Bisphenol A (BPA) is an estrogen like chemical found in many plastic food containers. This chemical enters the human body and numerous studies have linked it with reproductive problems. In a recent study conducted by Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, researchers looked at women undergoing infertility treatments. There were two groups of women, those who regularly consumed soy and those that didn’t. The women who didn’t consume soy had higher urinary levels of BPA and more complications resulting in fewer live births, while BPA didn’t impact the outcomes in the women who routinely consumed soy. As Jorge Chavarro, associate professor of nutrition and epidemiology at Harvard Chan, states, “Our study highlights the need to consider the possibility that the health effects of environmental chemicals can be modified by lifestyle factors such as diet.”
In this study women consumed one serving of soy foods, every two or three days. So if you are undergoing infertility treatment, it may be beneficial to eat more soy.
Reference:
Chavarro, J.E., Mínguez-Alarcón, L., Chiu, Y.H., Gaskins, A.J., Souter, I., Williams, P.L., Calafat, A.M., Hauser, R.; EARTH Study Team (2016) Soy Intake Modifies the Relation Between Urinary Bisphenol A Concentrations and Pregnancy Outcomes Among Women Undergoing Assisted Reproduction. The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism. 101(3):1082-90. doi: 10.1210/jc.2015-3473