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Healthy Home Economist / Archives / Healthy Pregnancy, Baby & Child / Why Soy Formula (even organic) is So Dangerous for Babies

Why Soy Formula (even organic) is So Dangerous for Babies

by Sarah Pope / Affiliate Links ✔

Table of Contents[Hide][Show]
  • The Three Reasons Why Soy Formula is So Bad for Babies+−
    • Trypsin Inhibitors
    • Phytic Acid
    • Phytoestrogens or Isoflavones
    • Soy Formula Health Problems for Boys
    • Soy Formula Health Problems for Girls
    • Organic Soy Formula No Protection from Soy Dangers
  • Healthy Options to Soy Formula+−
    • Weaning after Formula
    • Sources
    • More Information

soy formula

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

Edamame Dangers

Estrogenic Foods, Herbs, and Supplements
Soy Lecithin in Baby Formula

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Category: Healthy Pregnancy, Baby & Child
Sarah Pope

Sarah Pope MGA has been a Health and Nutrition Educator since 2002. She is a summa cum laude graduate in Economics from Furman University and holds a Master’s degree from the University of Pennsylvania.

She is the author of three books: the bestseller Get Your Fats Straight, Traditional Remedies for Modern Families, and Living Green in an Artificial World.

Her four eBooks Good Diet…Bad Diet, Real Food Fermentation, Ketonomics, and Ancestrally Inspired Dairy-Free Recipes are available for complimentary download via Healthy Home Plus.

Her mission is dedicated to helping families effectively incorporate the principles of ancestral diets within the modern household. She is a sought after lecturer around the world for conferences, summits, and podcasts.

Sarah was awarded Activist of the Year in 2010 at the International Wise Traditions Conference, subsequently serving on the Board of Directors of the nutrition nonprofit the Weston A. Price Foundation for seven years.

Her work has been covered by numerous independent and major media including USA Today, ABC, and NBC among many others.

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Reader Interactions

Comments (377)

  1. Joe

    Apr 5, 2019 at 9:39 am

    There’s some pretty crazy claims here. If phytoestrogens are so detrimental to reproductive health and cause breast cancer why do the places that have the highest soy consumption have the lowest instances of those types of cancers? For instance Asian women and high soy consumption.

    Reply
    • Sarah Pope MGA

      Apr 5, 2019 at 11:30 am

      It is a myth that Asians have the highest soy consumption! It is true they eat soy, but in small amounts more like a condiment. Also … talk to an oncologist … they are whispering to their patients to ditch soy as soon as there is a diagnosis of breast cancer. Unfortunately for some, it is too late.

      Also note countries that severely limit access to or ban soy formula such as Israel and New Zealand.

  2. Melissa pritchard

    Apr 4, 2019 at 12:32 am

    A class action lawsuit needs to be filed. How dare they not label the formula with warnings when they did a study back in 1967! A have a child with many issues and I’ve wondered why… these companies need to be sued and put out of business!

    Reply
  3. Wendy

    Mar 31, 2019 at 8:00 pm

    My son was on soy formula 21 years ago and he had iron deficiency anemia, he’s dyslexic, and had an inguinal hernia that was supposed to close when his testicles descended but didn’t. Makes me wonder if this formula had anything to do with his issues.

    Reply
  4. [email protected]

    Feb 6, 2019 at 9:24 am

    I took soy milk as a. Baby. And also my 2 girls and my niece and 2 nephews, because they were lactose intolerant and milk prtein allergy… they have never had any problems. My girls are ap students and so was 1 .. and I’m very fertile 2.. I have never had any medical problems either… I’m currently pregnant and I’m going to use the similac Isomil ready to feed formula .thata the formula my girls tolerated . The. I switched to Isomil powder at 3 mnts…

    Reply
    • Sarah Pope MGA

      Feb 7, 2019 at 7:39 am

      Glad you and your babies are ok! So many are not unfortunately!! Soy formula is very dangerous and isn’t even allowed to be sold in some countries except by prescription.

  5. Leah

    Jan 8, 2019 at 10:38 am

    I was unable to produce milk which is why I couldn’t breastfeed. This has been a heartbreaking situation. My baby is severely allergic to milk based formulas. He gets extremely itchy dry eczema. If I keep giving it to him, I can’t keep up with the hydrocortisone to control it. I was recommended soy formula and it stopped. Now I don’t know what to do. He’s been on soy formula from 3 months to 9 months. Does anyone have recommendations? I tried Nutrimigen last night and he already has eczema all over his face this morning!

    Reply
    • Sarah Pope MGA

      Jan 8, 2019 at 11:06 am

      Please try this homemade nondairy formula recipe. https://www.thehealthyhomeeconomist.com/video-hypoallergenic-baby-formula/

  6. Craig

    Dec 15, 2018 at 11:15 pm

    I don’t know about formula but the phytoestrogen thing has been debunked a million times. Phyto means plant,they have no effect on human hormones.

    Reply
    • Sarah Pope MGA

      Dec 16, 2018 at 1:14 pm

      Plant estrogens most definitely have an effect on human hormones my friend. One of the FIRST things an oncologist tells a woman with breast cancer is to lay off the soy.
      Also, definitive proof of the effect of plant estrogens can be easily determined by any doubters simply by having a thermogram. More on that in this article. https://www.thehealthyhomeeconomist.com/soy-flax-estrogenic-foods-herbs-trigger-precancerous-breasts/

  7. Mo

    Dec 13, 2018 at 8:38 pm

    Thank you for this article. My husband and I know the effects of soy on the body and how it mimics estrogen causing a hormonal imbalance that potentially leads to cancer. Unfortunately, soy is in EVERYTHING and as my supply dwindles we had to make the hard decision to feed baby formula with soy in it. I am beyond frustrated with our food industry and our willingness to accept the garbage they are feeding us. This article sheds light on this grave issue. I wish I had found these options sooner but we do the best we can with what we have.

    Reply
    • Sarah Pope MGA

      Dec 14, 2018 at 9:21 am

      You do not have to feed your baby soy formula. Here is a homemade NONDAIRY option developed by a PhD nutritionist. https://www.thehealthyhomeeconomist.com/video-hypoallergenic-baby-formula/

  8. Carolina Villarreal

    Nov 29, 2018 at 9:35 pm

    I unfortunately couldn’t produce milk bc of hormonal issues and wonder how bad formula that is milk based that has some soy is to babies. It’s incredibly difficult to find a milk without soy.

    Reply
  9. Monica

    Sep 2, 2018 at 9:28 pm

    Do you have current sources (within the past 10 years) to back up your arguments? It’s hard to take this article seriously when it cites limited studies done over 50 years ago.

    Reply
    • Sarah

      Sep 2, 2018 at 10:11 pm

      Here’s one. I’m sure there are others. “Isoflavone serum levels are much higher in SiF-fed infants than in breastfed or cow milk formula-fed infants. Administration of pure isoflavones to animals causes decreased fertility.”
      Acta Paediatrica 2011.

  10. Kevin

    Aug 20, 2018 at 4:56 pm

    Do you have any articles that link to clinical research backing this information?

    Reply
    • Sarah

      Aug 20, 2018 at 9:13 pm

      Yes, sources are linked in the article.

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