Soy and fertility do not mix according to the results of an American study.
Researchers have studied the eating habits of 99 men over the last six years to get to the bottom of their infertility woes.
The results are surprising. Men who consumed soy products had a sperm count that was two times lower than the average. The concentration of sperm in their semen was around 41 million per millilitre as compared to the average 80 to 120 million per millilitre found in other men’s sperm. This lower count reduced their ability to procreate.
So there is a link between high soy intake and fertility. This could be due to isoflavones found in soy. Previous studies have found that the fertility rate among animals was much lower with isoflavones.
Soy also has anti-cancer properties. Women who regularly consume soy are less likely to develop ovarian cancer or endometrial cancer.