Estrogen Levels in Soy-Based Products

by Master Herbalist Jared Tropple

The question has been brought to us about the possible dangers of soy-based products relating to the levels of estrogen in them. I personally love this question because it puts so many holes in the way allopathic (traditional) medicine thinks.

In allopathic medicine doctors just look at the symptoms of the disease and treat the body as individual functions (i.e. just treat the one area where the problem is) instead of looking at the whole body. They also ignore the mental, emotional and spiritual aspects of the person. Vitalists look at all of these things and help the person cleanse and nourish all parts of the being in order to help the body itself do the healing.

As an herbalist I see each plant as a complex set of chemical checks and balances. I also see the possible energetic qualities. I look how the whole herb (or combination of whole herbs) affects all parts of the body and not just that specific function inside the specific organ. Generally speaking, the medical community takes the herb apart and looks for the specific chemical that is causing the improvement and then creates an unbalanced drug that can be effective on that specific function, but you end up with a list of possible severe side effects that you wouldn't find in the whole plant source.

It is important to remember that soy is one of the most genetically modified foods. You should stay away from anything that is genetically modified. As long as you make sure your soy products are organic you will be safe because the plant will work how it should. I don't have a problem with soy-based estrogen formulas to balance out hormone levels if they are sourced from organic soy and if they use the whole plant and not just isolated parts of it.

Estrogen in drug form can be dangerous because it forces the body to use such high levels of the hormone that it causes fluctuations in estrogen production. These fluctuations can sometimes cause other side effects that can be more uncomfortable and can cause more disease in the body than the original low levels of estrogen did. In contrast, phytosterols, like those found in plants, are at very low levels. Because the estrogen in soy-based products is at a low level you sometimes hear about the insignificance of using them as hormone replacement therapy. However, they do help the body even out the levels of hormones over time, which is what you want.

Dr. Christopher created a formula that feeds the whole system and cleanses out any blockages that may be occurring. Dr. Christopher's Hormonal Changease formula takes into account many factors that may be causing low estrogen levels. It doesn't have high amounts of any hormone in it, but if you ask the many people over the years that love the formula they will testify of its effectiveness in balancing out hormone levels over time and thus correcting the initial problem.

As a note, in some instances like breast and cervical cancer, estrogen can make it worse. The idea to stay away from estrogen is good advice for these people.