Soy vs. Cow's Milk-Based Formula

Specialties Ob/Gyn

Published

Our lactation consultant disseminated an article that pretty much stated that soy formula was the absolute worst, most unsafe thing you could give a baby. I can't recall where the article came from, except to say that it was not from a journal. Basically the article stated that soy formulas were linked to infertility, early puberty, allergies, and a whole lot of other ominous-sounding things. The text of the article sounded quite inflamatory, really. (Said article was 'required reading' for all staff on the unit).

I turned to the American Association of Pediatricians web site, and according to their policy statement, while breast milk is recognized as the best form of nutrition for infants, soy-based formulas are safe and appropriate for infants >1800g when formula feeding is indicated.

Are soy-based formulas as dangerous as our LC's article says? I'm having a hard time understanding this concept. If it were true, why would the AAP policy statement say that soy is ok? I really want to understand the whole soy vs cow's milk based formula debate. Can anyone point me to where I can research this more diligently?

Thanks for the re-direct, Gompers.

I've done a pretty good search and still can't find any scholarly publication that says soy formula is as terrible as our LC's article contends. I'm sticking to my initial hunch that it is perhaps an attempt at scaring parents away from any kind of formula whatsoever.

Yup, back to the original "is there a problem with soy" bottom line question. You're finding basically the same thing I did when I wondered what planet my neighbors LC(?) was on or if I was way behind on research. There are studies that show soy is harmful and they look pretty polished but the true evidence based research just isn't there. I don't think there seems to be any true researched evidence that it is OK, either. Guess the real researchers aren't interested? It comes down to the basic problem in all debates that if you have an interest (especially a financial one!!) you can prove any cause or theory you want. There will always be at least 10 cases that anecdotally support your side.

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Specializes in Community Health Nurse.

You can find articles about the pros and cons of drinking soy milk on www.about.com

I have grandchildren that drink soymilk because they are allergic to cow's milk. My dd tried them on goats milk, but they won't drink it. So...what do you do in a case where infants and children cannot drink anything but soymilk?

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I would love to see more research done on the effects of soy. I read an article about the effects of Soy in "Mothering Magaizine" (June 2004) that cuaght my attention because I was a MAJOR soy consumer - as was my younger son. It was the first I had heard that was negative about soy. While the article was not competely based on the kind of sound research that nurse's are used to, and it was a bit inflammatory, it did raise alot of good questions. The author also talked about the unknown effects of the extremely large amounts of phytoestrogen on our bodies (and our babies bods) and also talked about the effects of high-soy diets on the thyroid gland. Related or not, three months later I was diagnosed with multi-nodular goiters and metastatic papillary carcinoma. Let me tell you, while I know I was being extreme, I have not touched soy since then, and my son was gradually transitioned to dairy products. I really wonder if there was a connection. It IS known by the medical community that soy products interfere with thyroid hormones. My Levoxyl (thyroid hormone) has to be taken at least 4 hours from (and this is specifically stated on the RX info) - SOY PRODUCTS. So I really have to wonder what happens to our naturally occurring thyroid function when soy is consumed regularly. Ok, this is my first time ever posting a message on this site - but this is a really interesting one for me!

Thyroid Cancer is on the rise. Perhaps it's because of better diagnostics (that's what my docs say), but I will always wonder about the increase in soy consumption as a possible connection.

By the way, I am doing fine, now. :yeah:

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It is very rare that someone is physically unable to breastfeed. We are a disturbed culture that encourages women to feel uncomfortable with nursing their babies. Formula is a necessity for RARE instances, and should be available, however these ridiculous excuses such as "I work around toxic chemicals" should not be accepted.

:(

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Specializes in Gerontological, cardiac, med-surg, peds.

Mercola.com (the world's most popular "natural health" website) is very "anti"-soy and offers much information on soy infant formulas (much of which is evidence-based, from research or medical journals):

http://www.mercola.com/2005/jan/12/soy_formula.htm

http://www.mercola.com/2001/jun/13/soy_formula.htm

http://www.mercola.com/2000/feb/13/soy_thyroid_disease.htm

http://www.mercola.com/1999/archive/pregnant_should_not_eat_soy.htm

http://www.mercola.com/2002/oct/26/soy_formula.htm

http://www.mercola.com/2001/sep/15/soy_formula.htm

http://www.mercola.com/1997/archive/soy_formula.htm

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I could be wrong....but I think I read somewhere that Australia has put a ban on Soy formula.

