BACKGROUND: The association between soy product consumption and cancer risk varies among studies. Therefore, this comprehensive meta-analysis of observational studies examines the association between soy product consumption and total cancer risk.
METHODS: This study was conducted following the PRISMA guidelines. Up to October 2023, all eligible published studies were searched through PubMed and Web of Science databases.
RESULTS: A total of 52 studies on soy product consumption were included in this meta-analysis (17 cohort studies and 35 case-control studies). High consumption of total soy products (RR: 0.69; 95% CI: 0.60, 0.80), tofu (RR: 0.78; 95% CI: 0.70, 0.86), and soymilk (RR: 0.75; 95% CI: 0.60, 0.93) were associated with reduced total cancer risk. No association was found between high consumption of fermented soy products (RR: 1.18; 95% CI: 0.95, 1.47), non-fermented soy products (RR: 0.95; 95% CI: 0.77, 1.18), soy paste (RR: 1.00; 95% CI: 0.88, 1.14), miso soup (RR: 0.99; 95% CI: 0.87, 1.12), or natto (RR: 0.96; 95% CI: 0.82, 1.11) and cancer risk. A 54 g per day increment of total soy products reduced cancer risk by 11%, a 61 g per day increment of tofu reduced cancer risk by 12%, and a 23 g per day increment of soymilk reduced cancer risk by 28%, while none of the other soy products were associated with cancer risk.
CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest that high total soy product consumption, especially soymilk and tofu, is associated with lower cancer risk. More prospective cohort studies are still needed to confirm the causal relationship between soy product consumption and cancer risk.

The global market for plant-based drinks is experiencing rapid growth driven by consumer demand for more sustainable diets, including vegetarian and vegan options. Soy beverages in particular are gaining popularity among individuals with lactose intolerance and milk protein allergies. They are considered an excellent source of high-quality protein, vitamin B, unsaturated fatty acids, and beneficial phytochemicals such as phytosterols, soy lecithins, and isoflavones. This review presents a comprehensive market survey of fifty-two soy beverages available in Spain and other European countries. The predominant category among those evaluated was calcium and vitamin-fortified drinks, accounting for 60% of the market. This reflects the need to address the nutritional gap compared to cow\'s milk and meet essential dietary requirements. The review covers the technological aspects of industrial soy milk production, including both traditional methods and innovative processing techniques. Additionally, it analyzes multiple studies and meta-analyses, presenting compelling evidence for the positive effects of soy beverages on various aspects of health. The review specifically examines the contributions of different components found in soy beverages, such as isoflavones, proteins, fiber, and oligosaccharides. Moreover, it explores controversial aspects of soy consumption, including its potential implications for growth, puberty, fertility, feminization, and the thyroid gland.

UNASSIGNED: Soy drinks are an increasingly consumed option within the Western diet. However, there are concerns about potential endocrine disruptor effects and possible impact on women\'s reproductive health. This review evaluates scientific documents in gynecology and obstetrics under an evidence-based medicine approach. All methods adhered to PRISMA 2020 declaration guidelines. The evaluated studies do not support a positive association between soy intake and early puberty or breast cancer; instead, a protective effect against such neoplasm was observed. Transplacental passage of soy isoflavones and their presence in breast milk has been reported without any maternal-fetal complications nor congenital malformations. Exposure to soy-derived products appears to have a neutral effect on body weight and bone health. Studies performed in adults indicate that soy may promote a minimal increase in thyrotropin (TSH) in subjects with subclinical hypothyroidism. The impact of soy-based foods on gut microbiota appears favorable, especially when consuming fermented products. Many of the human studies have been conducted with isoflavones supplements, isolated or textured soy proteins. Therefore, the results and conclusions should be interpreted cautiously, as these are not entirely applicable to commercial soy beverages.
UNASSIGNED: Las bebidas vegetales de soja constituyen una alternativa dentro de la dieta habitual. Sin embargo, existe la preocupación de potenciales efectos en la salud reproductiva de la mujer por mecanismos de disrupción endócrina. En esta revisión se evalúan documentos científicos en el área de la Ginecología y la Obstetricia bajo el tamiz de la medicina basada en la evidencia, respondiendo preguntas estructuradas. La metodología se apegó a las guías establecidas por la declaración PRISMA 2020. Los estudios evaluados descartan un riesgo incrementado de pubertad precoz o cáncer de mama; incluso se aprecia un efecto protector frente a dicha neoplasia. Se ha reportado el paso transplacentario de isoflavonas de soja y su presencia en la leche materna, sin que ello implique una relación con complicaciones materno-fetales o malformaciones congénitas. La exposición a productos de soja no parece influir sobre el peso corporal y la salud ósea de la mujer. Los estudios en adultos indican que la soja favorece un mínimo incremento de tirotropina (TSH) en personas con antecedente de hipotiroidismo subclínico. El impacto de los alimentos basados en soja sobre la microbiota intestinal parece ser favorable para su diversidad, particularmente al consumir productos fermentados. Muchos de los estudios en humanos han sido realizados con suplementos de isoflavonas o con productos que contienen proteínas aisladas o texturizadas de soja. Por tanto, los resultados y las conclusiones deben interpretarse con cautela ya que no son totalmente extrapolables a las bebidas comerciales de soja.

