Hostname: page-component-586b7cd67f-rdxmf Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-23T05:14:25.593Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Alcohol and dietary fibre intakes affect circulating sex hormones among premenopausal women

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 January 2007

Gertraud Maskarinec ,
Yukiko Morimoto ,
Yumie Takata ,
Suzanne P Murphy  and
Frank Z Stanczyk
Gertraud Maskarinec*
Affiliation:
Cancer Research Center of Hawaii, 1236 Lauhala Street, Honolulu, HI 96813, USA
Yukiko Morimoto
Affiliation:
Cancer Research Center of Hawaii, 1236 Lauhala Street, Honolulu, HI 96813, USA
Yumie Takata
Affiliation:
Cancer Research Center of Hawaii, 1236 Lauhala Street, Honolulu, HI 96813, USA
Suzanne P Murphy
Affiliation:
Cancer Research Center of Hawaii, 1236 Lauhala Street, Honolulu, HI 96813, USA
Frank Z Stanczyk
Affiliation:
University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
*
*corresponding author: Email [email protected]
Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Core share and HTML view are not available for this content. However, as you have access to this content, a full PDF is available via the ‘Save PDF’ action button.
Background

The association of alcohol and fibre intake with breast cancer may be mediated by circulating sex hormone levels, which are predictors of breast cancer risk.

Objective

To evaluate the relationship of alcohol and dietary fibre intake with circulating sex hormone levels among premenopausal women.

Methods

A total of 205 premenopausal women completed a validated food-frequency questionnaire at baseline and after 2 years; blood samples taken at the same time were analysed for circulating sex hormone concentrations, including oestrone (E1), oestradiol (E2), free E2, progesterone, androstenedione and sex hormone-binding globulin, by radioimmunoassay. We used mixed models to estimate least-square means of sex hormone concentrations for alcohol intake categories and quartiles of dietary intake.

Results

After adjustment for covariates, alcohol consumption was moderately associated with higher circulating oestrogen levels; those who consumed more than one drink per day had 20% higher E2 (Ptrend = 0.07) levels than non-drinkers. In contrast, higher dietary fibre intake was associated with lower serum levels of androstenedione (−8% between the lowest and highest quartiles of intake, Ptrend = 0.06), but not oestrogens. Similarly, consumption of fruits (−12%, Ptrend = 0.03), vegetables (−9%, Ptrend = 0.15) and whole grains (−7%, Ptrend = 0.07) showed inverse associations with androstenedione levels.

Conclusions

The consistency of the observed differences in sex hormone levels associated with alcohol and fibre-rich foods indicates that these nutritional factors may affect sex hormone concentrations and play a role in breast cancer aetiology and prevention.

Keywords

Sex hormonesBreast cancer riskAlcoholDietary fibrePremenopausal women
Type
Research Article
Information
Public Health Nutrition , Volume 9 , Issue 7 , October 2006 , pp. 875 - 881
Copyright
Copyright © The Authors 2006

