Aug. 1, 2008 Two hormone-like compounds linked to the
consumption of soy-based foods can cause irreversible changes in
the structure of the brain, resulting in early-onset puberty and
symptoms of advanced menopause in research animals, according to
a new study by researchers at North Carolina State University.
The study is a breakthrough in determining how these compounds
can cause reproductive health problems, as well as in providing
a key building block for how to treat these problems. The study
is the first to show that the actual physical organization of a
region of the brain that is important for female reproduction
can be significantly altered by exposure to phytoestrogens – or
plant-produced chemicals that mimic hormones – during
development. Specifically, the study finds that the compounds
alter the sex-specific organization of the hypothalamus – a
brain region that is essential to the regulation of puberty and
ovulation. The study also shows that the phytoestrogens could
cause long-term effects on th