Show Notes
Buckle up, snowflake. Get ready for a TOTAL EVISCERATION of all things soy. That’s right, on this episode of From the Pantry, we’re dropping a LOGIC BOMB on the Myth of the Soyboy. We’ll be talking PHYTOESTROGENS, FAKE NEWS, and why this particular soy-themed insult gained such popularity over the last few years. Join producer Sam Gerardi as he wades through the bro science muck to get some answers.
Myth of the Soyboy is written, produced, and edited by Sam Gerardi. Our hosts are H Conley and Taylor Early. The cover art for this episode was made by Sam Gerardi. This episode featured clips from HRN’s Let’s Get Real with Erica Wides. You can find the original episode heard today here. A big thank you to Addison Austin-Lou, Hannah Chouinard, Sasha DuBose, and Annie Zetkulic for all of their help on this arc!
From the Pantry is a limited series developed by HRN’s Director of Education and Creative Development Taylor Early, focusing on illuminating HRN’s two-fold mission of educating community members in response to a changing world and cultivating the next generation of food media leaders. This series is made up of four narrative arcs researched, scripted, and produced by one of alumni fellows. Each fellow pulled concepts, ideas and conversations from HRN’s archive (the pantry) and created stories that explore the personal significance and broader cultural meaning of what they found.
Further Reading: Below are links to the studies mentioned in this episode, as well as other relevant studies.
Neither soy nor isoflavone intake affects male reproductive hormones: An expanded and updated meta-analysis of clinical studies The 2021 meta analysis of the effects of soy isoflavones on men’s reproductive hormones. (Note: This analysis includes studies which discuss sperm and semen parameters, all of which conclude that soy exerts no effect on these factors.)
Clinical studies show no effects of soy protein or isoflavones on reproductive hormones in men: results of a meta-analysis 2009 meta analysis on the effects of soy isoflavones on men’s reproductive hormones.
An Unusual Case of Gynecomastia Associated with Soy Product Consumption The original James Price study, subject of the 2009 Men’s Health article.
Impact of the Phytoestrogen Content of Laboratory Animal Feed on the Gene Expression Profile of the Reproductive System in the Immature Female Rat Goitrogenic and estrogenic activity of soy isoflavones. The early 2000s isoflavone rat studies reported on by Scientific American.
Protease Inhibitors and Lectins in Soya Beans and Effects of Aqueous Heat-Treatment Implications of antinutritional components in soybean foods Studies on protease inhibitors in soy, and the impact of heat treatment.
Effects of soy protein and soybean isoflavones on thyroid function in healthy adults and hypothyroid patients: a review of the relevant literature 2006 meta analysis of studies on soy-derived goitrogens.
https://news.gallup.com/poll/656708/lgbtq-identification-rises.aspx= 2024 Gallup poll on LGBTQ+ identification.
The reach of commercially motivated junk news on Facebook 2019 junk news study.
Proving the Obvious? What Sensationalism Contributes to the Time Spent on News Video 2017 sensationalism study.
The effect of soy food intake on mineral status in premenopausal women Is There Such a Thing as “Anti-Nutrients”? A Narrative Review of Perceived Problematic Plant Compounds Studies and academic reviews relevant to that “mineral inhibitor” clip. (Particularly see paper 2's section on Goitrogens and Phytates. The benefits of consuming a diverse diet of plants, including ones with these compounds, far outweigh the potential mineral inhibiting effects.)
Soybean isoflavone exposure does not have feminizing effects on men: a critical examination of the clinical evidence Association between a soy-based infant diet and the onset of puberty: A systematic review and meta-analysis Soy protein supplementation is not androgenic or estrogenic in college-a
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