References

1World Cancer Research Fund (WCRF)/American Institute for Cancer Research (AICR). Food, Nutrition and the Prevention of Cancer: A Global Perspective. Washington, DC: WCRF/AICR, 1997.Google Scholar
2Hamajima, N, Hirose, K, Tajima, K, Rohan, T, Calle, EE, Heath, CW Jr, et al. Alcohol, tobacco and breast cancer – collaborative reanalysis of individual data from 53 epidemiological studies, including 58, 515 women with breast cancer and 95, 067 women without the disease. British Journal of Cancer 2002; 87: 1234–45.Google Scholar
3Singletary, KW, Gapstur, SM. Alcohol and breast cancer: review of epidemiologic and experimental evidence and potential mechanisms. Journal of the American Medical Association 2001; 286: 2143–51.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
4Reichman, ME, Judd, JT, Longcope, C, Schatzkin, A, Clevidence, BA, Nair, PP, et al. Effects of alcohol consumption on plasma and urinary hormone concentrations in premenopausal women. Journal of the National Cancer Institute 1993; 85: 722–7.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
5Onland-Moret, NC, Peeters, PH, van der Schouw, YT, Grobbee, DE, van Gils, CH. Alcohol and endogenous sex steroid levels in postmenopausal women: a cross-sectional study. Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism 2005; 90: 1414–9.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
6Rose, DP, Goldman, M, Connolly, JM, Strong, LE. High-fiber diet reduces serum estrogen concentrations in premenopausal women. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition 1991; 54: 520–5.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
7Bagga, D, Ashley, JM, Geffrey, SP, Wang, HJ, Barnard, RJ, Korenman, S, et al. Effects of a very low fat, high fiber diet on serum hormones and menstrual function. Cancer 1995; 76: 2491–6.3.0.CO;2-R>CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
8Rose, DP. Dietary fiber and breast cancer. Nutrition and Cancer 1990; 13: 1–8.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
9Henderson, BE, Ponder, B, Ross, RK. Hormones, Genes, and Cancer. New York: Oxford University Press, 2003.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
10The Endogenous Hormones and Breast Cancer Collaborative Group. Endogenous sex hormones and breast cancer in postmenopausal women: reanalysis of nine prospective studies. Journal of the National Cancer Institute 2002; 94: 606–16.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
11Key, TJ, Pike, MC. The role of oestrogens and progestagens in the epidemiology and prevention of breast cancer. European Journal of Cancer & Clinical Oncology 1988; 24: 29–43.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
12Kabuto, M, Akiba, S, Stevens, RG, Neriishi, K, Land, CE. A prospective study of estradiol and breast cancer in Japanese women. Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers&Prevention 2000; 9: 575–9.Google ScholarPubMed
13Kaaks, R, Berrino, F, Key, T, Rinaldi, S, Dossus, L, Biessy, C, et al. Serum sex steroids in premenopausal women and breast cancer risk within the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC). Journal of the National Cancer Institute 2005; 97: 755–65.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
14Maskarinec, G, Robbins, C, Riola, B, Kane-Sample, L, Franke, A, Murphy, S. Three measures show high compliance in soy intervention among premenopausal women. Journal of the American Dietetic Association 2003; 103: 861–6.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
15Maskarinec, G, Franke, AA, Williams, AE, Hebshi, S, Oshiro, C, Murphy, SP, et al. Effects of a 2–year randomized soy intervention on sex hormone levels in premenopausal women. Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers&Prevention 2004; 13: 1736–44.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
16Stram, DO, Hankin, JH, Wilkens, LR, Henderson, B, Kolonel, LN. Calibration of the dietary questionnaire for a multiethnic cohort in Hawaii and Los Angeles. American Journal of Epidemiology 2000; 151: 358–70.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
17Murphy, SP. Unique nutrition support for research at the Cancer Research Center of Hawaii. Hawaii Medical Journal 2002; 61: 15, 17.Google ScholarPubMed
18Sharma, S, Murphy, SP, Wilkens, LR, Au, D, Shen, L, Kolonel, LN. Extending a multiethnic food composition table to include standardized food group servings. Journal of Food Composition and Analysis 2003; 16: 485–95.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
19 US Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. USDA National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference, Release 14 “online], 2003. Available at http://www.nal.usda.gov/fnic/foodcomp/index.html. Accessed 30 April 2003.Google Scholar
20Center for Nutrition Policy and Promotion. The Food Guide Pyramid. Washington, DC: US Department of Agriculture, 1996.Google Scholar
