Phytoestrogens & your Pets
Dangers of Soy Based Food Products
by Allan F. Manning © (March 1997)
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BASIS OF THE FOLLOWING REPORTS
Sexual development in Wild Life,
as in humans is controlled by the Endocrine system, a group of organs,
tissues and cells that secrete hormones. The hormones interact with
other cells initiating chemical biological reactions with far-reaching
consequences. Male hormones are called androgens and female hormones
are called Estrogens. Some chemicals disrupt the endocrine system
and one of these chemicals is found in Soy bean products. Therefore
the only safe dose of this hormone disrupter of the endocrine system
is zero. In birds these chemicals in any form or amount decrease
fertility and progressively get worse within just a few generations.
Evidence suggests these sex characteristics once imprinted may be
irreversible.
Some of the information concerning
the facts have been known and reported from way back in 1981. The
following extracts of just a few of these reports and findings are
as follows:
An extract from "DISEASES
OF CAGE BIRDS" (T.F.H. 1987)
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- As in all animals iodine is required
for thyroxin synthesis. a deficiency in the diet can result
in decreased secretion of the hormone. Other factors can
also stimulate the appearance of thyroid dysfunction.
Many plants provide goitrogenic principles that inhibit
thyroxin synthesis even when iodine is adequately supplied.
One of these plants is known to be soybean.
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1987 REPORT ON CAPTIVE BREEDING
CHEETAHS
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- Many North American Zoos cannot
maintain their Cheetah populations because deaths have
outnumbered births. In 1985 the Zoos reported 29 deaths
and only 18 births of which 7 died before reaching adulthood.
Analysis of their diet by high performance liquid chromatography
and gas-liquid chromatography spectrometry, revealed large
amounts of two phytoestrogens identified as daidzein and
genistein. These compounds were found to be derived from
a Soybean product that was a component of the Cheetahs
diet. Therefore Zoos may be one of the major factors in
the decline of fertility and in the etiology of liver
disease in this species. Their survival in captivity could
depend upon a simple change of diet by excluding exogenous
estrogen.
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THE POTENTIAL
ADVERSE EFFECTS OF SOYBEAN PHYTOESTROGENS IN INFANT FEEDING
REPORTED FROM CAMBRIDGE UNIVERSITY IN 1991 AND PUBLISHED IN 1994
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- It is well established that soybean
products contain the phytoestrogen daidzein and genistein.
The levels of these compounds in several Soy-based infant
formulas have been measured, The quantities recommended
by manufacturers for infants provide an intake of approximately
three to five times as much diadzein and genistein that
amounts which disrupt the menstrual cycle when fed to
pre menopausal women. Exposure to the phytoestrogen during
Soy formula feeding is a cause for considerable concern
given the greater susceptibility of neonates to oestrogens
and the likely duration of exposure through infancy. In
other forms of life such as animals and birds the situation
is much the same but enhances a much quicker effect as
a result.
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WARNING BY THE MINISTRY OF HEALTH
IN NEW ZEALAND
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- It is unfortunate that concerns
about Soy formulas have received a negative response from
companies producing these products. Dr. Martin Edwards
of the Ministry of Health stated he does not wish to unduly
damage the industries concerned, but which is the greater
tragedy, a loss of confidence in Soy products or a potential
health risk to babies, animals and birds. According to
Dr. Mark Messina soy formula manufacturers know their
products contain phytoestrogens and millions of dollars
have been spent on the anticancer properties of this substance,
which obviously boosts its sales. But they have not bothered
to study the effects of phytostrogens on infants, animals
and birds etc.
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LETTER TO RICHARD JAMES FROM
A VETERINARY CLINIC IN WHANGAREI (BRUCE PICKFORD)
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- I have recently been on holiday
in Canada and the USA, During a stay in Alaska I visited
a Raptor rehabilitation centre in Sitka where I learned
that they too used Soybean based granules as feeds for
their chicks. They too have had some problems with mortality,
early maturation of birds and suspicious deaths. The problem
is increasing and information is urgently required concerning
Soybean products.
