A new research from Fertility and sterility in the journal suggests that regular soy consumption may reduce the risk of developing endometriosis, especially in women with no history of infertility. Researchers from Harvard Medical School and Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health analysed data from the Nurses' Health Study II, which involved 82,084 premenopausal women aged 27-44 years. In the study, 3,829 cases of laparoscopically confirmed endometriosis were diagnosed, which represents 369 cases per 100,000 person-years of follow-up.
Results showed that each additional weekly serving of soy was associated with an 8% lower risk of developing endometriosis. Women with the highest isoflavone intake had significantly fewer cases of endometriosis than those with the lowest intake. The association was more pronounced in women who did not present with infertility but suffered mainly from symptoms related to pelvic pain.
Researchers suggest that isoflavones - plant-derived phytoestrogens found in soy - may protect against hormonally driven gynaecological conditions, including endometriosis, through their hormonal action. If further studies confirm these links, nutritional counselling may in the future play a more important role in endometriosis prevention and patient-centred care.
It is important to note, however, that around 90% of the participants consumed very little or no soy, which presented statistical limitations, and the data were based on self-report and the study was conducted among mainly white, highly educated and health-conscious women, so the generalisability of the results may be rather limited.
Although the study does not prove a causal link, it does confirm the hypothesis that diet, including soy consumption, may play a role in reducing the risk of endometriosis. This finding may offer a non-invasive, lifestyle intervention in an area that has been dominated by surgery and hormonal treatments, and it is a huge thing that science is finally getting to the point where it is not just surgery and hormones that should be used to treat endometriosis.
This research is also important because it reminds people to keep one step ahead and to keep an eye on new research, because soy has been the subject of strong opposing views in the past, thus inadvertently hindering effective self-management for patients. As a lifestyle doctor, my priority is to bring you the latest knowledge so that you are always aware of what you should be doing and don't get confused in a sea of sometimes contradictory information.
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