The reproductive system tissues were altered in infants who were fed with soy-based milk formula showed changes in reproductive cells and tissues, compared to those who used cow-milk formula or were breastfed.
Highlights:
- Infants who consumed soy-based formula had changes in their reproductive tissues and cells.
- Soy-based formula showed the presence of genistein an estrogen-like compound .
- Long-term consequences of the estrogen-like compound is not known.
According to Virginia A. Stallings, MD, director of the Nutrition Center at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP), high concentrations of plant-based estrogen-like compounds are present in soy formula. He also indicated that long-term effects of these compounds should be studied as this formula is the main food source for many infants.
Another scientist Margaret A. Adgent, MSPH, PhD said that the modern soy formula is being used safely for a long time. However, small changes were seen in reproductive tissues but the long-term health effects associated with this are not known.
Effect of Soy-formula
Babies who were breastfed and consumed soy-formula for a long time instead of cow-milk formula faced few difficulties like milk allergies, lactose intolerance and other feeding difficulties. The soy-proteins contain high amounts of genistein, an estrogen-like compound. Genistein can alter the body’s endocrine system and eventually affect the normal hormonal development. Previous studies have shown that genistein caused abnormal reproductive development and functions in rodents, but its effect on infants was not known.
The current study highlights the postnatal development in estrogen-responsive tissues, along with specific hormone levels, according to infant feeding practices. The scientists compared infants who were fed with soy formula and those fed with cow-milk formula and breastfed infants.
About 410 infant-mother pairs enrolled in the investigation, out of which 283 of them completed the study. Among them 102 infants purely fed on soy formula, 111 on cow-milk formula, and 70 on breast milk. Stallings said that this was an observational study and not a randomized trial. The feeding preferences were decided by the mothers before they enrolled for the study.
All the babies were evaluated at CHOP, and researchers repeatedly performed the measurements up to 28 weeks of age in boys and 36 weeks of age in girls. The study team analyzed three sets of results: ultrasound measurements of uterine, ovarian and testicular volume, a maturational index (MI) based on epithelial cells from the children's urogenital tissue and hormone concentration through blood tests.
She added, "For new and expectant mothers deciding on how to feed their infants, as always, we strongly support breastfeeding, as recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics." For mothers who prefer giving formula, the AAP does not recommend soy formula for preterm infants, but states that soy formula is indicated for infants with hereditary disorders that make them unable to properly digest milk, such as galactosemia and the rare condition hereditary lactase deficiency. It also recommends soy formula "in situations in which a vegetarian diet is preferred."
Reference
- EMargaret A Adgent, David M Umbach, Babette S Zemel, Andrea Kelly, Joan I Schall, Eileen G Ford, Kerry James, Kassa Darge, Julianne C Botelho, Hubert W Vesper, Donald Walt Chandler, Jon M Nakamoto, Walter J Rogan, Virginia A Stallings. A longitudinal study of estrogen-responsive tissues and hormone concentrations in infants fed soy formula. The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism(2018)
Source-Medindia