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"PARROT
SOCIETY NEW ZEALAND" ARTICLE, BY VALERIE JAMES (NOVEMBER
1996)
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- In 1992 she was keeping and raising
some of the native birds which she had been doing for
some years on her own food formulas. However she started
to use a commercially made food and her hobby suddenly
became a nightmare when the chicks began to sicken and
die. The food was promoted as scientifically developed
and as such was not suspected initially. Autopsies of
the dead birds indicated an immune system breakdown with
the result of multiple organ failure and a lethal multiplication
of the birds own benign bacteria. Survivors often had
poor muscle control and matured prematurely, Some were
also aggressive or displayed inappropriate sexual behaviour.
a chemist carefully tested the food and found it contained
a structure which was almost that of coumarin, a substance
upon which most modern rodent baits are based. Coumarin
was once allowed in small amounts in human food as an
aromatic flavour enhancer but has long since been banned
when it was shown to be cumulatively toxic when fed to
animals. The three ingredients of the bird food were found
to be Soy protein isolate (as in Soy infant formulas),
Soy all and corn flour. There was no trace of this coumarin.
However, it was discovered that there were three other
plant structures similar to coumarin, all of which can
occur in Soy.
They are:
1) The fungal toxin zearalenone - - caused by poor storage
or poor growing conditions.
2) Coumestrol, this being present in Soy sprouts and sometimes
in the beans.
3) Insoflavones which are always associated with say protein.
This occurs in very few other foods for human consumption
although it does occur in beer causing the feminization
of men who are heavy beer drinkers. Because of the similarity
of their chemical structures zearalenone coumestrol and
the isoflavones are phytoetrogens (that is estrogen derived
from plants causing many of the symptoms noted in the
birds). Further research was done and it was discovered
that soy beans contain other toxins most of which are
only partially reduced by modern processing and have shown
in commercial products to cause ill health in animals.
So the Soy content of the food especially the Soy isoflavones
which are not significantly reduced by processing causes
many problems for our animals and especially birds.
Research up to this date by bird keepers that have withdrawn
all Soy based products from their birds diet have shown
the disappearance of the problem. However birds and their
offspring's previously exposed to Soy had continuing problems
into the third and fourth generations.
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CONCLUSION
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Many problems have been highlighted
and recognised as being related to feeding soy based products
to our birds. The above examples are only a few extracts
of many related reports from many different sources. Although
they are all very disturbing the Soy problems relating to
the retarding effect on the reproduction/fertility systems
of birds is causing the most concern as it appears to be
irreversible. It seems bizarre that so many bird products
currently in use are Soybean based even though many of the
effects have been known and reported for some time now.
Wild life preservation programmes have also employed Soybean
products and supplements for adult animals and birds as
well as infant feeds for cats and parrots etc. It is established
clearly that all soy foods contain toxic substances causing
chronic poisoning and endocrine system disruption at very
low levels, This effects all forms of life that we feed
it to including our own infants.
However, for our birds it
is critical that something is done now as their are so many
feeds on the market that rely on a Soy base. Our birds both
for us private keepers and Zoos etc., are already becoming
scarce without the addition of this very basic feeding problem
we are now faced with. |
MANUFACTURERS MUST TAKE NOTE
THAT ALTHOUGH IT MAY BE A VERY COSTLY EXERCISE FOR THEM, AN ALTERNATIVE
FEED BASE AND SUPPLEMENTS HAVE GOT TO BE FOUND URGENTLY.
Further Reading
Effects of phyto-oestrogens on veal calf prostate histology
Groot MJ
RIKIL - Institute of Food Safety, PO Box 230, NL-6700 AE, Wageningen, The Netherlands
In veal calf production plant-based proteins are
frequently included in milk replacer fed to the animals. Since soy
products, which are mostly used, are known for their high levels of
phyto-oestrogens, the effects of these feeds on the veal calf prostate
were examined. Goal was to determine whether these compounds could
interfere with histological screening for oestrogenic growth promoters.
