Day 75- How Soy Formula is Similar to Birth Control

Granted, I am not a mother, so I don't quite understand the struggle that parents face when trying to do what's right to raise their children. But what I do understand is that soy formula should be the LAST option when it comes to feeding your children.

Why do I feel so strongly about soy? Well, I wrote my first blog ever on soy, because truthfully I am not a fan. Today though I would like to only focus on soy's effects on growing children.

We can say hands down, breast milk by far is the best food for babies.

Breast milk is widely acknowledged as the most complete form of nutrition for infants, with a range of benefits for infants' health, growth, immunity and development.

-- Healthy People 2010, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia

We also know that some mothers are not able to make the choice to breast feed and must supplement the baby with formula. So what are their options? The next best option would be cow's or goat's milk, but some parents feel that these are not ideal due to allergies in the baby, or hormones and antibiotics fed to cattle. So the next logical choice that parents choose is soy, since it is marketed as a "natural" choice and said to be hypoallergenic. Truth be told, soy is actually a very allergic food. And for babies that can tolerate traditional or hypoallergenic cow's milk formula, soy is not recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics.

So why do I suggest avoiding soy formula, unless it is the only viable option left?

The biggest concern to me is the estrogenic effects of soy. According to the Weston Price Foundation, "Babies fed soy-based formula have 13,000 to 22,000 times more estrogen compounds in their blood than babies fed milk-based formula. Infants exclusively fed soy formula receive the estrogenic equivalent of at least five birth control pills per day." Research also suggests that females fed soy formula as infants may have early onset of puberty, longer duration of menstrual bleeding, or more painful menstrual cycles. Since soy has been shown to be an endocrine disrupter, boys fed soy-formula, may have less testosterone, due to the high levels of estrogen in the formula. This disruption can lead to learning disabilities and attention deficit disorder, smaller than normal testes, and altered male characteristics after puberty.

If that alone is not enough to convince you to avoid soy formula, how about these reasons?

• High levels of aluminum found in soy formulas which can be toxic to the nervous system and kidneys
• Extremely high levels of manganese, some formulas contain 80 times more manganese than human breast milk, and has been suggested as a link between ADD
• Contains phytic acid which can reduce the absorption of nutrients such as calcium, magnesium, copper, iron, and zinc. And may in the long run cause growth problems in children.
• Lacks complete amino acids
• Other studies are still being concluded but have suggested possible connections with weakening of the immune system, thyroid damage, neurological damage, and reproduction issues.

For a great chart comparing human breast milk to soy formula, visit Dr. Sears's website.

If you would like a brochure from the Weston Price Foundation regarding the dangers of soy, visit their website.

So although conclusive long term studies still need to be done regarding the effects of soy formula later on in life, I still believe that the information out there already is enough to convince me to avoid it. Again if soy formula is your last resort, then so be it, but there are many more options out there that you can try first. Visit this website to learn about how to make your own baby formulas.

Pura Vida!

Alica Ryan, NTP

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