How Much Is Too Much?

I like how the question ("How much is too much") was never actually answered. "Be careful" is not an answer.

Thanks for the article. I have been doing a lot of internet
research on Soy, after my own downgrade in health. While I still do
not know exactly what is causing my insides to cramp after
everything I eat, I have noticed that anything with soy in it (like
everything right?!) causes the cramping to worsen. I noticed this
right when I finally after 5 years went off the birth control shot
(depo) and finally was convinced to drink more soy milk to
supposedly increase calcium. Within a month of being off the shot I
noticed I was very sensitive hormonally, emotionally and physically
as if I was going through menstruation almost constantly. I stopped
drinking soy milk for SOME reason, and noticed I felt better within
a couple days. The cramping is still there, and for 9 months now I
have been going to doctors in a small town and nobody can tell me
what is wrong, even after blood tests, ultra sound, hida-scan. I am
looking for a specialist who is interested in helping me find out
the problem and hopefully educating people to prevent this from
happening elsewhere. I am lactose intolerant as well, off the chart
actually, but with the proper amount of enzyme I have no problems
with real dairy products. I am looking at all labels and finding
some success in getting better tasting, favourite foods without soy
in them (hopefully). I can usually tell within about 10 minutes of
eating anything through internal cramping if there is soy, and look
for the label to confirm. I appreciate you information! Sharley
Goulais, Kelowna, BC

Thank you for the articles from Spring '07 on "the dark side of
soy." A friend told me he'd read them in Utne Reader a while ago,
so I went on-line and found them. I have been having unexplainable
symptoms for weeks now, and I told him about them. I'm a 63-year
old woman with a history of lung cancer and, until December, I was
feeling pretty well post-surgery, chemo, etc. and a year's
recuperation. In December I started to feel bloated and "crampy"
and had slight spotting. I have continued to feel this way until
today. I've been to the OBGYN doc, had a pap smear (clear) and a
uterine ultrasound (normal)and just didn't know where to turn next.
Well, guess what? Thanks to my friend and your articles, I've
discovered that the problem is most likely that I've been
overdosing on isoflavones!!! Since last fall I've been eating
boiled peanuts -- lots and LOTS of boiled peanuts. I stocked up on
them by buying pounds at a time at the farmer's markets last fall,
parboiling them, then freezing them. I would have a huge bowl for
dinner about once a week, thinking they were good for me. I would
also eat bowls of edamame and the occasional meal with tofu in it.
My isoflavone levels must have been off the charts, causing my
hormones to act up! What a relief to have a likely explanation for
my symptoms. Fortunately, the green peanut season is over and my
freezer is empty, so hopefully now I will begin to feel normal
again. Talk about too much of a good thing! So, thanks for the
information and for allowing me to share this story with you. My
hope is that it might help someone else. Julie Chandler Alameda,
CA