The Goitrogenicity of Soybeans

The observations of Sharpless, Pearsons and Prato that soybeans are goitrogenic, that this goitrogenicity is partially inactivated by heat, and that iodine will counteract the effect on the thyroid gland have been corroborated. The goitrogenic factor in soybeans was not extracted by chloroform nor by successive treatment with acetone, ethanol, and ethyl ether. This is not in accord with the report of Sharpless et al. This goitrogenic factor causes intense hyperplastic and hypertrophic changes in the thyroid glands of chicks and rats. Soybean oil mean was found to be goitrogenic, but no detrimental effect other than that on the thyroid gland was noted in growing chickens. Goiter was produced in chicks without the use of soybeans or soybean oil meal.