(2015), Soy food intake and treatment outcomes of women undergoing assisted reproductive technology, Andrews MA, Schliep KC, Wactawski-Wende J, et al. (2020), Soy isoflavones accelerate glial cell migration via GPER-mediated signal transduction pathway, Patel RP, Boersma BJ, Crawford JH, et al. (2019), Consumption of soy-based infant formula is not associated with early onset of puberty, Rosselli M, Reinhart K, Imthurn B, et al. As for males, a 2010 meta-analysis highlighted the safety of soy on fertility outcomes(21), recently confirmed by an updated meta-analysis on this topic(22). The generalisation of these results is complex due to the type of study, which does not allow to define a causal relationship. However, the difference became not significant after adjustment for isoflavone intake. M. L. contributed to drafting and revising the manuscript. The beneficial efficacy of soy is often attributed to the presence of isoflavones, capable of mitigating the excesses of endogenous estrogens, through the competition with estrogen receptors or by the activation of receptors, in the presence of low levels of endogenous estrogens. It is important to evaluate the levels of hormones that fluctuate during the cycle at several points. The authors wish to thank Sandra De Dominici for language revision assistance. It does not appear to be randomised and blinded, but the nature of outcomes should not be affected by these limitations. A list of the selected clinical studies with their characteristics is summarised in Table 1. The article processing charge was funded by the Baden-Wuerttemberg Ministry of Science, Research and Art and the University of Freiburg in the funding programme Open Access Publishing. Soy food and soy isoflavone intake were unrelated to sperm motility, sperm morphology or ejaculate volume. This was a short pilot study with a small sample size in subgroups. Regarding observational studies, in 2015 Andrews and colleagues conducted a prospective cohort study on 246 American women with normal menstrual cycle, aged 1844 and with 13% of participants of Asian ethnicity, for a follow-up of 12 whole menstrual cycles(41). I continued Intralipid after a positive and 2 more the next 2 months. (2011), A prospective cohort study of menstrual characteristics and time to pregnancy, Hooper L, Ryder JJ, Kurzer MS, et al. Despite adjustments for demographic, lifestyle, dietary factors, including ethnicity and other phytoestrogens, it would have been useful to check the dietary intake of isoflavones for equol-producers evaluation. It is plausible that isoflavones bind to this blood carrier and stimulate its hepatic synthesis. HHS Vulnerability Disclosure, Help Mildly increased levels of SHBG were associated with higher dietary isoflavone intakes (Q4 [16788mg/d] v. Q1 [0003mg/d]) in the adjusted linear mixed model (: 009, 95% CI 002, 016), but no correlation was found for estradiol, progesterone, LH, FSH levels or anovulatory events. However, even in the West, it is currently widely used, especially due to its versatility in plant-based products for health purposes and vegetarian diets(1). Even if the exact conversion mechanism has not been characterised yet, a limited conversion capacity in Western populations (about 25%) has been highlighted, as opposed to the greater competence of Asian populations (50%), estimated through urinary equol excretion(17). Eating a few servings of soy each week could improve fertility and metabolic aspects of PCOS. (1999), Xenoestrogen interaction with human sex hormone-binding globulin (hSHBG), Inhibition of tumor promoter-induced hydrogen peroxide formation in vitro and in vivo by genistein, Morton MS, Arisaka O, Miyake N, et al. Although this clinical trial showed the long-term effect of soy ingestion on serum hormone levels, it was a pilot study with a limited number of participants (fourteen premenopausal women). (1996), Stimulatory influence of soy protein isolate on breast secretion in pre- and postmenopausal women, Lu LJ, Anderson KE, Grady JJ, et al. recruited 315 USA women underwent 530 cycles of assisted reproduction technology(40). Soy is a key food in human nutrition. (2000), Effects of soy foods on ovarian function in premenopausal women, Lu LJ, Anderson KE, Grady JJ, et al. Multiple regression analysis including various set of possible confounders highlighted more in-depth correlations. On consumption, they increase estrogen production in a woman's body. (2004), Phytoestrogens may improve the pregnancy rate in in vitro fertilizationembryo transfer cycles: a prospective, controlled, randomized trial, The effect of soybeans on the anovulatory cycle, Romualdi D, Costantini B, Campagna G, et al. Similar to the previous observational study, Chavarro et al. Eleven interventional studies, eleven observational studies and one meta-analysis have been selected from the results of queries. (2021), Soy intake is associated with lowering blood pressure in adults: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized double-blind placebo-controlled trials, The antioxidant role of soy and soy foods in human health, Kang J, Badger TM, Ronis MJJ, et al. If you're trying to conceive, you