How can soy help reduce the risk of prostate and breast cancer?

One reason why soy may help reduce the risk of both breast cancer and prostate cancer is that it reduces the harmful effects of estrogen. The phytoestrogens in soy have a structure similar enough to that of estrogen that they bind to estrogen receptors. They stimulate estrogen receptors only weakly but block the regular estrogen molecules from binding to these estrogen receptors.

It’s a little like having a key that fits well enough to go into a lock but not accurately enough to open it - but it blocks any other keys from being able to open the lock. The net effect is to reduce the effects of estrogen.

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