Page 72 - Spring2013

well understood. has found it a reliable “control” to use in stud-
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Patients with Alzheimer’s disease, Fragile ies where the intent is to make soy look good.
X syndrome, Down syndrome, and autism are Indeed research at the Faculty of Agriculture,
particularly susceptible to seizures, and the Shizuoka University in Japan, has shown that
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focus of much research at the Waisman Center casein will significantly raise total cholesterol
of Developmental Disabilities has been on the levels and lower HDL levels compared to other
myriad ways drugs, diet and genetic manipu- proteins. 15,16 Consequently most studies used to
lation can affect amyloid beta levels, seizure support the FDA’s 1999 soy/heart disease health
threshold and behavioral phenotypes. In an claim are deeply flawed because of the routine
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editorial entitled “Concocting the Right Diet use of casein as the control. In the case of the
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for Brain Health” published December 2011 in research done at the Waisman Center, the rats fed
Translational Medicine, Dr. Westmark expressed a chow comprised of casein, sugar and cornstarch
concern about the risks of soy: “The prevailing came out on top, and the data clearly indicated
view is soy is healthy, but much remains to be “soy isoflavones are associated with decreased
learned regarding its effects on brain develop- seizure threshold.” Indeed soy-restricted diets
ment and function.” She furthermore warned: reduced seizures in multiple lines of mice bred
for diseases in which they would be prone to
There is a paucity of studies on the ef- seizures.
fects of phytoestrogens on fetal and early To test the hypothesis that soy isoflavones
childhood development; yet, twenty-five promoted the seizures, the researchers deter-
percent of infant formulas are based on mined to feed some of the mice chows that were
soy protein. Considering body weight, supplemented with genistein and/or daidzein, the
these infants are getting 6-11 times the two isoflavones found in the highest quantity in
dose of phytoestrogens necessary to ex- soy.
ert hormone-like effects in adults. There After just three days of treatment with the
are epigenetic changes associated with a standard soy protein chow, the group of specially
soy-based diet in monkeys suggesting the bred “Alzheimer’s disease” mice responded with
potential to greatly alter gene expression. “wild running” and audiogenic seizures.
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We have observed significantly elevated In plain English, audiogenic seizures are
seizure rates in mouse models of Al- seizures brought on by the sound of an alarm.
zheimer’s disease, Fragile X syndrome, “Wild running” refers to an out-of-control style
and Down syndrome when juvenile mice of running that progresses to loss of the righting
are fed a soy-based diet. Our data suggest reflex, tonic hind limb extension, and other signs
that soy-based infant formulas may lower of seizure, often followed by death. “Righting
seizure threshold particularly in babies reflexes” bring the body into a normal position
genetically predisposed to developmen- in space and resist forces acting to displace it.
tal disorders. Thus, understanding the They allow the animal to orient itself and regain
Soy-restricted negative effects of soy phytoestrogens its balance. Mice that do not die from the seizures
diets reduced and modulating intake during pregnancy regain the righting reflex and appear normal

seizures in and infancy could prevent neurological within a few minutes.
damage during critical periods of sensory
multiple lines development. 14 DAIDZEIN AND GENISTEIN
of mice bred The researchers identified daidzein as a
What’s most surprising about this research component of soy protein that elicited a strong
for diseases is that the mice fed a casein-based refined diet wild running phenotype in wild type mice—that
in which they showed “decreased amyloid beta and attenuated is, normal mice as found in nature. Three days of
would be seizure rates.” Casein is a fractionated milk eating chow spiked with daidzein induced plenty
prone to protein that is high in the amino acid methionine of wild running, but no statistically significant
and seriously deficient in cysteine. It has such increase in seizures. As yet, the researchers
seizures. a poor nutritional profile that the soy industry have not identified other components found in

72 Wise Traditions SPRING 2013 SPRING 2013 Wise Traditions