Is soy beneficial for brain (cognitive) function?
The hormone oestrogen is thought to be beneficial for maintaining cognitive function (and reducing the risk for dementia) in older age. Some population studies have linked the use of oestrogen in post-menopausal women with a reduced risk of Alzheimer’s disease in later life1. As a result, researchers have questioned whether soy isoflavones may be effective in helping to maintain brain function in later life since these natural compounds share similarities to oestrogen, although they are not identical. While there are no studies in humans especially designed to establish whether consuming soy foods or soy isoflavones can prevent or reduce the risk of dementia, several population studies have found that certain groups of people, that are known to habitually consume soy foods, have lower rates of dementia. Researchers at the Australian National University recently analysed 23 studies comparing the incidence of dementia and Alzheimer’s disease in different countries. They found that people