In a feeding experiment, four groups of veal calves fed plant-based
protein-supplemented milk replacer (PBM), containing 5% soy concentrate,
5% soy isolate, 5% wheat gluten and 2% potato protein, for 4 weeks were
compared to animals fed dairy-based control feed (DBM); animals treated
with estradiol benzoate, diethylstilbestrol and ethinylestradiol served
as positive controls. Daidzein and genistein levels measured in feed
and urine showed high levels of genistein and daidzein in the soy
isolate and soy concentrate supplemented feeds. Genistein and daidzein
were also found in the urine of the animals that were fed these feeds.
Haematoxylin-eosin-stained prostate sections of PBM-fed animals showed
slight hyperplasia and some dilated tubules as compared to the DBM-fed
group, but no metaplasia, which is used for screening for oestrogenic
hormones. The positive controls showed extensive squamous metaplasia.
Immunohistochemical staining for cytokeratin 5 (using RCK 103 monoclonal
antibody) in basal cells showed a normal staining pattern of basal
cells in the DBM-fed calves and extensive basal cell proliferation and
squamous metaplasia in the oestrogen-treated positive control animals.
PBM-fed calves showed no increase of basal cell staining but showed
elongations of the basal cells in most animals, sometimes resulting in
circular figures. It is concluded that the feeds examined in this study
did not interfere with histological screening for oestrogens in male
veal calves.
Full Abstract here
A reader of "Wise Traditions", the
renowned magazine of the Weston A. Price Foundation, recounts
her experience of the effects of soy on a feline population. her
report is typical of the effects of isoflavones (estrogenic soy
toxins). Download the published
letter here.
Effect of dietary
soy on serum thyroid hormone concentrations in healthy adult cats.
White HL, Freeman LM, Mahony O, Graham PA, Hao Q, Court MH.
Department of Clinical Sciences, School of Veterinary
Medicine, Tufts University, North Grafton, MA 01536, USA.
OBJECTIVE: To compare effects of short-term
administration of a soy diet with those of a soy-free diet on
serum thyroid hormone concentrations in healthy adult cats. ANIMALS:
18 healthy adult cats. PROCEDURE: Cats were randomly assigned
to receive either a soy or soy-free diet for 3 months each in
a crossover design. Assays included CBC, serum biochemical profile,
thyroid hormone analysis, and measurement of urinary isoflavone
concentrations. RESULTS: Genistein, a major soy isoflavone, was
identified in the urine of 10 of 18 cats prior to dietary intervention.
Compared with the soy-free diet, cats that received the soy diet
had significantly higher total thyroxine (T4) and free T4 (fT4)
concentrations, but unchanged total triiodothyronine (T3) concentrations.
The T3/fT4 ratio was also significantly lower in cats that received
the soy diet. Although the magnitudes of the increases were small
(8% for T4 and 14% for fT4), these changes resulted in an increased
proportion of cats (from 1/18 to 4/18) that had fT4 values greater
than the upper limit of the laboratory reference range. There
was no significant effect of diet on any other measured parameter.
CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Short-term administration
of dietary soy has a measurable although modest effect on thyroid
hormone homeostasis in cats. Increase in T4 concentration relative
to T3 concentration may result from inhibition of 5'-iodothyronine
deiodinase or enhanced T3 clearance. Soy is a common dietary component
that increases serum T4 concentration in cats.
Effect of daidzein
on egg-laying performance in Shaoxing duck breeders during different
stages of the egg production cycle
Zhao RQ, Zhou YC, Ni YD, Lu LZ, Tao ZR, Chen WH, Chen J.
Key Laboratory of Animal Physiology and Biochemistry, Nanjing
Agricultural University, Nanjing, PR China. yzwj@public1.ptt.js.cn
The effect of a phyto-oestrogen, daidzein,
on the laying performance of Shaoxing female ducks was examined
in three experiments performed at different stages of the egg
production cycle. Egg-laying rate, egg weight, egg composition,
feed conversion ratio, hatchability characteristics of eggs and
body weight, ovary and oviduct weight, as well as changes in serum
concentrations of T3, T4 and E2 were recorded as response criteria.
