Two hormone-like substances, contained in products made of soya, can cause irreversible changes in brain structure and frustrate reproductive functions. Such conclusions were present in the articles of the scientists from the University North Carolina (USA), published in Neurotoxicology magazine.
The results of the experiments have shown for the first time, that phytoestrogen - a substance of vegetal origin and similar in its influence to female hormone estrogen, can lead to irreversible changes of brain structure important to woman's reproductive functions.
In particular, as research has revealed, these substances influence the connected to the sex structures in hypothalamus - a part of brain which is important for the regulation of processes of ovulation and puberty.
Scientists investigated the influence of the phytoestrogens (genistein and equol) on newborn rats, and when they reached maturity, studied their reproductive functions.
Genestein - a phytoestrogen which various plants contain, including soybeans and products on the basis of soya. Equol - a hormone-like substance which is formed during the production of other phytoestrogens by microorganisms living in digestive tract. About one third of all people have in their organisms bacterias producing Equol.
Research has shown, that both gestein and Equol lead to early infringement in menstrual cycle that can be equivalent to an early menopause in people. Experiment also has shown, that genestein leads to early reaching of sexual maturity.
One of the authors of the research, doctor Heather Patisaul, noticed, that "scheme" of brain damages is similar in rats and people. As she said, this research was very important, in spite of the fact that changes in brain structure were irreversible.
She notices, that the received results are important for estimating the influence of phytoestrogens on embryos and newborns as phytoestrogens can break the placentary barrier and get to foetus's organism.
Earlier a group of scientists from the Harward institute of public health services during a large-scale research on the influence of phytoestrogens on quality of man's seed, has shown that men eating mainly soya products, have lowered concentration of spermatozoa in the seed liquid.
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