Soy Could Worsen Heart Disease

New research published today reveals that consuming soy could have a “severe” impact on a genetic heart condition that affects one in 500 people, though the authors caution that the effect has so far only been observed in male mice. The study, which appears in today’s issue of the Journal of Clinical Investigation, is the first of its kind amidst a body of evidence linking soy to a number of health benefits. According to scientists at the University of Colorado, male mice carrying the mutation for hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, or HCM, were severely affected by a soy diet, exhibiting progressively enlarged heart muscles and eventual heart failure. But when the mice were switched to a diet of the milk protein casein, their condition “improved markedly,” said the researchers. HCM, primarily a genetic condition, is the leading cause of death in young athletes, and often remains undiagnosed in its milder forms. The new findings are likely to cause a stir in the food industry, as manufacturers are increasingly using soy in their formulations on the back of the positive science surrounding the product.

MORE ON THIS TOPIC