Does soy in food help improve the skin?
Although the research is limited, this 2004 study from the Journal of the American College of Nutrition demonstrates that mice who were fed soy extract containing isoflavones and subjected to UV light had increased collagen production and decreased matrix metalloproteinase formation (i.e., collagen-digesting enzyme formation) than mice who were not fed soy extract and subjected to UV light. This indicates that soy may have protective anti-aging effects. Soy is found in foods like (surprise!) soy milk, soy flour, soy sauce and tofu. However, estrogenic compounds have not been extracted from soy. For instance, it was reported in this 2002 study in Nutrition and Cancer that male rats consuming soy isoflavones had lowered testosterone levels. Soy is often considered to be a health food because anti-carcinogenic and cholesterol-lowering effects have been speculated. However, several reports speculate that soy consumption may also lead to disrupted thyroid function. On the contrary, this stu
