Hostname: page-component-848d4c4894-cjp7w Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-07-07T06:40:37.591Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Can phytoestrogens cause infertility?

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  11 September 2013

Get access

In a nutshell

Plenty of studies show that the hormonal effects of phytoestrogen ingestion (e.g., lower levels of testosterone) could, in theory, result in infertility.

What we lack so far is evidence that this is a real problem in clinical practice. Even so, some level of suspicion may be warranted in infertile patients.

Type
Brief Report
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2009

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

1. Kurzer, MS. Hormonal effects of soy in premenopausal women and men. J Nutr. 2002 Mar;132(3):570S573S.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
2. West, MC. The impact of dietary oestrogens on male and female fertility. Curr Opin Obstet Gynecol. 2007 Jun;19(3):215–21.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
3. Jian, L. Soy, isoflavones, and prostate cancer. Mol Nutr Food Res. 2009 Feb;53(2):217–26.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
4. Acerini, CL. et al. Endocrine disrupting chemicals: a new and emerging public health problem? Arch Dis Child. 2006 Aug;91(8):633–41.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
5. Burton, JL. et al. The effect of phytoestrogens on the female genital tract. J Clin Pathol. 2002 Jun;55(6):401–7.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
6. Srilatha, B. et al. Oestrogen-androgen crosstalk in the pathophysiology of erectile dysfunction. Asian J Androl. 2003 Dec;5(4):307–13.Google ScholarPubMed
7. Belfroid, AC. et al. Analysis and occurrence of estrogenic hormones and their glucuronides in surface water and waste water in The Netherlands. Sci Total Environ. 1999 Jan 12;225(1–2):101–8.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
8. West, MC. et al. Dietary oestrogens and male fertility potential. Hum Fertil (Camb). 2005 Sep;8(3):197207.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
9. Bennetts, HW. et al. A specific breeding problem of sheep on subterranean clover pastures in western Australia. Aust Vet J 1946;22:212.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
10. Shutt, DA. The effects of plant oestrogens on animal reproduction. Endeavour. 1976 Sep;35(126):110–3.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
11. Strauss, L. et al. Genistein exerts estrogen-like effects in male mouse reproductive tract. Mol Cell Endocrinol. 1998 Sep 25;144(1–2):8393.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
12. Nagao, T. et al. Reproductive effects in male and female rats of neonatal exposure to genistein. Reprod Toxicol. 2001 Jul-Aug;15(4):399411.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
13. Faqi, AS. et al. Reproductive toxicity assessment of chronic dietary exposure to soy isoflavones in male rats. Reprod Toxicol. 2004 Jun;18(4):605–11.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
14. Nagata, C. et al. Inverse association of soy product intake with serum androgen and estrogen concentrations in Japanese men. Nutr Cancer. 2000;36(1):14–8.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
15. Perry, DL. et al. Dietary soy protein containing isoflavonoids does not adversely affect the reproductive tract of male cynomolgus macaques (Macaca fascicularis). J Nutr. 2007 Jun;137(6):1390–4.Google Scholar
16. Yousef, MI. et al. Effect of isoflavones on reproductive performance, testosterone levels, lipid peroxidation, and seminal plasma biochemistry of male rabbits. J Environ Sci Health B. 2004;39(5–6):819–33.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
17. Adeoya-Osiguwa, SA. et al. 17beta-Estradiol and environmental estrogens significantly affect mammalian sperm function. Hum Reprod. 2003 Jan;18(1):100–7.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
18. Fraser, LR. et al. Effects of estrogenic xenobiotics on human and mouse spermatozoa. Hum Reprod. 2006 May;21(5):1184–93.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
19. Kumi-Diaka, J. et al. Toxic potential of dietary genistein isoflavone and beta-lapachone on capacitation and acrosome reaction of epididymal spermatozoa. J Med Food. 2003 Fall;6(3):201–8.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
20. Setchell, KD. et al. Dietary estrogens--a probable cause of infertility and liver disease in captive cheetahs. Gastroenterology. 1987 Aug;93(2):225–33.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
21. Dillingham, BL. et al. Soy protein isolates of varying isoflavone content exert minor effects on serum reproductive hormones in healthy young men. J Nutr. 2005 Mar;135(3):584–91.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
