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Today’s generation of children could aptly be called Generation A where the “A” stands for allergies. Food intolerances and of all kinds are rampant with the very first frequently becoming apparent when a formula-fed infant demonstrates an allergy to commercial milk-based formula. The typical recommendation by a conventional doctor in this case? Put baby on a soy formula such as Isomil or ProSobee immediately.
About 25% of American babies are fed soy infant formula according to the website of Dr. Sears.
Elemental infant formula might also be suggested, but these are usually reserved for preterm infants and those with specific medical problems such as severe allergies to both milk and soy. Elemental formulas also tend to be foul-tasting compared with milk or soy-based formula and babies tend to reject them for this reason.
Many parents make the switch to soy formula in haste hoping to ease the digestive discomfort their child is experiencing on commercial milk formulas not realizing the full implications of their decision.
In some cases, parents may never even try a dairy formula at all if a milk allergy already runs in the family. There is no evidence that using soy formula reduces the risk of a dairy allergy later, however. For this reason, the Committee on Nutrition of the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends against the use of soy formula in infants who are potentially allergic to cow’s milk. A milk-based formula should still be the first choice even in those situations.
The Three Reasons Why Soy Formula is So Bad for Babies
The primary problems with soy protein found in non-dairy commercial formulas are threefold: trypsin inhibitors, phytic acid, and phytoestrogens.
Trypsin Inhibitors
These are proteins found in plentiful amounts in soybeans that inhibit digestion and absorption of nutrients. They are large in size and require the application of high heat for appreciable periods of time to neutralize.
The industrialized process of producing soy infant formula deactivates the majority of trypsin inhibitors. Unfortunately, some remain and even in low amounts, they have been found to prevent normal growth in rats. Given that a baby’s brain grows at its most rapid rate the first year of life, growing to about 75% percent of adult size (it is 25% of adult size at birth), even slight retardation of growth could be devastating to the development of the brain and nervous system.
Note that protease inhibitors in soy are also an issue, as they greatly hinder the digestion of protein. Potential harm to the pancreas is another grave risk.
Phytic Acid
Phytic acid is an organic acid, which like trypsin inhibitors, is present in large amounts in soybeans. Phytates are present in the outer portion of all seeds and block the absorption of critical minerals like calcium, magnesium, iron and particularly zinc. Phytic acid is also extremely irritating to the digestive tract.
Unlike other seeds, soybeans have extremely high amounts of a type of phytic acid. This anti-nutrient is particularly resistant to deactivation. Researchers testing soy formula in 1967 found that soy formula caused zinc deficiency in every single infant who received it. Again, this is due to the mineral blocking effect of phytates within the digestive system.
Zinc is known as the intelligence mineral because it is critical for the optimal development and functioning of the brain and nervous system. As a result, deficiency of this nutrient in infants at a time when the brain is growing at its most rapid rate could have lifelong implications and possibly reduce IQ.
Phytoestrogens or Isoflavones
Phytoestrogens represent the most serious problem with soy infant formula. These estrogen-like compounds have the potential to disrupt the baby’s hormonal system for life.
According to the Weston A. Price Foundation:
Toxicologists estimate that an infant exclusively fed soy formula receives the estrogenic equivalent of at least five birth control pills per day. By contrast, almost no phytoestrogens have been detected in dairy-based infant formula or in human milk, even when the mother consumes soy products. A recent study found that babies fed soy-based formula had 13,000 to 22,0000 times more isoflavones in their blood than babies fed milk-based formula.
Soy Formula Health Problems for Boys
Flooding of an infant boy’s bloodstream with female-like hormones has the potential to cause serious developmental problems at puberty. During the first few months of life, a baby boy has testosterone levels that could be as high as that of an adult male. This “testosterone surge” readies the baby boy’s hormonal system for puberty both for normal development of the sexual organs and also patterns of male behavior.
Could soy infant formula be responsible for the increasing problem of boys where physical maturation is delayed or even completely absent with retarded development of the sexual organs?
Soy Formula Health Problems for Girls
Baby girls fed soy infant formula may suffer negative hormonal impact as well from early soy exposure. In a 2011 published study, time-to-menarche was assessed in nearly 3,000 girls.
Those girls identified as early soy-fed via soy infant formula had a 25% increased risk of menarche specifically in early adolescence.
Early sexual development in girls can herald serious problems with the reproductive system later in life such as unexplained infertility and breast cancer.
Research from 2012 published in Biology of Reproduction’s Papers-in-Press describes the effects of plant estrogens found in soy on the mouse oviduct. The study was specifically designed to model the effects of soy-based baby formula on human infants. The results of the study suggest that exposure to estrogenic chemicals in the womb or during childhood has the potential to negatively affect a woman’s fertility as an adult.
Organic Soy Formula No Protection from Soy Dangers
Some parents mistakenly believe that genetically modified soy is the main problem and that buying organic soy formula is protective for their infant.
Nothing could be further from the truth. While organic soy formula does indeed provide a better quality source of soy, organic soy still has the same problems as GMO soy. Trypsin and protease inhibitors, high levels of phytic acid, and large amounts of hormone-disrupting plant estrogens can devastate the baby’s digestive development and hormones potentially for life!