Full
Abstract here
Effect of dietary soy on
serum thyroid hormone concentrations in healthy adult cats.
White HL, Freeman LM, Mahony O, Graham PA, Hao Q, Court
MH. Am J Vet Res. 2004 May;65(5):586-91
Short-term administration of dietary
soy has a measurable although modest effect on thyroid hormone homeostasis
in cats. Increase in T4 concentration relative to T3 concentration
may result from inhibition of 5'-iodothyronine deiodinase or enhanced
T3 clearance. Soy is a common dietary component that increases serum
T4 concentration in cats.
Full
Abstract Here
Dietary genistein inactivates
rat thyroid peroxidase in vivo without an apparent hypothyroid effect.
Chang HC, Doerge DR. Toxicol Appl Pharmacol. 2000 Nov 1;168(3):244-52.
...substantial amounts of TPO
activity are lost concomitant to soy isoflavone consumption by normal
rats, the remaining enzymatic activity is sufficient to maintain
thyroid homeostasis in the absence of additional perturbations.
Full Abstract Here
If the thyroid function of rats can
be compared to that of humans, then the reduction of thyroid function
(thyroid peroxidase) by the soy estrogen of up to 80% could be highly
dangerous. These researchers suggest that the thyroid of rats can
function even though 80% of its capacity is inhibited if there is
no other perturbing factor. In other research this same FDA laboratory
(link to "Anti-thyroid Isoflavones From Soybean") has
stated that any substance that inhibits TPO is by definition a potential
carcinogen in thyroid tissue (Abstract
Here).
Goat Testimony from Chet
Day Newsletter.
You know how it goes, Goats can eat
anything. Well, I about lost my herd before I figured out what was
killing them. I was told by a "natural" show goat person,
that she and a university did the research, and the best goat feed
was a mixture of grains which included corn, barley, oats, sun flowers
and soy beans.
Like I said, I about lost my whole
herd before I figured out that it was the soy beans that were causing
birth defects and death among the herd. Babies were born which couldn't
stand (lack of calcium). If they can't stand they couldn't nurse
and soon starved to death. Mothers becoming skin and bones and wasting
away.
If all that wasn't bad enough, even
once I stopped the soy, it took two years to repair the damage done
to the adult's health. If an herbivore like goats can't consume
soy ... I don't suppose it is all that hot for an omnivore like
'man' to eat soy beans.
Foods
Containing Soy by 1988 had killed over 10% of the world's zoo-kept cheetahs
Dietary genistein inactivates
rat thyroid peroxidase in vivo without an apparent hypothyroid effect.
Chang HC, Doerge DR. Toxicol Appl Pharmacol. 2000 Nov 1;168(3):244-52.
...substantial amounts of TPO activity
are lost concomitant to soy isoflavone consumption by normal rats,
the remaining enzymatic activity is sufficient to maintain thyroid
homeostasis in the absence of additional perturbations.I
Full
Abstract Here
f the thyroid function of rats can
be compared to that of humans, then the reduction of thyroid function
(thyroid peroxidase) by the soy estrogen of up to 80% could be highly
dangerous. These researchers suggest that the thyroid of rats can
function even though 80% of its capacity is inhibited if there is
no other perturbing factor. In other research this same FDA laboratory
(link to "Anti-thyroid Isoflavones From Soybean") has
stated that any substance that inhibits TPO is by definition a potential
carcinogen in thyroid tissue (Abstract
Here).
Induction of micronuclei,
DNA strand breaks and HPRT mutations in cultured Chinese hamster
V79 cells by the phytoestrogen coumoestrol.
Kulling SE, Metzler M. Food Chem Toxicol. 1997 Jun;35(6):605-13.
Coumoestrol (COUM), genistein (GEN)
and daidzein (DAI) are major phytoestrogens present in numerous
plants eaten by humans and food-producing animals.
The effects of COUM, GEN and DAI
were studied in cultured Chinese hamster V79 cells at various endpoints.
