Posted by patiolant on February 01, 2012 at 11:48:25 from (216.65.163.97):
In Reply to: Food nazis posted by rrlund on February 01, 2012 at 09:38:36:
As a scientist that has done research in the area of environmental estrogens for years, I can tell you that you really have to be careful about how you interpret these kinds of numbers. It all depends on how the "estrogen activity" is measured.
A little biology lesson:
The bodies of all animals (& people, & plants, etc.) are made up of cells. Estrogen is a hormone that works by binding to a molecule in the cells of animals and people known as the estrogen receptor. While many types of "estrogen like" hormones and other chemicals/molecules can bind to the estrogen receptor, they don"t all have the same effect when they bind. Some do nothing at all when they bind to the receptor, some make the receptor active to varying degrees so it starts to carry out all the functions in a cell that estrogen normally does, and others inactivate the receptor and prevent other estrogens from binding to or activating the receptor.
"estrogen activity" is often measured in a test tube by looking for any chemical activity that binds to the estrogen receptor molecule. However, it says absolutely nothing about what the end impact on the cells of an animal will be, and therefore nothing about the end result to an animal. Sometimes it is measured by assays using cells grown in a dish, but it is still difficult to know what the results mean in a whole living, breathing animal or person.
The data you show is correct in indicating that many plants have naturally occurring estrogen-like molecules known as "phytoestrogens". However, many of these phytoestrogens are known to behave very differently in cells of people than animal-derived estrogens or synthetic estrogens.
With all due respect, the end conclusion in my mind is that this kind of data is meaningless without some context. It is basically the same kind of public relations propaganda that all sides in this kind of debate like to use. They pretend that their science proves their point, when in fact they rarely understand the science behind the data they show. The truth is that many scientists are just as guilty of the same tactic, making broad generalizations about how definitive their own data is when deep inside they know it really is not that definitive. However, obtaining another research grant can be based on how well they are seen to make their point,and how well their data is seen as backing the funding agencies agenda.
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