should eat soy-based foods in moderation. Consistent with the previously cited data, no significant alteration in the cycle length was found among participants following the intervention. In the mid-1990s he was accused of transferring ova harvested from women . However, the mechanisms underlying isoflavones effects on human health are manifold. (2015), The effects of phytoestrogen genistein on steroidogenesis and estrogen receptor expression in porcine granulosa cells of large follicles, Endocrine-disrupting chemicals as modulators of sex steroid synthesis, Gunnarsson C, Ahnstrm M, Kirschner K, et al. Furthermore, it should be considered that, as already discussed, many studies display several limitations including inadequate sampling of hormone concentrations during all phases of cycle, low number of participants and the lack of a placebo group. The urinary or serum levels of isoflavones did not affected progesterone levels in the multiple regression analysis. Women will take 2-4 tablets each day for a few days prior to ovulation: days 1-5, 3-7, or 5-9 of their cycle. M. A. S. contributed to drafting and revising the manuscript. In 2000, Wu et al. This could be done by empirically monitoring ovulation to get a real information of menstrual phase, such as quantifying the urinary LH peak as a marker of ovulation, as done by Wu et al.(28). I started taking soy in December on CD4-8 and I got digital bfp on at 9dpo. This aspect was different from the results of the clinical trials with high intakes listed above, perhaps due to very different intakes (mean isoflavone consumption of 34mg/d in this cohort). Thus, consumption of soy containing 32-200 mg/d of isoflavones seems to increase menstrual cycle length and the ratios of 2- to 16- (OH) and 2- to 4- (OH) estrogens and to decrease plasma concentrations of estradiol, progesterone, midcycle gonadotropins and SHBG as well as urinary estrogens. It has been said to be nature's clomid. Presumably, treatment with pharmacological concentrations of soy phytoestrogens allows mitigating the negative effect of clomiphene citrate on endometrial tissue, thus facilitating embryo implantation. Furthermore, the intake of isoflavones among participants was very low and this made it difficult to compare the findings with clinical trials that often use intakes similar to Asian populations (23844mg/d). Stay below 60 grams per day. Only three articles declared power analysis to assess adequate sample size(30,43,46). The ethnicity assessment of participants was useful in identifying, as might be expected, a greater consumption of soy foods by Asian individuals. In the meta-analysis by Hooper and colleagues(59) from the evaluation of eleven studies on premenopausal women, ten studies were included to clarify the effect of soy on menstrual cycle length. This may have influenced the presence of large confidence intervals. Fertility outcomes improvements (four pregnancies and twelve ovulations) compared with the control group (zero pregnancies, two ovulations), No hormonal changes (E2, FSH, LH, SHBG, Testosterone, DHEAS, Androstenedione, hydroxyprogesterone) after isoflavone intervention compared with baseline, The intervention with genistein reduced serum LH, DHEAS and testosterone levels compared with baseline, No association in Spearman's test correlation analysis between soy intake or amniotic Ph and self-reported infertility or pregnancy complications (premature labour, gestational diabetes, pregnancy-induced hypertension, low birth weight, caesarian section) among participants, USA/Caucasian, African-American, Asian, Other, No association in adjusted linear mixed model between IF intake and ovulatory functions (serum E2, free E2, P, LH, FSH levels and sporadic anovulation assessed by, An inverse relationship between dietary IF intake and live birth (3% reduction, 95% CI 0, 7) and a positive relationship with nulligravidity were seen (13% higher risk, 95% CI 2, 26), USA/Caucasian, African-American, Hispanic, Others, No association between urinary IF and fertility, assessed by time to pregnancy, USA/Caucasian, African-American, Hispanic, Asian, USA/Caucasian, African-American, Asian, other. However, the evaluation of ability to absorb and metabolise isoflavones was lacking in the present study. Notably, these latter compounds are present in several foods such as legumes, cereals and seeds, whereas soy is almost the only source of isoflavones in human diet. Thank God we tried it. However, stratification for the control group or PCOS patients did not show a significant correlation between androgens and equol production. (2020), Gaskins AJ, Nassan FL, Chiu Y-H, et al. However, there were also limitations: the duration of the study which was limited to two menstrual cycles and an evaluation of equol-producers among individuals was lacking. However, a suggestive positive influence has been shown among women with fertility issues and during assisted reproductive technologies. Received 2022 Jan 30; Accepted 2022 Feb 7. Soy can contain numerous other phytochemicals such as saponins, phytosterols, phytic acid, non-isoflavone flavonoids, peptides, protease inhibitors and other bioactive