Is Soy Bad for Males? Research Debunks the Harmful Soy Myth (EXCLUSIVE)

There is an overwhelming amount of propaganda put forth by the shady dairy industry leading consumers to believe that soy is deleterious to human health. In actuality, soy is a remarkably versatile base for food, comes with a host of health benefits, and may even support individuals experiencing menopause.

For men, though, the propaganda is turned to the max, scaring them into believing that soy will lower testosterone, affect athletic and sexual performance, and impact fertility.

To combat these soy myths, Green Matters turned to innovative researcher and expert voice in nutrition, David Goldman, MS, RD, CSCS, FAND, a Fulbright specialist and visiting researcher with the Faculty of Medicine at the University of Helsinki.

Goldman shared his research and thoughts exclusively with Green Matters to provide expert insight into why soy is anything but the harmful ingredient the devils of the dairy industry make it out to be.

No, soy is not bad for males who do not have a soy allergy. Unless an unbiased doctor, in conjunction with an unbiased registered dietitian, were to advise you to remove soy from your diet for allergy reasons or other chronic conditions, you should feel confident in knowing that the most brilliant scientific minds believe that soy-based products are not bad for males to consume.

"Despite persistent myths, the phytoestrogens in soy act very differently from human estrogen. Typical soy consumption simply does not cause feminizing effects in men," Goldman tells Green Matters exclusively.

Among Goldman's most innovative research undertakings was an exploration of how soy milk and dairy milk affect male hormone levels.

Male athletes and the general population alike should heed Goldman's advice, especially after some remarkable observations were made.

"Our pilot study found that soy milk and dairy milk have virtually identical effects on male hormone levels after weightlifting. Athletes don't need to fear that soy will sabotage their muscle gains or hormonal health," Goldman tells Green Matters.

Goldman recently published an innovative pilot trial in conjunction with other prominent researchers, entitled: Acute Effects of Dairy or Soy Milk on Sex Hormones Following Resistance Exercise in Males: A Randomized, Crossover Pilot Trial.

The team found "no significant differences in circulating serum sex hormones between the two milk consumption conditions. Soy milk consumption did not result in lower circulating testosterone or higher circulating total estrogen than dairy milk consumption."

"After reviewing decades of high-quality clinical studies, we can confidently say that eating soy or drinking soy milk does not lower testosterone levels in men, even when consumed in high amounts or over long periods," Goldman tells Green Matters.

"The science is clear: Soy foods and soy milk have no negative impact on men’s fertility, sperm quality, or reproductive hormones."

You can be forgiven for being confused by the constant barrage of misinformation on social media from uncredentialed non-experts, as well as terrifying myths peddled by the dairy industry. Ultimately, per Goldman, men can feel confident in adding soy to their diets.

"Men should feel comfortable making soy a regular part of their diet," he tells Green Matters. "The overwhelming body of evidence shows that soy is a safe, healthy protein source that doesn't threaten testosterone or fertility."