Effects of dietary phytoestrogens on the developmental reprogramming of steroid-hormone influenced traits: Medicinal and evolutionary aspects

Abstract

Nutritional phytoestrogens are weak estrogens, which entering into the human organism are able to reprogram the developmental program in sensitive periods of life (perinatally, at weaning, at puberty and in certain systems (e.g. immune system) during the whole life. Consequently they could cause (by faulty hormonal imprinting) lifelong alterations in the binding capacity of hormone receptors, inclination to diseases, manifestation of diseases etc. At the same time by adult age employment they can help healing of certain diseases. In some human cultures the consumption of phytoestrogens (isoflavones, as soy genistein or daidzein) is regular (in Asian countries) for thousand years, and this could contribute to the differences between the physiology of races. At present the consumption of soy (and isoflavones=phytoestrogens in them) is exponentially growing in European and American countries, what could influence the future (evolutionary) development (and uniformization) of endocrine (and endocrine-directed) systems of man. Some transformations of life-periods are observed (e.g. early menarche) and more are expected, however without serious attention. Considering this, phytoestrogens are the Troian horse of endocrine disruptors. Studying from medicinal aspect, the irregular (undosed) eating of phytoestrogens especially which does not attend the sensitive life-periods, can influence the endocrine system as well, as the strongly endocrine-regulated systems, which can be manifested in lower risk of later manifested diseases, as tumors or geriatric alterations however, it can cause reproductive and immune-deficiencies. The positive and mainly negative character of phytoestrogens have to be propagated for doctors and laymen alike. As phytoestrogens could cause different durable pathological alterations, the label on their presence (and effects?) in commercial foods, would be advisable.