22. Kumar, NB. et al. The specific role of isoflavones in reducing prostate cancer risk. Prostate. 2004 May 1;59(2):141–7.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
23. Spentzos, D. et al. Minimal effect of a low-fat/high soy diet for asymptomatic, hormonally naive prostate cancer patients. Clin Cancer Res. 2003 Aug 15;9(9):3282–7.Google ScholarPubMed
24. Gardner-Thorpe, D. et al. Dietary supplements of soya flour lower serum testosterone concentrations and improve markers of oxidative stress in men. Eur J Clin Nutr. 2003 Jan;57(1):100–6.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
25. Habito, RC. et al. Effects of replacing meat with soyabean in the diet on sex hormone concentrations in healthy adult males. Br J Nutr. 2000 Oct;84(4):557–63.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
26. Goldin, BR. et al. Hormonal response to diets high in soy or animal protein without and with isoflavones in moderately hypercholesterolemic subjects. Nutr Cancer. 2005;51(1):16.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
27. Maskarinec, G. et al. Serum prostate-specific antigen but not testosterone levels decrease in a randomized soy intervention among men. Eur J Clin Nutr. 2006 Dec;60(12):1423–9.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
28. Dalais, FS. et al. Effects of a diet rich in phytoestrogens on prostate-specific antigen and sex hormones in men diagnosed with prostate cancer. Urology. 2004 Sep;64(3):510–5.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
29. Hussain, M. et al. Soy isoflavones in the treatment of prostate cancer. Nutr Cancer. 2003;47(2):111–7.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
30. Lewis, JG. et al. The effect of isoflavone extract ingestion, as Trinovin, on plasma steroids in normal men. Steroids. 2002 Jan;67(1):25–9.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
31. Mitchell, JH. et al. Effect of a phytoestrogen food supplement on reproductive health in normal males. Clin Sci (Lond). 2001 Jun;100(6):613–8.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
32. Nagata, C. et al. Effect of soymilk consumption on serum estrogen and androgen concentrations in Japanese men. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev. 2001 Mar;10(3):179–84.Google ScholarPubMed
33. Rannikko, A. et al. The effects of short-term oral phytoestrogen supplementation on the hypothalamic-pituitary-testicular axis in prostate cancer patients. Prostate. 2006 Jul 1;66(10):1086–91.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
34. Newbold, RR.et al. Deleterious effects of genistein following exposure during critical phases of development. Ch.30 in Gilani, GS, Anderson, J. (eds)., Phytoestrogens and health. AOCS Publishing; 2002.Google Scholar
35. Delklos, KB. Evaluation of phytoestrogen safety and toxicity in rodent models that include developmental exposure. Ch.31 in Gilani, GS, Anderson, J. (eds)., Phytoestrogens and health. AOCS Publishing; 2002.Google Scholar
36. Jefferson, WN. et al. Disruption of the developing female reproductive system by phytoestrogens: genistein as an example. Mol Nutr Food Res. 2007 Jul;51(7):832–44.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
37. Jefferson, WN. et al. Adverse effects on female development and reproduction in CD-1 mice following neonatal exposure to the phytoestrogen genistein at environmentally relevant doses. Biol Reprod. 2005 Oct;73(4):798806.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
38. Tan, KA. et al. Infant feeding with soy formula milk: effects on puberty progression, reproductive function and testicular cell numbers in marmoset monkeys in adulthood. Hum Reprod. 2006 Apr;21(4):896904.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
39. Strom, BL. et al. Exposure to soy-based formula in infancy and endocrinological and reproductive outcomes in young adulthood. JAMA. 2001 Aug 15;286(7):807–14.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
40. Gallo, D. et al. Reproductive effects of dietary soy in female Wistar rats. Food Chem Toxicol. 1999 May;37(5):493502.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
41. Lamartiniere, CA. et al. Daidzein: bioavailability, potential for reproductive toxicity, and breast cancer chemoprevention in female rats. Toxicol Sci. 2002 Feb;65(2):228–38.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
42. Chandrareddy, A. et al. Adverse effects of phytoestrogens on reproductive health: a report of three cases. Complement Ther Clin Pract. 2008 May;14(2):132–5.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
43. Klein, KO. Isoflavones, soy-based infant formulas, and relevance to endocrine function. Nutr Rev. 1998 Jul;56(7):193204.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
44. Setchell, KD. et al. Exposure of infants to phyto-oestrogens from soy-based infant formula. Lancet. 1997 Jul 5;350(9070):23–7.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed