| Medical Condition | Uses based on scientific evidence | Grade* |
| acute dermatitis due to solar radiation | a soy moisturizing cream may help improve signs of sun damage, including discoloration, blotchiness, dullness, fine lines, and overall texture. because the cream contained other ingredients besides soy, more research with soy alone is needed. | c |
| cardiovascular disease unspecified | dietary soy protein has not been shown to affect long-term cardiovascular outcomes, such as heart attack or stroke. research does suggest cholesterol-lowering effects of dietary soy, which in theory, may reduce the risk of heart problems. soy has also been studied for blood pressure-lowering and blood sugar-reducing properties in people with type 2 diabetes, although the evidence is not definitive in these areas. further investigation is needed before a strong recommendation can be made. | c |
| cholelithiasis | due to limited human research, there is not enough evidence to recommend for or against the use of soy as a therapy in cholelithiasis. further research is needed before a strong recommendation can be made. | c |
| chronic ischemic heart disease unspecified | cardiac ischemia occurs when blood flow to the heart is blocked. in women with suspected cardiac ischemia, high levels of the soy isoflavone genistein have been associated with blood vessel problems. until more research is done, it is unknown if soy plays a role in cardiac ischemia. | c |
| diarrhea | numerous studies report that infants and young children (2-36 months old) with diarrhea who are fed soy formulas experience fewer daily bowel movements and fewer days of diarrhea. this research suggests that soy has benefits over other types of formula, including cow milk-based solutions. the addition of soy fiber to soy formula may increase the effectiveness. better quality research is needed before a strong recommendation can be made.parents are advised to speak with qualified healthcare | b |
| diarrhea | due to limited human study, there is not enough evidence to recommend for or against the use of soy-polysaccharide/fiber in the treatment of diarrhea. further research is needed before a recommendation can be made. | c |
| malignant neoplasm of colon | there is not enough scientific evidence to determine if dietary intake of soy affects the risk of developing colon cancer. study results are mixed, and more research is needed before a recommendation can be made. | c |
| malignant neoplasm of female breast | several large population studies have asked women about their eating habits and reported that higher soy intake (such as dietary tofu) is associated with a decreased risk of developing breast cancer. however, other research suggests that soy does not have this effect. until better research is available, it remains unclear if dietary soy or soy isoflavone supplements increase or decrease the risk of breast cancer. | c |
| malignant neoplasm of prostate | early research has tested the effects of dietary soy intake on prostate cancer development in humans, but the results have not been conclusive. better research is needed before a recommendation can be made. | c |
| malignant neoplasm of stomach | early research suggests that intake of soy products may be associated with a reduced risk of death from stomach cancer. further investigation is needed before a conclusion can be drawn. | c |
| menstrual migraine | a phytoestrogen combination may help prevent menstrual migraine attacks. further research is needed before a strong recommendation can be made. | c |
| neoplasms | genistein, an isoflavone found in soy, has been found in laboratory and animal studies to have anti-cancer effects, such as blocking new blood vessel growth (anti-angiogenesis), acting as a tyrosine kinase inhibitor (a mechanism of many new cancer treatments), or causing cancer cell death (apoptosis). in contrast, genistein has also been reported to increase the growth of pancreas tumor cells in laboratory research. until reliable human research is available, it remains unclear if dietary | c |
| nephrotic syndrome | due to limited human study, there is not enough evidence to recommend for or against the use of soy in the treatment of kidney diseases, such as nephrotic syndrome. people with kidney disease should speak with their healthcare providers about the recommended amounts of dietary protein because soy is a high-protein food. | c |
| neurofibromatosis type 2 acoustic neurofibromatosis | several small studies have examined the effects of soy products on blood sugar levels in people with type 2 ("adult-onset") diabetes. results are mixed, with some research reporting decreased blood glucose levels and other trials noting no effects. overall, research in this area is not well designed or reported, and better information is needed. | c |
| obesity unspecified | some research suggests that soy might be as effective as skim milk and more effective than a low-calorie diet alone in reducing weight. other research has reported conflicting results. further research is needed before a strong recommendation can be made. | c |
| osteoporosis | it has been theorized that "phytoestrogens in soy" (such as isoflavones) may increase bone mineral density in post-menopausal women and reduce the risk of fractures. however, more research is needed before a conclusion can be made. | c |
| other disorders of thyroid | early research suggests that soy supplements do not affect thyroid function. more research is needed. | c |
| other endocrine disorders | soy nuts may help reduce inflammation, improve blood sugar control, and improve lipid profiles in postmenopausal women with metabolic syndrome. more research is needed in this area. | c |
| other psychalgia | it has been theorized that the "phytoestrogens" (plant-based compounds with weak estrogen-like properties) in soy may be beneficial to premenopausal women with cyclical breast pain. however, due to limited human research, there is not enough evidence to recommend for or against the use of dietary soy protein as a therapy for this condition. | c |
| other specified hypertrophic and atrophic conditions of skin | it is unclear if aglycones, a form of soy isoflavone, can improve aged skin in middle-aged women when it is taken by mouth. more research is needed. | c |
| pure hypercholesterolemia | numerous human studies report that adding soy protein to the diet can moderately decrease blood levels of total cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein ("bad" cholesterol). small reductions in triglycerides may also occur, while high-density lipoprotein ("good" cholesterol) does not seem to be significantly altered. some scientists have proposed that specific components of soybean, such as the isoflavones genistein and daidzein, may be responsible for the cholesterol-lowering properties of soy. | a |
| regional enteritis of unspecified site | due to limited human research, there is not enough evidence to recommend for or against the use of soy as a way to prevent crohn's disease. further research is needed before a recommendation can be made. | c |
| symptomatic menopausal or female climacteric states | overall, evidence suggests that soy products containing isoflavones may help reduce menopausal symptoms, such as hot flashes. | b |
| tuberculosis | it has been suggested that soy may be beneficial for tuberculosis when taken with standard medications. according to early research, soy may improve the process of detoxification, have positive effects on the liver, reduce cell damage, and decrease inflammation. therefore, soy supplements may allow patients to safely take higher doses of antimicrobial drugs that are used to treat tuberculosis. | c |
| unspecified essential hypertension | there is limited human research on the effects of dietary soy on blood pressure. some research suggests that substituting soy nuts for non-soy protein may help improve blood pressure. further research is needed before a firm recommendation can be made. | c |
| unspecified persistent mental disorders due to conditions classified elsewhere | it is unclear if soy isoflavone supplementation in postmenopausal women can improve cognitive function. results from studies are mixed. | c |
| unspecified site of spinal cord injury without spinal bone injury | soy appears to be less effective than whey protein at improving caloric expenditure and the distance and length of time that patients with spinal cord injuries are able to walk before feeling tired. more research is needed in this area. | c |
