Women who have or had breast cancer should avoid soy supplements

Foodconsumer.org: Soybeans are good. But like most foods, too much of a good thing can be bad for the health of an individual. An Australian cancer organization has said that women who have or have had breast cancer need to avoid soy supplements, which contain high doses of phyto-estrogen as such supplements have the potential to stimulate tumor growth.

The Cancer Council of New South Wales has planned to release a new position statement on soy foods in response to many inquires about the benefits of soy foods or soy supplements, according to www.theage.com.au. This statement will say that soy foods may slightly lower the risk of breast and prostate cancer.

The Cancer Council led by a number of college professors in oncology does not reveal its financial source to the public and it is unknown whether the organization represents the medical or drug industry, or consumers, or simply the science per se.

They said soy foods used as a measure to aid treatment of breast cancer or prevention of cancer returning may do more harm than good. They suggested cancer survivors exercise caution when it comes to soy foods.

Health benefits of soy foods have been a hotly debated issue. Soy is commonly consumed by Asians who have lower risk of “affluence” diseases such as heart disease, diabetes and cancer compared to the Westerners. Many people attribute the lower incidence of these diseases in part to use of high amounts of soy foods and lower amounts of meat and dairy.

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