Soy protein has been used in infant feeding in the West for nearly 100 y. Soy protein infant formulas have evolved in this interval to become safe and effective alternatives for infants whose nutritional needs are not met with human milk or formulas based on cow's milk. Modern soy formulas meet all nutritional requirements and safety standards of the Infant Formula Act of 1980. They are commonly used in infants with immunoglobulin E-mediated cow's milk allergy (at least 86% effective), lactose intolerance, galactosemia, and as a vegetarian human milk substitute. Largely as a result of research in animal models, concerns have been voiced regarding isoflavones in soy infant formulas in relation to nutritional adequacy, sexual development, neurobehavioral development, immune function, and thyroid disease. We discuss the available clinical evidence regarding each of these issues. Available evidence from adult human and infant populations indicates that dietary isoflavones in soy infant formulas do not adversely affect human growth, development, or reproduction.
Several studies were undertaken to determine the effect of dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) on growth in Zucker rats. In experiment 1, 3 weeks of DHEA treatment in lean rats resulted in decreased body weight gain in comparison to control rats. In experiment 2, both lean and obese rats were treated with DHEA from 6 to 21 weeks of age. Significant decreases in body weight were found for both lean and obese DHEA-treated rats. The food efficiency ratio (FER) was significantly decreased in both DHEA-treated groups. Significant decreases in parametrial and retroperitoneal fat pads were found in both lean and obese DHEA-treated rats. This was primarily attributed to a decrease in fat cell number in lean rats and to decreases in both number and size of fat cells in obese rats. In experiment 3 obese female rats were treated with DHEA from 6 to 21 weeks of age followed by 15 weeks with DHEA removed from the diet. Significantly more weight was gained by the rats previously treated than by the control rats, but body weight remained significantly lower than in the control groups. These data indicate DHEA has an effect on altering body weight and body fat in lean and obese Zucker rats.
S-equol, 10 mg/day, appears to be as effective as soy isoflavones at reducing hot flash frequency and more effective for relieving muscle and joint pain in postmenopausal women. S-equol, ≥20 mg/day, alleviates hot flashes to a greater extent than soy isoflavones in those women who experience >8 hot flashes/day.
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