Soy-Based Infant Formula Associated with Increased Menstrual Pain Later On

Health Wellness

When I was a kid, most moms either breastfed their babies or gave them warmed up milk in a bottle. Generally, milk was used if the mom worked, led a busy social life or found that breastfeeding was too painful or difficult and then some moms just don’t produce enough breastmilk.

Over the years, a variety of infant formulas have been developed. Some come as powders and others come in liquid ready to use form. Doing a search online, I found that Medicine Net list three major groups of infant formulas:

  1. Milk-based formulas are prepared from cow milk with added vegetable oils, vitamins, minerals, and iron. These formulas are suitable for most healthy full-term infants and should be the feeding of choice when breastfeeding is not used, or is stopped before 1 year of age.
  2. Soy-based formulas are made from soy protein with added vegetable oils (for fat calories) and corn syrup and/or sucrose (for carbohydrate). These formulas are suitable for infants who cannot tolerate the lactose (lactose intolerant) in most milk-based formulas or who are allergic to the whole protein in cow milk and milk-based formulas. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends the use of soy formulas for the above infants as well as for infants of parents seeking a vegetarian-based diet for a term infant. These formulas are not recommended for low-birth-weight or preterm infants or for the prevention of colic or allergies.
  3. There are special formulas for low-birth-weight (LBW) infants, low-sodium formulas for infants that need to restrict salt intake, and “predigested” protein formulas for infants who cannot tolerate or are allergic to the whole proteins (casein and whey) in cow milk and milk-based formulas.

Infant formula is a huge multimillion, probably a multibillion dollar business. Over the past couple of decades, more moms are forced to work to help support the family, so they rely on infant formulas. Sales of infant formulas have skyrocketed over the past 15-20 years as more moms are forced to work.

But what are the consequences of using infant formulas?

To begin with is the fact that breastmilk contains valuable nutrients that boost the immune system. There have been studies that show that babies raised on breastmilk tend to be overall healthier, especially having fewer incidents of asthma and allergies.

Secondly, there is important personal bonding between mother and infant that occurs during breastfeeding that doesn’t occur to the same degree while bottle feeding.

A new study conducted by the National Institutes of Health and the online journal Human Reproduction has revealed another negative effect with infants fed soy-based formulas.

According to one synopsis of the study:

“The study says soy feedings as an infant are associated with severe menstrual pain later in life. Researchers studied more than 1,500 babies.”

“They were looking especially in this study at infants who were African-American as similar studies included mainly babies that were white.”

“Researchers say this adds to previous studies that have shown that exposure to soy formula during early life may have detrimental effects on the reproductive system. The women fed soy formula in the study were not only more likely to experience moderate to severe menstrual discomfort, they were more likely to need hormonal contraceptive later in life to help reduce it.”

“The study author says soy contains genistein, which lab studies show interferes with the development of the reproductive system.”

“They say it’s also being linked to other common women’s health problems, such as endometriosis, heavy bleeding and fibroids.”

If you have a baby or will soon have a baby and are using or plan to use an infant formula, take time to check out the various formulas. Based on the study above and other studies, it seems best to stay away from soy-based formulas, especially if your baby is female.

 

Babies Formula Soy

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