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[elegancewaves]

 So I'm wanting to switch to a vegan diet but nonvegans keep saying soy milk actually gets in the way of HRT because of some funky thing with protoestrogen or something like that. Does anyone know if this is true?

Comments

[auntysarah]

I believe there is some concern that phyroestrogens in soy may block oestrogen receptors, reducing the effect of HRT. You could always try it and see?

[what_is_why]

It's actually a concern over soy products in general. But, speaking as a vegan, I don't think you'll have any problems :)

[savethewabbit]

this! i know plenty of vegan FTMs too and nobody's ever had any hormonal problem.

[mutated_queer]

I'm near-vegan. There has been a few concerns with soy but I've never heard of anyone actually having hormone issues- trans or not. I suspect if there is an issue you'd need to be eat/drinking shitloads of soy.

But if your worried check with a doctor for a proper answer is prob your safest bet.

[ai_meilian]

Not quite vegan, but lactose-intolerant vegetarian here. I consume a fair amount of soy in my diet to try to keep up on protein intake -- mostly roasted soy nuts and tofu, as I don't really like soy milk. I've been on HRT for 13 months and recently had my T checked -- free testosterone is basically within "normal" female range now.

Admittedly, I haven't really had as much breast growth as I'd like, but A) I've still been trying (with mixed success) to lose weight; B) am only taking estradiol and spironolactone, no progesterone; and C) my endo doesn't seem to consider what I've got abnormal. (Feel free to ask if you'd like more info on my dietary habits and therapy course.)

YMMV. As others have said, if you're concerned, check with your endocrinologist. And, of course, stay tuned for additional replies :)

[iphisol]

I've been a vegan-leaning vegetarian for the five years or so that I've been on HRT and I've consumed a ton of soy stuff. It's not really my favorite- it just seems like a better idea to eat some vegetables than it does to eat some fake meat- but I've never had a problem. I think it's probably like the "don't eat any bananas if you're taking spiro, you will overdose on potassium and die" thing, where maybe in extreme doses (or uncommon conditions) it's a bad idea, but way waaay overwhelmingly more often the interactions are going to be so minimal you'd never notice.

[iphisol]

Oh and yeah: almond milk, mmm.

[perfectfigure]

+1! almond milk is by far the best non-milk milk, with rice milk coming second. soy milk is probably my least favorite.

[elegancewaves]

Unsweetened organic soy tastes like mud without the grit :(