None of the substances affected the cytoplasmic microtubule complex
or the mitotic spindle. However, COUM and GEN but not DAI proved
to be strong inducers of DNA strand breaks and micronuclei containing
acentric fragments, as shown with antikinetochore antibodies.
Full
Abstract Here
The soya isoflavone content
of rat diet can increase anxiety and stress hormone release in the
male rat.
Hartley DE, Edwards JE, Spiller CE, Alom N, Tucci S, Seth
P, Forsling ML, File SE. Psychopharmacology (Berl) 2003 Mar 5;
Isoflavones form one of the main
classes of phytoestrogens and have been found to exert both oestrogenic
and anti-oestrogenic effects on the central nervous system. The
effects have not been limited to reproductive behaviour, but include
effects on learning and anxiety and actions on the hypothalamo-pituitary
axis. It is therefore possible that the soya content of diet could
have significant effects on brain and behaviour and be an important
source of between-laboratory variability.
Compared with the rats fed the iso-free
diet, the rats fed the iso-150 diet spent significantly less time
in active social interaction and made a significantly lower percentage
of entries onto the open arms of the plus-maze, indicating anxiogenic
effects in both animal tests. The groups did not differ in their
basal corticosterone concentrations, but the iso-150 group had significantly
elevated stress-induced corticosterone concentrations. Stress-induced
plasma vasopressin concentrations were also significantly elevated
in the iso-150 diet group compared with the iso-free rats.
Major changes in behavioural measures
of anxiety and in stress hormones can result from the soya isoflavone
content of rat diet. These changes are as striking as those seen
following drug administration
Full
Abstract Here
Exposure to Genistein During
Gestation and Lactation Demasculinizes the Reproductive System in
Rats.
Wisniewski AB, Klein SL, Lakshmanan Y, Gearhart JP. J Urol
2003 Apr;169(4):1582-1586
Exposure to the phytoestrogen genistein
(Indofine Chemical Co., Somerville, New Jersey) can disrupt normal
male sexual differentiation.
Males exposed to genistein had smaller
anogenital distance and testis size, and delayed preputial separation.
Perinatal exposure to genistein also caused long-term dysfunction
in reproductive behavior, in which adult males exposed to genistein
were less likely to mount, intromit and ejaculate during mating
tests. Males exposed to genistein also had lower testosterone concentrations
in adulthood.
Perinatal genistein exposure results
in transient and lasting alterations in masculinization of the reproductive
system. These results extend our knowledge of the effects of early
genistein exposure on male development and may have implications
for human health in terms of potential relationships of endocrine
disrupters and urogenital abnormalities thought to be increasing
in incidence in boys and men.
Full
Abstract Here
Infant feeding with soy formula
milk: effects on the testis and on blood testosterone levels in
marmoset monkeys during the period of neonatal testicular activity.
Sharpe RM, Martin B, Morris K, Greig
I, McKinnell C, McNeilly AS, Walker M. Hum Reprod 2002 Jul;17(7):1692-703.
SMA-fed males had mean testosterone
levels of 2.8-3.1 ng/ml, typical of the 'neonatal testosterone rise',
whereas SFM-fed males exhibited consistently lower mean levels (1.2-2.6
ng/ml); paired comparison in SMA-and SFM-fed co-twins at day 35-45
revealed 53-70% lower levels in 11 of 13 co-twins fed with SFM (P
= 0.004).
Further evidence for suppression
of testosterone levels in SFM-fed males came from comparison of
the frequency of low testosterone levels (<0.5 ng/ml). In historical
controls aged 35-45 days, two out of 22 values were <0.5 ng/ml,
a similar frequency as found in control SMA-fed males (one out of
15 values <0.5 ng/ml). In contrast, 12 out of 15 values for SFM-fed
males were <0.5 ng/ml (P < 0.001).
Based on the average isoflavone content
of the SFM brand used, intake of isoflavones was estimated at 1.6-3.5
mg/kg/day in the SFM-fed marmosets which is 40-87% of that reported
in 4 month human infants fed on a 100% SFM diet. It is therefore
considered likely that similar, or larger, effects to those shown
here in marmosets may occur in human male infants fed with SFM.
