Expert panel evaluates soy safety.In March 2006, the Center for the Evaluation of Risks to Human Reproduction The National Toxicology Program (NTP) and the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS) established the NTP Center for the Evaluation of Risks to Human Reproduction in 1998 as an environmental health resource to the public and regulatory and health agencies. , a part of the National Institutes of Health, called together a panel of 14 scientific experts to examine soy formula and genistein, a substance found in soy. The panel was convened in part because of public concerns about the effects of genistein and soy formula on infant and child development Introduction As baby's grow from Infants to children, Psychologists wonder, How will their environment effect them?. What role will genetics play in their development?. . The panel reviewed and evaluated scientific research to determine if either soy formula or genistein causes problems with reproduction or with development. Genistein is a phytoestrogen phytoestrogen /phy·to·es·tro·gen/ (-es´tro-jen) any of a group of weakly estrogenic, nonsteroidal compounds widely occurring in plants. phy·to·es·tro·gen n. , a substance found in soy that has properties like the hormone estrogen. Infants receiving soy formula have a higher intake of genistein and of soy per pound of body weight than any other group. Certainly, if problems were seen in infants receiving soy formula, many vegetarian vegetarian /veg·e·tar·i·an/ (vej?e-tar´e-an) 1. one who practices vegetarianism. 2. pertaining to vegetarianism. veg·e·tar·i·an n. One who practices vegetarianism. families who use soy frequently would also have a reason to be concerned. After an extensive review of the existing research, the panel concluded that there was little or no reason to be concerned about the safety of genistein for infants using soy formula. Adverse effects have not been observed at intake levels below 35 milligrams of genistein per kilogram kilogram, abbr. kg, fundamental unit of mass in the metric system, defined as the mass of the International Prototype Kilogram, a platinum-iridium cylinder kept at Sèvres, France, near Paris. body weight. Total genistein intake of infants using soy formula is 8 milligrams per kilogram or less, considerably below the levels that appear to cause problems. Adult intake of genistein is usually less than 1 milligram milligram /mil·li·gram/ (mg) (mil´i-gram) one thousandth (10-3) of a gram. mil·li·gram n. Abbr. mg A metric unit of mass equal to one thousandth (10-3) of a gram. per kilogram, even in groups who eat soy regularly, such as vegetarians and the Japanese. Similarly, based on current research, use of soy formula does not appear to lead to developmental or reproductive problems. The panel urged that additional research be conducted to provide more information about the safety of soy and its components. NTP-CERHR Expert Panel Report on the Reproductive and Developmental Toxicity toxicity /tox·ic·i·ty/ (tok-sis´i-te) the quality of being poisonous, especially the degree of virulence of a toxic microbe or of a poison. of Soy Formula. April 2006. <http://cerhr.niehs.nih.gov/chemicals/genistein-soy/soyformula/ Soy-report-final.pdf>. NTP-CERHR Expert Panel Report on the Reproductive and Developmental Toxicity of Genistein. April 2006. <http://cerhr.niehs.nih.gov/chemicals/genistein-soy/genistein/ Genistein_Report_final.pdf>. |
|
||||||||||||||||||||
Printer friendly
Cite/link
Email
Feedback
Reader Opinion