Soybeans reduce male fertility, is it true?

Soy foods have long been the choice of many people, namely tempeh, tofu, soy milk, and other soy products. Soybeans are a source of animal protein and are known to contain many benefits, including reducing cholesterol levels, reducing the risk of heart disease, breast cancer, osteoporosis, and reducing menopausal symptoms for women. However, behind these many benefits, there is an assumption that soybeans reduce male fertility. Is that true?

Where do you think soy reduces male fertility?

Soybeans contain a type of phytoestrogens known as isoflavones. This isoflavone content is then linked to male fertility because of its impact on reproductive hormones and sperm. Research conducted in Kings's College London 2005 showed that the likelihood of human sperm losing its acrosome (the part that allows sperm to penetrate the egg) tripled after exposure to the genistein isoflavone (a form of isoflavone) found in soy.

Men who eat a lot of soy products have lower sperm concentrations than men who don't eat soy products. However, the research that proves this to be true is very limited and very few in number. Usually the research on this subject is more visible in men overweight or obese who come to a fertility clinic.

Research by Chavarro and colleagues involving 99 men between 2000 and 2006 showed that men who consumed a lot of soy tended to have lower sperm concentrations than men who did not eat soy, but most were still within normal limits. Compared with men who do not eat soy, men with the highest soy intake produce more ejaculate volume, but with the same number of sperm, so that the sperm concentration is lower.

Low sperm concentration does not have an impact on the morphology (shape) and motility (ability to move) of the sperm. Low sperm concentration especially occurs in men who experience it overweight and obesity. This study does not adequately prove that soy consumption is related to sperm concentration. Researchers suspect that other factors, such as overweight and obesity, may be involved. Additionally, the men involved in the study may not be representative of all men. To prove the relationship between soy consumption and male fertility, further research is needed.

Chavarro's research conducted in western countries also admits that more soy intake in Asian men does not indicate that soy consumption reduces male fertility. Thus, the myth that soy consumption reduces male fertility has not been proven true. So for men who like to consume foods that contain soy, such as tempeh, tofu, soy milk and others, you can eat as much as you want and don't have to worry about your fertility anymore.

Benefits of soy for men

Behind the myth "soy reduces male fertility", soy also has good benefits for men. As a source of vegetable protein, soybeans are rich in essential nutrients needed by the body and are also useful for preventing various diseases, including:

Prevent coronary heart disease (CHD). Soybeans can protect the body from heart disease because of the nutritional content that nourishes the body. First, soybeans are low in saturated fat and high in polyunsaturated fats (such as omega-6 fatty acids and omega-3 fatty acids), so they can help reduce cholesterol levels in the blood. Second, the protein in soy can directly reduce cholesterol levels in the blood. Research shows that consumption of foods containing soy can reduce the risk of CHD due to the impact of soy which can lower high blood cholesterol.
Prevent prostate cancer. Soybeans contain phytochemicals that can lower the risk of prostate cancer in men and may also help cure this disease. Research shows that the genistein isoflavones in soy can prevent prostate cancer. Other studies have also shown that men who eat foods containing soy every day are less likely to develop prostate cancer than those who do not.