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Midwest Today, Summer 2000
Two senior American government scientists claim that chemicals
in a soybean derivative could increase the risk of breast cancer
in women, brain damage in men and abnormalities in infants.
The disclosure, which has been largely ignored by the press, sent
shockwaves through the multi-billion dollar food industry. It
came after the scientists -- Daniel Doerge and Daniel Sheehan
-- decided to break ranks with colleagues in the U.S. Food and
Drug Administration. They oppose its decision last year to approve
a health claim that soya reduced the risk of heart disease. They
wrote an internal protest letter warning of 28 studies revealing
toxic effects of soya.
It's not just vegetarian foods such as tofu that use soya. It
is a key ingredient in products from meat sausages and fish sticks
to salad dressings and breakfast cereals.
The concerns of Doerge and fellow FDA researcher Sheehan focus
on chemicals in soya known as isoflavones which have effects similar
to the female hormone estrogen.
While these chemicals may help to prevent a range of conditions
including high cholesterol, they also lead to health problems
in animals including altering sexual development of fetuses and
causing thyroid disorders. Although soy is thought to protect
against breast cancer, some studies show that chemicals in soya
may increase the chances of breast cancer which uses estrogen-type
hormones for growth.
This will frighten mothers who increasingly use soya milk for
babies. Doerge said: "They are exposing their children to
chemicals which we know have adverse effects in animals. It's
like doing a large uncontrolled and unmonitored experiment on
infants."
The U.S. Soy Bean Association disputes the scientists. Yet British
health officials have issued a warning over the dangers of eating
soya.
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