Too much Soy lowers testosterone?

[StillWorkin]

I've been trying to add more protien into my diet. I get a lot of protein from soy products... is that bad? My girlfriend is a vegetarian and has me hooked on:
Veggie hot dogs (19 gramgs of protien)
Veggie burgers (17g)
Veggie breakfast paddies (14g)

Most of these products are Soy/TVP based. What is cool about them is a lot of the products have more protien then chicken brests!!@ and they cook fast with no mess. They are also very low in fat. The soy hotdogs I eat only have 1.5 grams of fat.
I got sick of cleaning that george forman grill.

Soy isnt my only protien.
I also get protein from:
Egg Beaters
Tuna
Lots of skim milk
1-2 shackes or protien bars a day.

Ive read that too much soy protien lowers testosterone. Do you guys think im in danger of that? Im not a vegetarian.


--stillworkin

[Shredder21]

I don't know, I eat a hell of a lot of tofu and I haven't noticed anything. I read it increases your estrogen levels, but if you are not on a cycle, I would not worry about it. The article I read also said the benefits of soy protein far outweigh the little rise in estrogen levels.

[diamonddiceclay]

soy for men=raised estrogen which is bad if you lift weights

[riskybizz007]

There's 2 theories on this.
1. Soy increases "good" estrogen b/c it binds to estrogen receptors as a weak estrogen, and not allowing "bad" estrogen or stronger estrogen to bind to the receptors.
2. Soy increases estrogen in men, and lowers testosterone.

Which theory you choose is up to you.
I do know that soy slows digestion of whey by 30% (just a little fact i thought i'd add)

[Par Deus]

Just to clarify, it does not actually increase estrogens, it contains phytoestrogens, which, as stated, bind to the estrogen receptor -- the various phytoestrogens in soy have differing agonistic and antagonistic action at the alpha and beta suptype of the estrogen receptor. In men, unless you are on a heavy aromatizing cycle, it is going to result in a net pro-estrogenic effect and lower testosterone.