substances. was a pilot study without a characterisation of diet among participants and without data on soy composition (isoflavone or antioxidant contents). The present paper aims to conduct a review of available data on the effect of soy, soy foods and soy components on women's fertility and related outcomes. Phytoestrogens and breast cancer promoters or protectors? Women who also have the problem of irregular periods can consume these isoflavones to get much-needed relief. I've heard soy increases chances of having twins. On the other hand, many perplexities have been raised about possible negative mechanisms leading to endocrine disruptor effects(20). Among the limitations of this review of literature, we must include the possible avoidance of studies that considered fertility as a secondary outcome and which therefore may have escaped from the manuscript selection. (2016), Soy intake modifies the relation between urinary bisphenol A concentrations and pregnancy outcomes among women undergoing assisted reproduction, The effects of soy isoflavones on metabolic status of patients with polycystic ovary syndrome, Wesselink AK, Hatch EE, Mikkelsen EM, et al. Despite the significant increase in FSH, LH and estradiol in both intervention arms, the endometrial thickness (assessed by transvaginal sonography) had a major improvement in the intervention group compared with placebo. Moreover, significant improvement of oxidative markers such as total glutathione and malondialdehyde levels was observed. The authors showed an inverse correlation between cycle length (detected via fertility monitors and daily journals) and total urinary phytoestrogen levels (0042d for 10% increase, 95% CI 0080, 0003). (2000), Cellular and biochemical mechanisms by which environmental oestrogens influence reproductive function, Zand RS, Jenkins DJ & Diamandis EP (2000), Steroid hormone activity of flavonoids and related compounds, Kuiper GG, Lemmen JG, Carlsson B, et al. However, after removing data from studies with elevated bias risk, three studies were included in the sensitivity analysis with consequent loss of statistical significance. Although the clinical trial was quasi-randomised, with a placebo group, double-blinded, authors did not characterise the dietary regimen of individuals as well as their ability to effectively absorb and metabolise soy isoflavones. Follicular development, the number of preovulatory follicles and the pulsatility index values were not different between groups after intervention. The phytoestrogen actions of soy isoflavones may increase estrogen levels in the body and induce ovulation in women, thus, may speed up the process of pregnancy. Last but not least, soy isoflavones can act through an antioxidant mechanism through the stimulation of enzymes responsible for xenobiotics metabolism and oxidative stress reduction in vitro at a range of 5100M(87). Interestingly, soy often appears in literature as a food with a beneficial effect on fertility, especially in the case of pregnancy search(68). Isoflavone genistein inhibited the enzyme tyrosine kinase in human A431 cell membranes at 07g/ml, a very high, non-physiological concentration(77) and act as a ligand for peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors (PPARs) in cultured astrocytes at 500nM(78). Furthermore, considering soy as a mere source of isoflavones is extremely reductive. However, the association between soy and isoflavones with the reduction of luteal phase seems weak. In response, your body starts a cascade of events to boost estrogen production. Nevertheless, a reduction in FSH levels was confirmed (SMD: 087IU/l, 95% CI 172, 002). No changes were highlighted for DHEA, DHEAS, dihydrotestosterone (DHT) concentration or LH:FSH ratio. The clinical studies selection included one retrospective study, two cross-sectional studies, eight longitudinal cohort studies, five parallel-designed interventional studies and six longitudinal interventional studies. In another clinical trial already discussed, although no changes in cycle length were found following soy foods intervention in twenty women with a follow-up of at least seven menstrual cycles, a significant reduction in follicular phase by 93% (P<005) in estradiol concentrations was observed, but not in luteal phase(28). Researchers did not observe any clinical improvement, alteration of menstrual cycle or hormonal alteration (estradiol, SHBG, DHEAS, androstenedione, testosterone, FSH, LH) compared with baseline levels. 2023-03-29. Five studies exploring the relationship between soy and the length of menstrual cycle in healthy women have been selected, including two observational studies(41,45) and three longitudinal interventional studies(26,28,29). However, the sampling during the various days of the cycle allowed a detailed characterisation of serum LH surge day. However, results are questionable due to the lack of hormone level measurements or reproductive functions. The FDA has not evaluated this supplement for any medical use. The possible correlation between menstrual cycle length and soy does not seem convincing either. 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