OBJECTIVE: Current guidelines have highlighted the role of diet in conjunction with drug therapy in the management of dyslipidemia. Over the last two decades, the effect of soy milk, a derivative of soybean, on blood lipids has been the focus of nutritional researches. The present study aimed to provide a comprehensive review of clinical trials investigating the effect of soy milk on blood lipids.
METHODS: An electronic database searching including PubMed, EMBASE, Scopus, and CENTRAL was performed to extract all the records that were published up to May 2018 using MeSH terms and relevant keywords. Randomized clinical trials that had evaluated the effect of soy milk consumption on serum lipids including total cholesterol (TC), triglycerides (TG), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) were eligible for inclusion to this systematic review.
RESULTS: Eight eligible trials comprising a total of 263 subjects were included in this review. Three studies reported no significant improvement in any of the serum lipid parameters following soy milk consumption. A significant decrease in serum TG, TC, and LDL-C was reported by 1, 1 and 3 trials. Also, 1 trial found that soy milk consumption was accompanied by a significant increase in HDL-C.
CONCLUSIONS: Evidence from clinical trials regarding the hypolipidemic effect of soy milk is limited and controversial. More well-designed clinical trials with large sample size and longer duration are warranted.

For centuries, fermented soy foods have been dietary staples in Asia and, now, in response to consumer demand, they are available throughout the world. Fermentation bestows unique flavors, boosts nutritional values and increases or adds new functional properties. In this review, we describe the functional properties and underlying action mechanisms of soy-based fermented foods such as Natto, fermented soy milk, Tempeh and soy sauce. When possible, the contribution of specific bioactive components is highlighted. While numerous studies with in vitro and animal models have hinted at the functionality of fermented soy foods, ascribing health benefits requires well-designed, often complex human studies with analysis of diet, lifestyle, family and medical history combined with long-term follow-ups for each subject. In addition, the contribution of the microbiome to the bioactivities of fermented soy foods, possibly mediated through direct action or bioactive metabolites, needs to be studied. Potential synergy or other interactions among the microorganisms carrying out the fermentation and the host\'s microbial community may also contribute to food functionality, but the details still require elucidation. Finally, safety evaluation of fermented soy foods has been limited, but is essential in order to provide guidelines for consumption and confirm lack of toxicity.

OBJECTIVE: To systematically evaluate the cariogenic potential of various commercially available infant formulas.
METHODS: A literature search was conducted using Pubmed and Scopus databases for articles published between 1966 and November 2014. Reference lists of all eligible studies were searched. Only human studies were included. Data extraction and risk of bias assessments were performed.
RESULTS: Seven of the 83 articles identified were included in this review, of which six studies employed plaque harvesting methods, while one study utilised an intra-oral cariogenicity/in situ model. Three studies compared milk-based formulas (MBFs) and soy-based formulas (SBFs), two compared protein hydrolysate formulas (PHFs) with MBFs and SBFs, four compared formulas with various types of sugar, and two studies compared formulas with varying casein content. Based on a single study, SBFs were significantly more cariogenic than MBFs. Formulas containing only non-milk extrinsic sugars (NMES) and those containing lactose + NMES were found to be significantly more cariogenic than formulas containing only lactose. No significant correlation was found between cariogenicity and casein content in infant formula. The results of studies comparing PHFs with MBFs and SBFs were contradictory. Risk of bias assessment revealed that five studies were at moderate risk of bias, and two were assessed to be at high risk of bias.
CONCLUSIONS: The result for cariogenicity of various types of infant formulas remains inconclusive, thus no concrete recommendations can be made. Further well-designed studies are needed to clarify the effect of casein content on cariogenicity.

The aim of this systematic review was to evaluate the efficacy of amino acid-based formulas (AAF) in patients with cow\'s milk allergy (CMA). Studies were identified using electronic databases and bibliography searches. Subjects eligible for inclusion were patients of any age with CMA or symptoms suggestive of it. Comparisons of interest were AAF vs. extensively hydrolysed formula (eHF), AAF vs. soy-based formula (SF) and AAF vs. cow\'s milk or cow\'s milk-based formula. Outcomes of interest were gastrointestinal (GI), dermatological, respiratory and behavioural symptoms as well as growth. A total of 20 studies [three head-to-head randomized controlled trials (RCTs), three cross-over challenge RCTs, seven clinical trials (CTs) and seven case reports (CRs)] were included in the review. In infants with confirmed or suspected CMA, the use of an AAF was shown to be safe and efficacious. Findings from RCT comparisons of AAF with eHF showed that both formulas are equally efficacious at relieving the symptoms of CMA in confirmed or suspected cases. However, infants in specific subgroups (e.g. non-IgE mediated food-induced gastro-enterocolitis-proctitis syndromes with failure to thrive, severe atopic eczema, or with symptoms during exclusive breastfeeding) were more likely overall to benefit from AAF, as intolerance to eHF may occur. In such cases, symptoms persisting despite eHF feeding usually remit on AAF, and catch-up growth may be seen. Meta-analysis of the findings was not possible due to lack of homogenous reporting of outcomes in the original trials. This systematic review shows clinical benefit from use of AAF in both symptoms and growth in infants and children with CMA who fail to tolerate eHF. Further studies are required to determine the relative medical or economic value of initial treatment with AAF in infants at high risk of eHF intolerance.

Soy infant formulas are widely used, but few studies have evaluated long-term safety or examined specific forms of toxicity, such as to the endocrine or immune systems. This review focuses on newer experimental studies of the effects on estrogen activity, immune function, and thyroid economy of genistein and daidzein, two isoflavones in soy infant formula, and existing human studies of soy formula use. In order to judge the likelihood that an endpoint seen in laboratory studies might occur in soy-fed infants, we examined the doses and the resulting serum or plasma concentrations from the laboratory studies and compared them with doses and concentrations seen in soy-fed infants. We also summarized the estimates of the potency of the isoflavone compounds relative to estradiol. Given the scarcity and inconsistency of existing human data and the substantial laboratory evidence of hormonal and other activity at doses relevant to the soy-fed infant, we conclude that more clinical and epidemiological study is warranted.