Tammy

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Specializes in NICU.
It is very rare that someone is physically unable to breastfeed. We are a disturbed culture that encourages women to feel uncomfortable with nursing their babies. Formula is a necessity for RARE instances, and should be available, however these ridiculous excuses such as "I work around toxic chemicals" should not be accepted.

First of all, this is a discussion about soy milk, NOT breastmilk vs. formula.

Second of all, it is not your place to "accept" excuses from women about why they can't breastfeed. It is their life and their child. They do not need your approval for anything.

I'm sorry if that was harsh, but this post really ticked me off.

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OK OK so I KNOW this an individual choice, yadda yadda, but just think--if we all breastfed, soy vs cow's milk formula wouldn't even be an issue!! Yippee!!

(Self-confessed breastfeeding Nazi, sorry guys. But at least the WHO and my own state of MA backs us up now!)

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Specializes in Psych, Med/Surg, LTC.
I was allergic to milk as an infant, (diarrhea, a rash over my entire body, etc.) so the pediatrician told my mom to put me on soy formula-- (after trying several different milk formulas)-- breast feeding was not something she ever considered- altho I wish she had!-- I guess it wasn't done so much in the 50's?! To this day I HATE milk, and have always preferred soy. Milk & cheese give me gas, indigestion, diarrhea, nausea- - no thank-you! I did not experience "early puberty" or any of the other biased claims re: soy. There is plenty of evidence out there to support the fact that milk is not healthy & was never intended for humans- it just depends which studies you want to believe. Check out www.milksucks.com -- just reading the part about the pus in milk is enough to keep me milk-free forever. I buy the WestSoy unsweetened soymilk- it's delish. Also, my husband's family has always been very health concious, and they were raised on soy, and a vegetarian diet- they are all very healthy, heterosexual college-educated professionals :-) (Oh, I did have my appendix removed at age 6-- I guess there must be some study out there saying soy causes appendicitis??)

My mother (born in 1952) told me that formula feeding was the "in" thing to do back then. Her siblings and she were all formula fed. I'm just curious. When did breastfeeding come back into style? I was born in the 70's and I was breastfed. (And I had early puberty, so I don't know if I believe soy causing that) Was it common then? It (breastfeeding) seems like the in thing now. I know this is off topic a bit but I am curious.

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Thought this was interesting, so I just wanted to relate my experience with soy based formula. Both of my babies were formula-fed. My first baby did just fine with regular formula. The second one, however, had a terrible time with it. The biggest problem she had was constipation. I can still see this little two-week old baby trying to poop what looked like adult turds (hard and formed). They were huge, caused rectal bleeding, hard as a rock. I can remember holding her up over a potty as an infant, hoping gravity would work. I can also remember one time when she was laying on her back trying to pass one, and I was flexing her knees up to her tummy, and every time she would yell, it would poke out, but as soon as she took a breath, it would go back in. I ended up just grabbing it and pulling it out:stone. Anyway, as you can imagine, this was very scary. I took her to her doctor well before her 6-wk. check, and there was nothing physically wrong with her. She (doctor) suggested trying soy-based formula. It worked wonders. My baby finally started pooping baby poop (and I considered this a good thing?:bugeyes: ). She never had another problem. As far as the allegations of soy formula causing problems later in life, I can tell you that both of my kids are normal and healthy. My "soy baby" is a pre-teen, and as far as I can tell, seems to be developing at the same rate as her peers. No sociopathic tendencies. And if she turns out to be homosexual, so be it. Soy the origin of sexual orientation:uhoh3:? Anyway, too much information on my part -- sorry. Just wanted to share my experience.

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My mother (born in 1952) told me that formula feeding was the "in" thing to do back then. Her siblings and she were all formula fed. I'm just curious. When did breastfeeding come back into style? I was born in the 70's and I was breastfed. (And I had early puberty, so I don't know if I believe soy causing that) Was it common then? It (breastfeeding) seems like the in thing now. I know this is off topic a bit but I am curious.

I think it started to come back in style in the 70's. I was also born in the 70's and was bottlefed, but it seems to be about 50/50 among my friends of the same/similar ages.

As for the original discussion, I have one soy-fed baby and one breast-fed baby and the soy-fed baby is the smart, sweet, good-natured, easy going one. The breast fed baby is the tempermental, emotional, high-maintenance kid. I should have weaned her MUCH earlier than I did. :chuckle

Amanda

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