Properties: Sweet, warm

Meridans Entered:
Primary: Spleen, Stomach and Kidney

1. Tonifies the Kidneys and relieves low back and knee pain
   Low back and knee pain and arthralgia
   Fidgeting, night sweats and Heat sensations due to Yin Deficiency
2. Nourishes the skin and muscles
   Physical appearance
3. Clears Heat and relieves toxicity
   Poisoning, hyperhydrosis
   Overdose
4. Nourishes Blood and Jing and clears vision
   Dizziness

Suggested Daily Dosage: 15-30g or up to half a cup, eaten as food.

Cautions: Beans generally have a high FODMAP score and soy beans in particular have no low FODMAP threshold (George Eats, April 2024) and so should be avoided in cases of abdominal distension due to Spleen Dampness.

Interactions:

• MAOIs: Tyramine is broken down by monoamine oxidase and inhibitors can prevent this breakdown. Usually in small quantities in soy, but fermentation case raise by 20-fold causing high blood pressure.
• Antibiotics: May decrease effectiveness of soy by killing gut bacteria required to break it down.
• Oestrogens: May compete for the same receptors decreasing the effectiveness of oestrogen medications including tamoxifen.
• Warfarin: May decrease the effectiveness for reasons unknown. Have blood checked regularly.
• Medications changed by Cytochrome P450 2C9: May affect these medications including amitriptyline, cannabidol, clopidogrel, diazepam, diclofenac, estradiol, fluoexitine, fluvastatin, ibuprofen, loratidine, methadone, naproxen, phenytoin, progesterone, s-warfarin, tamoxifen, testosterone, tolbutamide, valproic acid and zafirlucast. For a complete list see the Cytochrome P450 Substrates.

• Genistein
  Isoflavone described as an angiogenesis inhibitor and a phytoestrogen. It plays a role in prevention of atherosclerosis and as an inhibitor of estrogen dependent cancers.
• Lecithin
  A phospholipid with a polar choline found in phosphoester linkage to diacylglycerol. It is commonly used as a food additive, as an emulsifier to blend fats and water, and marketed as a supplement to benefit the gut mucosal lining and helping with disorders such as ulceration and potentially improving gut microbial diversity. However, it could have the opposite effect in some individuals, increasing inflammation and disrupting the microbial environment (Panyod et al., 2024).
• Spermidine
  Polyamine thought to stimulate autophagy, potentially preventing the development of neurodegeneration disorders, cardiovascular disease and the development of cancer, resulting in extended lifespan (Satarker et al., 2024).