Whether the changes described result in longer-term effects is under
investigation.
Full
Abstract Here
The phytoestrogens coumoestrol
and genistein induce structural chromosomal aberrations in cultured
human peripheral blood lymphocytes.
Kulling SE, Rosenberg B, Jacobs E, Metzler M. Arch
Toxicol. 1999 Feb;73(1):50-4.
These results, together with
previously published reports on the induction of micronuclei and
DNA strand breaks in cultured Chinese hamster V79 cells by COUM
and GEN, but not DAI, suggest that some but not all phytoestrogens
have the potential for genetic toxicity.
Full
Abstract Here
Evaluation of environmental, nutritional, and host factors in cats
with hyperthyroidism.
Kass PH, Peterson ME, Levy J, James K, Becker DV, Cowgill
LD., J Vet Intern Med 1999 Jul-Aug;13(4):323-9
Compared
with cats that did not eat canned food, those that ate commercially
prepared canned food had an approximate 2-fold increase in risk
of disease.
Full Abstract Here
Identification of phytoestrogens in the urine of male dogs.
Juniewicz PE, Pallante Morell S, Moser A, Ewing LL.,
J Steroid Biochem 1988 Dec;31(6):987-94
We
used thermospray-mass spectrometry and GC-MS to identify the phytoestrogens
daidzein, equol, formononetin and genistein in HPLC purified fractions
of urine obtained from male beagles. Using the same techniques we
also confirmed the presence of daidzein and genistein in the commercial
diet fed to these same dogs.
In
conclusion, phytoestrogens are present in urine of male beagles.
Moreover, the commercial diet fed to these dogs contains isoflavones
which can be converted to equol by intestinal microflora.
Full
Abstract Here
Identification and concentration of soy isoflavones in commercial
cat foods.
Court MH, Freeman LM., Am J Vet Res 2002 Feb;63(2):181-5
Genistein
and daidzein are common constituents of commercial cat foods. Predictors
of isoflavone content included ingredient labeling, food type, and
food cost. Soy isoflavones in some commercial cat foods were detected
in amounts predicted to have a biological effect.
Full
Abstract Here
Effects
of the protein phosphorylation inhibitor genistein on maturation
of pig oocytes in vitro.
Jung T, Fulka J Jr, Lee C, Moor RM., J Reprod Fertil
1993 Jul;98(2):529-35
It
is concluded that genistein inhibited protein phosphorylation is
a regulator of chromatin condensation, whereas both new protein
synthesis and phosphorylation appear to be required for nuclear
membrane disassembly.
Full Abstract Here
Cell-transforming activity and mutagenicity
of 5 phytoestrogens in cultured mammalian cells.
Tsutsui T, Tamura Y, Yagi E, Someya H, Hori I, Metzler
M, Barrett JC.Int J Cancer 2003 Jun 20;105(3):312-20
Morphological transformation
in SHE cells was elicited by all phytoestrogens, except, prunetin.
The transforming activities were ranked as follows: genistein >
coumestrol > daidzein > biochanin A. Somatic mutations in
SHE cells at the Na(+)/K(+) ATPase and hprt loci were induced only
by genistein, coumestrol, or daidzein. Chromosome aberrations were
induced by genistein or coumestrol, and aneuploidy in the near diploid
range was occurred by genistein or biochanin A. Genistein, biochanin
A or daidzein induced DNA adduct formation in SHE cells with the
abilities: genistein > biochanin A > daidzein. Prunetin was
negative for any of these genetic endpoints. Our results provide
evidence that genistein, coumestrol, daidzein and biochanin A induce
cell transformation in SHE cells and that the transforming activities
of these phytoestrogens correspond to at least 2 of the mutagenic
effects by each phytoestrogen, i.e., gene mutations, chromosome
aberrations, aneuploidy or DNA adduct formation, suggesting the
possible involvement of mutagenicity in the initiation of phytoestrogen-induced
carcinogenesis.
Full
Abstract Here
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