Could Soy Help Lower Your Blood Pressure?

[WillParkinson]

Could Soy Help Lower Your Blood Pressure?
Antioxidants in tofu, other foods might have beneficial effect, study suggests

SUNDAY, March 25 (HealthDay News) -- Isoflavones -- a compound found in foods such as soy milk, green tea, tofu and peanuts -- may help lower blood pressure in young adults, new research suggests.

The researchers also found that isoflavones may be of particular benefit for black American adults, nearly 42 percent of whom are estimated to have high blood pressure, also known as hypertension.

One expert not connected to the study said there is reason to believe that isoflavones could help the heart.

Isoflavones "dilate the vessels by increasing the release of nitric oxide," explained Dr. Suzanne Steinbaum, director of women and heart disease at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York City. She said the new study, "brings to light a compelling dietary recommendation that can help control hypertension in younger patients."

In the new study, investigators examined data from more than 5,000 participants in a major study funded by the U.S. National Institutes of Health.

The analysis revealed that those who consumed the highest amounts of isoflavones per day (more than 2.5 milligrams [mg]) had an average 5.5 mmHg lower systolic pressure (the top number in a blood pressure reading) than those who consumed less than 0.33 mg of isoflavones per day.

http://www.sparkpeople.com/resource/health_news_detail.asp?health_day=663076

[Speck Tater]

1. Excess soy intake could increase risk of erectile disfunction.

(don't you just love science?)

http://blueheronhealthnews.com/site/?p=4944&d=2012-03-23

Eating excess amounts of soy products such as tofu and veggie burgers slightly may increase erectile dysfunction risk, according to research published in the latest edition of the journal Nutrition.

In this study scientists investigated a case study of a man that adopted a diet heavy in soy protein. Soon after eating soy, the research subject reported low libido and an inability to maintain an erection. When doctors intervened and eliminated soy from his diet, his ED disappeared.

Scientists aren’t sure how soy man contribute to ED but hypothesize that soy isoflavones –compounds in soy that resemble estrogen—may interfere with penile function.

[SecularMotion]

2. As stated in the article

"This study is obviously not very scientific since there was only one subject."

[flvegan]

3. That phytoestrogen crap is a bunch of hooey.

If soy did "as advertised" by the idiots, you know what other men would have ED? The ones that drink beer. Why? Hops contains phytoestrogen. As do apples and a bunch of other stuff.

If it presented extra estrogen in the body, I hope to the vegan lords that there's never a steroid test done after Game 7 of the World Series, as every single player on the winning team is going to test positive for PEDs the next day.