The Whole Soy Story

Dear Dr. Daniel:   Is there any evidence that eating soy can cause behavioral changes?   Recently my 7 yr. old son ate edamame and experienced a very noticeable change in behavior (extremely hyper, upset and not paying attention) which occurred approximately 2 ½ hrs. after eating soybeans.  He ate the edamame at the food bar at Whole Foods; we know they were organic and not genetically modified.  As a baby he was fed some soy formula to supplement breast milk.  As a toddler we gave him soymilk; during this time, he also went through the same aforementioned behavior.  This is why we suspect a food intolerance, but are not sure. Any information you can shed on this is greatly appreciated.”–WF

Dear WF:   We have massive evidence linking soy to behavioral disorders, especially ADD/ADHD, as discussed in Chapter 21 of The Whole Soy Story. This could be caused by manganese toxicity, the phytoestrogens in soy or both.    However, your son seems to be reacting to  soy exposure rather than experiencing an ongoing problem due to manganese or phytoestrogen interference with brain function.    I suspect he is  allergic to soy and should eliminate it from his diet completely as discussed in my article “Soy Recovery Part I.”    My second article “Soy Recovery: The Toxic Metal Component” may also help your son.   Both are available on this website.    Soy is now one of the top 8 allergens, and is increasing so much that many experts believe it will soon move into the top four.   I discuss soy allergies in Chapters 24 and 25 ofThe Whole Soy Story, and have answered many questions about coping with soy allergies on my website www.soyfreesolutions.com.    A Nourishing Traditions diet may prove very helpful.    Good luck.