Topical Soy and Skin

An Effective Ingredient?

Soy – a new miracle food?

You’ve probably already read about the benefits of consuming soy – a new miracle food that claims to provide protection against many health woes, including natural relief for menopausal symptoms. On the other hand, you may also have heard from the opposing side, linking soy to breast cancer and thyroid disease amongst other negative side effects.

What you may not know is that soy also possesses beneficial effects on skin. Read on for more information.

With all the conflicting reports, I remain cautious about the consumption of soy. It offers benefits to some women in coping with hot flashes and other perimenopausal symptoms while others experience no relief at all or just can’t tolerate it (many individuals are allergic to soy).

If soy agrees with you, then tofu and a glass of soy milk occasionally are fine. Consuming soy in large quantities may not be the best thing for your health – soy food products are highly processed and they have been linked to impacting thyroid health negatively. Though not conclusive, there is thought that some of the metabolites of soy may block the absorption of certain nutrients. As with most things, I think it’s important to practice moderation and strive for balance. If you are going to consume soy, then look for high quality sources, preferably those that are organic and not genetically modified. (non-GMO). And, fermented sources of soy such as tempeh, natto or miso are not associated with soy’s nutrient blocking effects, so if you really love soy, then choose these products over non-fermented ones.

Soy and skin

Other than the internal benefits attributed to soy, recent research has shown that soy possesses antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects on skin. The component in soy responsible for these effects are isoflavones, a class of plant compounds abundant in soybeans. In the skin, isoflavones have been shown to work in two important ways:

1. stimulate collagen – which helps to increase the skin’s supporting structure, thereby increasing its thickness and elasticity
2. inhibit matrix metallo-proteinases, enzymes that break down the network of protein that make up the skin’s support layer.

Of important note is that topically applied soy does not exert any hormonal effects.

More resarch is being done on the topical benefits of soy and you can probably expect to see more skin care products using soy as an active ingredient being introduced in the near future.

UltimaSkin Honey and Soy Moisturizer

UltimaSkin combines the hydrating properties of honey with soy. This formula helps to alleviate dryness as well as improve skin elasticity and firmness. It’s especially effective in women where dry skin may be an issue. Read more about UltimaSkin Honey and Soy Moisturizer.