniel states > that soy protein > may actually help cause and accelerate cancer > growth. About Solae's > FDA petition, the Weston A. Price Foundation (WAPF) > quotes Dr. Daniel > in a press release: " Solae was highly selective in > its choice of > evidence and biased in its interpretations. It > omitted many studies > that show soy to be ineffective in preventing > cancer, emphasized > favorable outcome in studies when results were mixed > and excused > results of a few unfavorable studies... " > > --------------------------- > > Formula for disaster > --------------------------- > > > It's not surprising that the Weston A. Price > Foundation would weigh in > on this topic. Sally Fallon and Mary G. Enig, Ph.D., > of the WAPF have > been two of the most outspoken critics of soy for > many years. (It > should be noted that WAPF – a nutrition education > and research group – > is pro-raw dairy.) > > On the WAPF web site (westonaprice.org) I found a > page containing the > abstracts of 56 studies conducted between 1971 and > 2003, which serve > as something of a rebuttal to Solae's analysis of 58 > studies. (That > page is not designed to be an actual rebuttal; the > WAPF list was > originally compiled two years ago.) Among the > conclusions of the 56 > studies: Soy protein intake was significantly > associated with elevated > stomach cancer mortality rate in men, and colorectal > cancer mortality > rates in both sexes. Soy products have also been > shown to depress > thyroid function, which may prompt cancer of the > thyroid. > > But what's arguably even more worrying than the > cancer outcomes are > the studies that show numerous health hazards linked > to the > consumption of soy-based baby formula. For instance, > a normal daily > intake of soy formula delivers the same amount of > estrogen contained > in five birth control pills. The result: an alarming > number of girls > under the age of ten are showing signs of puberty, > while male infants > experience testosterone levels as high as those of > an adult male. > > --------------------------- > > A bit of a stretch > --------------------------- > > > There's a good chance that Solae executives don't > really expect the > FDA to allow them to make their reduced cancer risk > claims. Just by > petitioning the FDA they've given a higher profile > to their analysis > of 58 studies, while planting the idea that soy may > be a cancer > preventive. And if the FDA denies their petition, no > harm done – the > soy industry can still say that the FDA has reviewed > 58 studies that > support the cancer claim. > > The FDA is expected to respond to the petition > before the end of the > year, and I'll keep you posted on the outcome. Until > then, I'll leave > you with this note from Dr. Jonathan Wright, M.D., > who advises his > patients and readers to restrict their soy > consumption to no more than > three servings per week until the soy debate is > better resolved. > > ************************************************************ > > ...and another thing > > Use it or lose it. > > This old adage can be applied to many things, and > apparently the brain > is one of them. > > A couple of years ago, neuroscientist Dr. Gary Small > (director of the > center for aging at the University of California) > told the BBC that > exercising the brain on a regular basis with " mental > aerobics, " such > as crossword puzzles or learning a new language, may > help prevent the > brain deterioration that leads to Alzheimer's. He > also stressed that > the benefits of brain exercising would be helped > considerably if > accompanied by regular physical exercise, a diet of > antioxidant-rich > foods, and a minimum of stress. > > Dr. Small's theory about gray matter gymnastics was > confirmed by a > recent study published in the journal Neurology. > Researchers from Case > Western Reserve University in Ohio recruited about > 360 subjects to > examine the association between Alzheimer's disease > (AD) and types of > occupations. About 120 of the subjects were > diagnosed with > Alzheimer's. Occupational demands for each subject > were assessed for > four decades of life: the 20s through the 50s. > > The results: AD cases were significantly lower among > subjects who > experienced greater mental demands in their > occupations, while AD > cases were markedly higher among those whose > occupations required more > physical than mental demands. > > Exactly why higher levels of mental activity produce > fewer AD cases is > still open to speculation. Nevertheless, evidence > continues to mount > that an active brain may be more likely to stay > healthy as it ages. > > So use your head and keep that brain moving. > > To Your Good Health, > > Jenny Thompson > Health Sciences Institute > > ************************************************************ > > Sources: > > " FDA Reviews Health Claim Petition Regarding > Reduction in Cancer Risk " > The Solae Company, Press Release, PR Newswire, > 4/16/04, > findarticles.com > " Health Experts Urge FDA To Deny Soy Protein Cancer > Prevention Health > Claim " Weston A. Price Foundation, Press Release, > 7/5/04, > westonaprice.org > " Studies Showing Adverse Effects of Dietary Soy, > 1971-2003 " Weston A. > Price Foundation " westonaprice.org > " Worker Functions and Traits Associated with > Occupations and the > Development of AD " Neurology, Vol. 63, No. 3, August > 2004, > neurology.org > " Work 'May Ward off Alzheimer's' " BBC News, 8/10/04, > news.bbc.co.uk > " Brain Exercise Wards off Alzheimer's " BBC News, > 8/7/02, > news.bbc.co.uk > > Copyright ©1997-2004 by www.hsibaltimore.com, > L.L.C. The e-Alert may > not be posted on commercial sites without written > permission. > > ************************************************************ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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