A co-worker recently asked me for some information on soy protein, so I gave him an article from T-Nation from a couple of years ago (click on header to read the article). Little has changed since that article came out and soy is becoming more and more difficult to avoid.
Men, in particular, need to stay away from soy. It has been shown to reduce testosterone levels, which is why negligent doctors are prescribing it to men at risk for prostate cancer. However, there is significant research showing that prostate cancer is associated with higher than normal levels of estrogen. Soy is estrogenic. It's throwing gasoline on the fire to give soy to those at risk for any kind of cancer, not just prostate. Besides, men do not need anything that lowers T levels, especially with all the environmental estrogens we are exposed to every day.
Even women, especially pre-menopausal women at risk for breast cancer, need to be careful with soy products. Most of the powders and supplements on the market have been fortified with far higher levels of phytoestrogens than nature ever intended. I would also caution pregnant women to avoid soy -- we know that it can impact sex hormones of the fetus in negative ways.
Further, infant formulas are loaded with soy because it's cheap. But the phytoestrogens have a profound impact on infants, especially male children. It might be more expensive, but milk protein is a better choice.
There are also thyroid issues with soy use, as well as other health concerns. For a good book covering all the science and providing research support for all of its positions, see The Whole Soy Story (http://www.wholesoystory.com/).
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