[moongrl]

Does anyone know if adding phytoestrogens to the diet or phytoestrogen suplements like PM can trigger breast or ovarian cancer? I have done some research online and some reports say that adding estrogen can be dangerous, others say phytoestrogens are okay...not sure. This other article says that phytoestrogens may PREVENT cancer. dont know what to believe.

Just wondering if anyone out there has a good take on this...

My aunt died at young 50's from ovarian cancer...so I may be predisposed to it.

Thanks!

[uhuccup]

I know for sure that PM can cause breast cancer. Every herb that promotes cell division can cause cancer.
Best way is to avoid herbs or take some that are anti cancerous.

[jet]

According to a seller in Thailand I have been communicating with:

It has been revealed recently that Pueraria mirifica is safe to be used in human in certain dosage as well as consumption period. Researchers have been conducting a series of tests covering chemical analysis, tissue culture, mass propagation, cultivar improvement, production, product development and testing and so on for 9 years. The result shows that selected Pueraria mirifica contains very high isoflavone content and high antimutagenic effects as well as high killing effects on human mammary cancer cell lines. Nowadays, nutritionists recommend the consumer to take isoflavone regularly for the purpose of cancer protection normally found on post-menopausal and people who have a hormone imbalance.

I found this reassuring, I hope it helps you in your search for answers.

[dddreams]

It's not worth taking the risk is it? Herbs sound innocent because they are natural but some herbs can have a disastrous effect on the body and if you are already predisposed to cancer, it is one hell of a gamble to take. Remember that if they actually work, it is because you are taking a dose high enough to alter the balance of hormones in your body. Some cancers are sensitive to estrogen and this would 'feed' the tumour which is why pregnancy can accelerate certain aggressive cancers (pregnancy incidentally causes bigger breasts due to the shift in hormones).
Why don't you try massage or a suction method instead? Suction has been tested by doctors (most herbs have not) and is not a carcinogen.
Remember that your health is the most important thing.

[moongrl]

Thanks so much for all the reponses above, very helpful.
yes there are conflicting reports out there, so I think for me, the best way to go about this is to just use suctioning and maybe PM cream on my breasts so as not to go into my system or ovaries.

I will do more research on this topic and post soon what my findings are.

[surferjoe2007]

Thanks so much for all the reponses above, very helpful.
yes there are conflicting reports out there, so I think for me, the best way to go about this is to just use suctioning and maybe PM cream on my breasts so as not to go into my system or ovaries.

I will do more research on this topic and post soon what my findings are.

Abstract:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/?term...a+mirifica

Full text:
http://www.e-emm.or.kr/article/article_f...-02-06.pdf

Just searching for pueraria mirifica ovarian cancer that came up. Seems like a good way to prevent ovarian cancer, much like soy. But there is limited information on these and anything estrogenic has a risk of causing cancer. So you might not want to gamble even though the information so far says it would be a great preventative measure.

Real estrogen is in fact highly dangerous and you should avoid it like the plague. Probably ditto for bovine ovary. Also avoid canned food & drinks, especially acidic ones that can leach the can liner and animal fat. For birth control get the one with the lowest hormones possible.

[Lotus]

I would highly recommend that you don't consider soy products at all. That goes for anyone who has fibrocystic breasts or has undergone a recent breast biopsy.

Everyone should read this about Genistein, (one of phytoestrogens in PM and other products).

Also note that increased consumption of soy products reduces plasma concentrations of estradiol.

Genistein: does it prevent or promote breast cancer?
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles...9-0057.pdf

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles...85/?page=1

From pg. 702 Possible Anti-Estrogenic Effects of Genistein

Genistein has significant estrogenic properties in both in vitro and in vivomodels (Table1). Genistein binds to the estrogen receptor(ER), although its binding affinity is several-fold weaker than that of estradiol(30). Genistein can also activate a number of estrogen-responsive genes in vitro, including pS2 and c-fos (18,31). Furthermore, when administered at low doses, genistein stimulates the growth of ER-positive(ER+) breast cancer cells (18-20). Findings in other tissue systems support the estrogenicity of genistein. For example, genistein is uterotrophic in a variety of species, resulting in impaired reproductive activity and increases inuterine wet weights.

[pom19]

Since PM is such a strong phytoestrogen, I would see a doctor for that.

[surferjoe2007]

I would highly recommend that you don't consider soy products at all. That goes for anyone who has fibrocystic breasts or has undergone a recent breast biopsy.

Everyone should read this about Genistein, (one of phytoestrogens in PM and other products).

Also note that increased consumption of soy products reduces plasma concentrations of estradiol.

Genistein: does it prevent or promote breast cancer?
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles...9-0057.pdf

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles...85/?page=1

From pg. 702 Possible Anti-Estrogenic Effects of Genistein

Genistein has significant estrogenic properties in both in vitro and in vivomodels (Table1). Genistein binds to the estrogen receptor(ER), although its binding affinity is several-fold weaker than that of estradiol(30). Genistein can also activate a number of estrogen-responsive genes in vitro, including pS2 and c-fos (18,31). Furthermore, when administered at low doses, genistein stimulates the growth of ER-positive(ER+) breast cancer cells (18-20). Findings in other tissue systems support the estrogenicity of genistein. For example, genistein is uterotrophic in a variety of species, resulting in impaired reproductive activity and increases inuterine wet weights.

That's one subsection. I looked at the conclusion of that study and at the end it basically said they didn't know for sure if it helped or hurt, even though many studies so far say that it helps and the FDA even approves claims that it helps. It was bringing up a concern of some info we have on possible negatives in a sea of positive studies, hence the title. It mentions the possibility of preventing cancer a lot too. It talks about the battle between positive and negative factors and how we can't be 100% certain which one will win out even though we've studied a lot of positives. It also briefly mentions a molecule in PM and is only positive about it, though that may be because it spent so little time on PM.

Basically it's a gamble that is likely to be positive, might be negative, and a gamble that you may not want to take.

Though if any herb was like real estrogen then all the unmonitored people here would be getting cancer left and right, as would some regions of the world (they have lower rates instead). Real estrogen really is that dangerous. At worst the herbs are going to have a small negative effect if they don't have a positive one.

[Lotus]

A gamble is putting it lightly, to fully appreciate the report you'd have to read the entire report which goes into much greater detail other than just a "subsection". Soy was reported to increase not decrease in primary tumors of micrometastases in the high n-6 PUFA group, the results indicate genistein/soy may promote mammary tumor growth (in mouse models), studies indicate genistein should not be taken lightly, I'm with POM on seeing a doctor.


Nobody is a doctor here and certainly not me, what I can tell though from first hand experience growing breasts is not without risks.

Moongrl, I'm glad you asked for advice. As Henry de Bracton (English Jurist b. 1268) quoted "An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure"

Good luck