One of the false claims being made by the soy bashers is that  phytic acid (inositol hexaphosphate, IP6)  in soy will rob the body of minerals. I have tried to explain why  this is a myth over and over,  but the myth still persists.

In short the only way phytic acid can take something from the body is to give up the minerals it is already bound to. Just like how in order for hemoglobin to pick up carbon dioxide it must give up the oxygen it is holding on to and vice versa. If the phytic acid is already bound it is not going to be able to grab anything from the body. But it does have a higher affinity for heavy metals and free iron than it does minerals we really need. So the phytic acid in plants we eat will already be bound to beneficial minerals that it gladly give up in order to grab a hold of toxic metals it can then take out of the body. So the only thing it is really going to rob our body of is metallic toxins we do not want.

I have a list at home somewhere of the series of affinity that phytic acid has for metals, so I was checking to see if the list is online and ran across a site that was discussing a post here on CZ on the subject. So I went to the post which I feel nails it:

http://www.curezone.com/forums/fm.asp?i=1328034

"Subject:   Re: O/T Phytic Acid in whole grains - does it lead to loss of minerals??

Simple answer NO,

There is a simple, economical and effective way of ridding the body of all of these undesirable organisms, debris and metals with advancing age --- IP6 rice bran extract.

IP6 is inositol hexaphosphate (also called phytic acid), which is found in every cell of the human body, is one molecule of inositol and six of phosphate and is found naturally in whole grains (bran), seeds and nuts. IP6 is known as nature’s master mineral chelator (remover).

IP6 is another of the many natural molecules that both conventional and alternative health practitioners continue to overlook. Researchers from around the world indicate they are searching for metal chelating agents to prevent or treat disease but fail to employ IP6 rice bran extract which is safe and economical. Conventional medicine’s narrow use of patented drugs rather than natural remedies blinds many health practitioners from the use of natural remedies such as IP6.

IP6, extracted from rice bran, is available as a dietary supplement and natural chelator of metals from living tissues. As a dietary supplement, IP6 is documented as a cleanser of arteries, the heart, brain, kidneys, liver, gall bladder (stones), and many other tissues. Here is the evidence for your review.

IP6 cleanses heavy metals
IP6 attaches to heavy metals such as mercury, lead and cadmium, as well as loose iron, copper and calcium. [J Agriculture Food Chemistry 47: 4714-17, 999] IP6 is a selective chelator -- it does not attach to potassium, sodium or magnesium, important electrolyte minerals required for heart rhythm. IP6 does not remove calcium from bones or iron from red blood cells. Once chelated (attached), these excess minerals are excreted via the urinary tract. [Crit Rev Food Sci Nutr. 35:495-508, 1995]"