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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
I was given soy milk as a toddler and small child instead of cows milk due to an allergy to milk. In my 40’s now & I am ok. Didnt have any of these ailments the article listed.
Are soy products that are non GMO acceptable?
To those who have fed their children soy formula, myself included, please do not feel guilty. Yes this info wasn’t available for many of us and we went with what we thought was right and now we know better. Moving forward we can help those who too have no idea about soy formula or products. My nephew was raised on soy, is very smart, and carries a double masters degree. My teen daughter also on soy…smart, sings, and gifted in the arts department. My little guy…soy too, smart, quick, and amazing! There is only so much guilt that a parent can carry and life is all about lessons. Let it go and move forward knowing you can and will do better.
Thank you so much for those kind words. I was literally over here about to cry feeling guilty. I had no idea there was so much controversy over soy products and figured since it was sold in stores, it was safe. My 15 month old had
My son has been on soy formula since 2 months. I had a horrible infection and my breast milk dried up while hospitalized. He is 7 months old now. We tried dairy based for a month before switching him to soy. The pediatrician won’t let me use goats milk until he is a year? Do you think now that he is on foods it may be safe to try dairy based formulas again.
I agree! We have so much information now, more than ever before. It is difficult to sift it all finding the truth. The more we learn the better we can do.The quality of foods we eat are of critical importance in giving our bodies the building blocks needed so that our body can use its innate ability to heal itself.
Knowledge is power? If your interested here is more information on how to reduce further the exposure of these estrogens in our food and environment.
http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2010/08/26/why-are-more-girls-starting-puberty-early.aspx
“What’s Causing Precocious Puberty?
Scientists have brought forth a number of potential explanations, and in all likelihood it’s a combination of factors, such as:
Hormones in food
Pesticides in produce
Obesity (which exposes girls to more estrogen because estrogen is stored in fat tissue)
Phthalates in plastics and cosmetics
It’s now a well-established fact that commonly used plastic chemicals, such as bisphenol A and phthalates, disrupt the human endocrine-system and affect your hormones, which control development and function in your body.”
Hi, my son is just a month old , he tried Nan Hw one and has been pooping 15x a day.. pedia asked me to switch him to Enfalac Gentlease and has the same problem this time he even had bacteria as pef the stool.exam.. this is the day 1 i started the soy formula and my son for the very first time , have poopedi only twice in span of 12 hours.. i really hope this Isomil advance is.going to work for him.
I was a soy baby in the 70s… I have had endometriosis, asthma, allergies and pneumonia several times I my life by the age of 5.
I was fed regular milk formula when i was a baby.. but still got all those sicknesses many times when i was a kid
Crushes me that I had no idea till it was too late for my daughter. Noone told me and there was very little information floating around about it. Articles like this sting. Great for the current and future babies of the world but is a reminder that a this info wasn’t out 11 years ago like it is now and b there is nothing we can do to reverse it. There is only moving forward with better nutrition.
SOY is not good for anyone! Especially boys. It’s very high in estrogen.
This information was not made known to me when I brought my preemie twins boys home from the hospital 7 yrs ago. Do you have info on how to reverse or minimize any possible damage I may have done? I feel more and more guilty as I learn more about the dangers of soy. I could use some encouragement.
I am in the same boat as you. Please reply if you hear any good ifo. Thx!
My soy boy baby is now almost 9 years old. I fed him Isomil for a year as recommended by my Pediatrician. He’s very smart, has no behavioral issues and has been overall very healthy always. Still, I feel scared to think that this might all be true for him. I really think It would be more responsible to let out the information, alongside with recommendations. Not only prevention is important. What happens with those of us who followed professional instructions and now are left out in the cold. Help!!… I get the “no more SOY ever” recommendation, but what else?? can I test him?? can I revert it?? what??
The best protection is staying away from processed foods (loaded with soy) and feeding him wholesome, nutritious meals.There is nothing to be done at this point but hope all is well.
I totally understand your concern … I fed my first son soy milk when he weaned for almost a year. I was worried for years that his puberty would be affected as latent soy damage doesn’t always manifest right away. Fortunately, he is now 16 and fine! So take heart … do the best you can but don’t beat yourself up about what you didn’t know at the time.
Isomil taste horrible, doesn’t taste like homemade soy milk at all.
ever heard of galactosemia? soy formula saves lives for these babies.