Soy-based milk has a link with menstrual pain, study states
| Nov 9, 2018, 16:09 IST
A new study has found that women who were fed soy-based milk as babies were at a higher risk of experiencing menstrual pain. It was found that these women had to take a hormonal contraception at some point in their lives to help reduce menstrual cramps. Dr Kristen Upson said, "Menstrual pain is the most common menstrual complaint and can substantially affect the quality of women's lives. Exposure to oestrogens during infant development, such as the phytoestrogens in soy formula, may affect reproductive health in adulthood."
"Previous research in young adults who participated in feeding studies as infants reported an increased risk of greater menstrual pain severity in adulthood with soy formula feeding. Evidence from subsequent animal studies support the disruptive effects of the soy formula phytoestrogen, genistein, on reproductive system development that persist into adulthood."
Co-author, Dr Donna Baird, said: "Many studies of menstrual pain exclude women on hormonal contraception, but this can exclude those most bothered by menstrual pain since they may be using the medication to alleviate pain. Our questions about a women's prior experience with menstrual pain allowed us to include all the women in the study."
"Previous research in young adults who participated in feeding studies as infants reported an increased risk of greater menstrual pain severity in adulthood with soy formula feeding. Evidence from subsequent animal studies support the disruptive effects of the soy formula phytoestrogen, genistein, on reproductive system development that persist into adulthood."
Co-author, Dr Donna Baird, said: "Many studies of menstrual pain exclude women on hormonal contraception, but this can exclude those most bothered by menstrual pain since they may be using the medication to alleviate pain. Our questions about a women's prior experience with menstrual pain allowed us to include all the women in the study."