These days, soy is becoming a popular replacement for meat and dairy products. Vegetarians who are eager to get protein without turning to an animal source often consume soy. It is even used by some people who just want to maintain a healthier diet.
Soy lacks saturated fat, which is seen as a plus for people trying to prevent heart disease. However, a new animal study from the University of Colorado has shown that people with a genetic predisposition to heart disease may suffer from the consumption soy products.
Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) is a disease that can cause sudden cardiac arrest and even death in people who are younger than 30-years-old. In fact, this illness is the leading cause of this type of sudden cardiac-related death. Researchers wanted to test how soy diets would affect people with this condition.
In a preliminary study, mice with this same genetic predisposition to HCM were fed high-soy diets. While female mice did not seem to have any problems with the diet, male mice suffered a different fate. The soy caused their hearts to enlarge to the point of heart failure.
To test if it was really the soy that was causing the problems, male mice were then taken off the soy and given milk protein instead. Interestingly, their condition improved with the new diet and their hearts actually managed to decrease to a size that was closer to normal.
It is suspected that the soy worsened the problem through its plant estrogens. This hint came from the fact that females were not affected and the milk — a phytoestrogen- free product — seemed to reduce the problem.
Hormones are known to assist in the normal development of the heart and other muscles, so it’s possible that the unexpected estrogen caused a series of reactions within the body, which encouraged the thickening of the heart muscle.
While the findings in this study don’t mean that all people should avoid soy products, instead, those individuals who have had a diagnosis of HCM or a family history of the condition should possibly reconsider consuming too many soy products.
Next Post: Maintain Your Quality of Life in the Midst of Bad News
Previous Post: The “New” Path to Healthy Blood Pressure
Tags: Diets, Heart
