[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/PMC1638285/pdf/envhper00309-0057.pdf

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1638285/?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.