4 Reasons Why Soy Should Be

Avoided In Those With Thyroid

Conditions

January
19, 2017

Soy is definitely one of the more controversial foods with regards to thyroid health. While
there are some health benefits of eating organic, fermented soy, there are also some
negative health effects that soy can have. In this blog post Im going to discuss four
reasons why people with thyroid and autoimmune thyroid conditions should consider
avoiding soy while restoring their health.

1. Many people have soy allergies and sensitivities. The Food and Agriculture
Organization of the United Nations includes soy in its list of the 8 most significant food
allergens, and at least 16 potential soy protein allergens have been identified (1). There
is evidence that approximately 50% of children with a soy allergy outgrew their allergy
by age 7 years (2). But of course this means that 50% dont outgrow the allergy. Plus,
many people dont have IgE-mediated soy allergies, but instead have an IgG-mediated
soy sensitivity.

But whats the difference between a soy allergy and a sensitivity to soy? Im not going
to get into detail about this here, as if youd like more information you can read an article
I wrote entitled Food Allergies, Sensitivities, and Thyroid Health. But essentially a
soy allergy involves an immediate reaction, whereas a soy sensitivity involves a delayed
reaction. In other words, if someone has a soy allergy they typically will have a negative
reaction within a few minutes of consuming soy. On the other hand, if someone has a
soy sensitivity they might not have a negative reaction for a few hours, or perhaps even
a few days after consuming soy.

Whats wrong with continuing to eat soy if you have an allergy or sensitivity? The
problem with eating any food that you have an allergy or sensitivity to is that this will
result in inflammation. This in turn can interfere with the healing process. And while
you can run a food allergy or food sensitivity panel to determine if you react to soy, these
tests arent completely accurate.

2. Most soy is genetically modified. Unfortunately most of the soy is genetically

modified. Some actually think this is a good thing, and there are a few studies which
suggest that genetically modified soy might be less allergenic than non-GMO
soy (3) (4). But the problems with GMOs doesnt just relate to allergies. One of the
main concerns is that genetically modified soybeans contain high residues of
glyphosate.

I spoke about glyphosate in greater detail in an article entitled Does Glyphosate Have
a Negative Effect on Thyroid Health?. Glyphosate is the active ingredient in the
herbicide Roundup, and while it can have an adverse effect on our health in numerous
ways, one of the main problems is that it can have a negative effect on our gut
microbiota. This gut dysbiosis can make someone more susceptible to developing an
autoimmune condition such as Graves Disease and Hashimotos Thyroiditis.

3. Soy has goitrogenic properties. Goitrogens are substances which inhibit thyroid
function. And a few studies have shown that soy has goitrogenic effects (5) (6) (7). One
of these studies demonstrated that the effect on the thyroid hormones was minimal,
although the study involved short-term soy consumption, lasting only seven consecutive
days. On the other hand, another study involving soy supplementation for eight weeks
in those with subclinical hypothyroidism showed that there is a 3-fold increased risk of
developing overt hypothyroidism, although soy also helped to decrease insulin
resistance, inflammation, and blood pressure (8).

Should other goitrogenic foods be avoided as well, such as cruciferous vegetables? I

usually dont recommend for my patients with hypothyroidism and Hashimotos
Thyroiditis to avoid cruciferous vegetables. After all, foods such as broccoli, kale,
cabbage, and cauliflower have numerous health benefits, and I think that most people
should be eating these foods on a daily basis. Im not suggesting for people to eat four
or five cups of raw cruciferous vegetables per day, but having one or two servings of
these foods usually wont cause any problems from a goitrogenic standpoint.

4. Soy has phytates. Phytic acid is an anti-nutrient that is found in grains, nuts, seeds,
and legumes, including soybeans. And studies show that the phytates in soy can lead
to a decrease in iron and calcium absorption (9) (10). The good news is that soaking
and fermenting soy can significantly decrease the levels of phytic acid.

Should You Be Concerned About the Estrogenic Properties of Soy?

Isoflavones are a type of phytoestrogen found mostly in soy products, and there is some
controversy over whether phytoestrogens can be harmful to our health. I wrote an article
on this entitled The Truth About Soy, Flaxseed, And Other Phytoestrogens. While
some consider soy as being an endocrine disruptor, the research I have found doesnt
show this, and there are actually numerous benefits to phytoestrogens. However, I will
admit that I try to avoid soy as much as I can, and most of the phytoestrogens I get are
from other sources, such as flaxseed.

In summary, soy should be avoided in those with thyroid and autoimmune thyroid
conditions. While there are some health benefits of eating organic, fermented soy, many
people have soy allergies and sensitivities. In addition, soy has goitrogenic properties,
and it also has phytates, which can interfere with the absorption of nutrients. As a result,
I usually recommend for my patients to avoid eating soy.