Hallelujah - Natto Bad For You

[Mulboyne]

Handle with care (photo: Matt Wegener)
ZakZak (Japanese) reports that Japan's Food Standards Agency has been looking into soy bean products on account of the recent boom in demand. Soy-based foods and supplements are being marketed as health products but agency trials suggest that too much isoflavone could be associated with higher incidence of cancer. Confusingly, isoflavone aglycones have been long-regarded as anticarcinogenic substances. One study suggested that the crossover point was around 70mg for men and post-menopause women (59mg pre-menopause). This amount would be found in two packs of natto.

[Mulboyne]

Kyodo via Japan Today: Up to 30 mg of soy isoflavone supplement is safe
A government food safety panel investigating the safety standard for soy isoflavone, a plant chemical widely believed to prevent osteoporosis and cancer, broadly agreed Monday that a daily intake of around 30 milligrams of isoflavone through supplement is safe, in addition to intake through regular diet. The Cabinet Office's Food Safety Commission said 30 mg of isoflavone equals the amount contained in about 150 grams or a half block of tofu. Isoflavone is widely believed to prevent osteoporosis caused by declining estrogen in older women.

[Taro Toporific]

Honda to sell 'natto'-derived enzyme that keeps blood from clotting [IN CAR WRECKS];)
Tuesday, February 28, 2006 at 15:59 EST
TOKYO ---Honda Trading Co, a wholly owned Honda Motor Co subsidiary, said Tuesday it will start marketing in March the "Nattokinase" enzyme produced by the beneficial bacteria "bacillus natto" which helps prevent blood clotting...more...