Healthy Options to Soy Formula
Parents wishing to provide the highest quality formula for their baby should breastfeeding not be an option should consider a homemade formula made from grass-fed raw cow milk.
If cow milk is a problem, goat milk formula can be tried instead. Goat milk has a slightly different fat composition and protein profile that is easier for some babies to digest. Please note that powdered goat milk is not recommended. The powdering process denatures the fragile proteins in goat milk. Powdered goat milk is not as nutritious as whole raw goat milk. Moreover, the chances are high that it will cause an allergenic response in the baby at some point.
If all dairy even if unprocessed and grass-fed is still problematic, a homemade nondairy formula based on homemade bone broth can be utilized instead.
Thousands of mothers have successfully used these homemade formulas with their babies in recent decades with excellent results!
Weaning after Formula
One more point of note. When your child is ready to be weaned off homemade formula at one year old, skip the soymilk! Soy as a food or beverage is not any more appropriate for toddlers than it is for babies! If your child is allergic to raw milk from pastured animals (best choice), wean him/her onto a nutritious milk substitute instead.
Sources
How neonatal plant estrogen exposure leads to adult infertility
Soy Formulas?
More Information
Estrogenic Foods, Herbs, and Supplements
Soy Lecithin in Baby Formula
Animal estrogens are more potent than anything related to soy (diary/meat) so a comparison is needed between isolating soy intake and dairy and meat intake and varying the affect both have which this is void of. If you take out soy what do you think it will be replaced with? something that affects hormonal levels much more than soy
I have 2 month baby boy suffering from eczema on his scalp is so bad looks like crocodile skin. Is it because his allergic to cow’s milk? Should I stop eating cow’s milk due to breastfeeding? Please help
Rebecca,
You have probably already done so, but elimination diet is what I had to do in a similar situation. Start with removing all dairy and soy from your diet. Stop processed food completely. Read labels for secret soy and dairy. Your baby has a good chance of outgrowing any allergy if he is not exposed to the offending food for a long while. Add a good probiotic. Good luck
Both of my girls were Soy babies. One is 22, a size 4, has her own baby now and is smart and beautiful! My 13 year old is gifted and beautiful. She is a size 12 but her daddy is short and stocky so it’s in her genes- not in her formula! I am not sure of the validity of this! I will need to do more research for sure!
I see many varied outcomes here and would just like to share mine. Bothe me and my brother (31 and 25 years of age) as well as my firstborn (almost 4) were fed Isomil and haven’t experienced any of the terrifying results of soy. I do think that because people are individuals no one is going to experience these things in the same way because there are too many factors to consider. While these studies are probably legitimate you never know who they were sponsored by and how that affected the results. Hope this takes that scare away a bit. 🙁
thanks!!!!!!
I have been wondering for a while if soy formulas, because of their high concentration in isoflavones could be responsible for the increasing amount of homosexual and transgender people. I know it does not sound good but don’t take it the wrong way, I believe it is a legitimate question that should be studied (but never will).
My daughter was terribly colicky as a newborn. I was up all night with her and the nursing was making me even more exhausted. I started soy relief bottles since the doctor thought that dairy in my diet was causing the colic. brestfeeding was totally abandoned around 3 months when we both had painful case of thrush. I continued soy formula until my daughter was 2 years old because my husband is lactose intolerant and I also have sensitivity to milk. My daughter’s onset of menarche was at 9 years. She has ovarian cysts and painful periods. She is 25, overweight (always had weight issue) and still has a bad case of acne. although she is a genius, she is (I am sorry to say), not at all pretty. I feel sorry for her and would have stuck out the thrush or started milk earlier had I known. I blame myself for her problems…
Her endocrinologist and gynecologist dismiss any connection with soy formula and her hormone blood test levels are always “normal”
I have had thyroid issues which I was able to control with my diet… but a few years ago I discovered I was estrogen dominant. Any regular intake of soy caused me to have either extremely delayed ovulation or annovulatory cycles all together. When I first discovered this, after using soy protien shakes for about 20 days, it took about 4 months for my cycles to return to normal after completely omitting soy. A couple years later I was eating peanut butter every day, and using soy sauce, etc. I started having the same issues and realized the brand of peanut butter we had switched to had soy in it. I stopped it and went back to normal.
Recently I found out my parents gave me soy formula as an infant after I was 6 weeks old. After 3 mo it was only baby food and soy formula. I am almost sure that is what has caused my estrogen dominance.
I should also note, face creams with soy, or even parabens (which also act as phytoestrogens) caused the disruptions in my cycle as well.
When my parents told me they gave me soy formula as an infant, it all finally made sense.
I should also point out that I started my period at 11 years of age and until I was 18 had severe menstruation cramps as well as heavy cycles that lasted 7 full days.
I have two daughters who were both raised on soy based formula. The first girl started her period at 12 yrs old and the second girl started hers at 15. I wonder in what way this study has considered other food factors that also contribute to added hormones in the diet…specifically, animal based foods. Dairy products and meats can cause this early menarche of a female human without soy. I have a granddaughter who has been raised on soy based formula and she will continue to drink it until she is one year old in which time I, as her child care provider, will introduce other nut mylks and stay away from cows milk which is made for calves to drink.