Q: I have three boys who were fed soy infant formula. I am now learning that was probably a terrible choice, but 18 years ago it was touted as the healthiest other than breast milk (which I tried unsuccessfully with the first two). My first son, who was born early, small, and very jaundiced due to a little antigen incompatibility, was intolerant of the milk-based formulas so I had to put him on soy. I just continued with the soy for the other two thinking it was a good choice. My question is what damage might have been done from the isoflavones? What should I look for? And how can it be repaired all these many years later? As a side note, all three boys suffer with different but manageable forms of ADD. One is very scatter brained, his thoughts don't come in order and he's thinner than I think he should be. One is very bright but often lethargic and unmotivated, and the other is more in the "hyperactive and ultra-sensitive realm" with a slight weight problem. I now attribute much of their ADD problems to levels of DHA in early development (as well as a little heredity). I also had gestational diabetes near the very end of my pregnancy with the third. Any help you can offer would be appreciated.
A:The isoflavones in soy can induce thyroid problems that often appear years later. These problems, including hypothyroidism and ADD, can be overcome to a great degree by adhering to the Zone Diet to reduce insulin levels and dramatically increasing the intake of EPA and DHA. My published studies with children with ADHD indicate significant improvement occurs within four weeks following a Zone Diet and high-dose fish oil (15 grams of EPA and DHA per day).