21Muti, P, Trevisan, M, Micheli, A, Krogh, V, Bolelli, G, Sciajno, R et al. , Alcohol consumption and total estradiol in premenopausal women. Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention 1998; 7: 189–93.Google ScholarPubMed
22Garcia-Closas, M, Herbstman, J, Schiffman, M, Glass, A, Dorgan, JF. Relationship between serum hormone concentrations, reproductive history, alcohol consumption and genetic polymorphisms in pre-menopausal women. International Journal of Cancer 2002; 102: 172–8.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
23Randolph, JF Jr, Sowers, M, Gold, EB, Mohr, BA, Luborsky, J, Santoro, N, et al. Reproductive hormones in the early menopausal transition: relationship to ethnicity, body size, and menopausal status. Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism 2003; 88: 1516–22.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
24Ginsburg, ES, Mello, NK, Mendelson, JH, Barbieri, RL, Teoh, SK, Rothman, M, et al. Effects of alcohol ingestion on estrogens in postmenopausal women. Journal of the American Medical Association 1996; 276: 1747–51.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
25Verkasalo, PK, Thomas, HV, Appleby, PN, Davey, GK, Key, TJ. Circulating levels of sex hormones and their relation to risk factors for breast cancer: a cross-sectional study in 1092 pre- and postmenopausal women (United Kingdom). Cancer Causes&Control 2001; 12: 47–59.Google ScholarPubMed
26Sierksma, A, Sarkola, T, Eriksson, CJ, van, der, Gaag, MS, Grobbee, DE, Hendriks, HF. Effect of moderate alcohol consumption on plasma dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate, testosterone, and estradiol levels in middle-aged men and postmenopausal women: a diet-controlled intervention study. Alcoholism, Clinical and Experimental Research 2004; 28: 780–5.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
27Dorgan, JF, Reichman, ME, Judd, JT, Brown, C, Longcope, C, Schatzkin, A, et al. The relation of reported alcohol ingestion to plasma levels of estrogens and androgens in premenopausal women (Maryland, United States). Cancer Causes&Control 1994; 5: 53–60.Google ScholarPubMed
28Key, TJ, Appleby, PN, Reeves, GK, Roddam, A, Dorgan, JF, Longcope, C, et al. Body mass index, serum sex hormones, and breast cancer risk in postmenopausal women. Journal of the National Cancer Institute 2003; 95: 1218–26.Google ScholarPubMed
29Micheli, A, Muti, P, Secreto, G, Krogh, V, Meneghini, E, Venturelli, E, et al. Endogenous sex hormones and subsequent breast cancer in premenopausal women. International Journal of Cancer 2004; 112: 312–8.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
30Purohit, V. Can alcohol promote aromatization of androgens to estrogens? A review. Alcohol 2000; 22: 123–7.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
31Dorgan, JF, Longcope, C, Stephenson, HE, Falk, RT, Miller, R, Franz, C, et al. Relation of prediagnostic serum estrogen and androgen levels to breast cancer risk. Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers&Prevention 1996; 5: 533–9.Google ScholarPubMed
32Berrino, F, Muti, P, Micheli, A, Bolelli, G, Krogh, V, Sciajno, R, et al. Serum sex hormone levels after menopause and subsequent breast cancer. Journal of the National Cancer Institute 1996; 88: 291–6.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
33Nagata, C, Kabuto, M, Takatsuka, N, Shimizu, H. Associations of alcohol, height, and reproductive factors with serum hormone concentrations in postmenopausal Japanese women. Steroid hormones in Japanese postmenopausal women. Breast Cancer Research and Treatment 1997; 44: 235–41.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
34Rock, CL, Flatt, SW, Thomson, CA, Stefanick, ML, Newman, VA, Jones, LA, et al. Effects of a high-fiber, low-fat diet intervention on serum concentrations of reproductive steroid hormones in women with a history of breast cancer. Journal of Clinical Oncology 2004; 22: 2379–87.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
35Bingham, SA, Day, NE, Luben, R, Ferrari, P, Slimani, N, Norat, T, et al. Dietary fibre in food and protection against colorectal cancer in the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC): an observational study. Lancet 2003; 361: 1496–501.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
36van Gils, CH, Peeters, PH, Bueno-de-Mesquita, HB, Boshuizen, HC, Lahmann, PH, Clavel-Chapelon, F, et al. Consumption of vegetables and fruits and risk of breast cancer. Journal of the American Medical Association 2005; 293: 183–93.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
37Smith-Warner, SA, Spiegelman, D, Yaun, SS, Adami, HO, Beeson, WL, van, den, Brandt, PA, et al. Intake of fruits and vegetables and risk of breast cancer: a pooled analysis of cohort studies. Journal of the American Medical Association 2001; 285: 769–76.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
38Rosner, W. Plasma steroid-binding proteins. Endocrinology and Metabolism Clinics of North America 1991; 20: 697–720.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
39Gates, JR, Parpia, B, Campbell, TC, Junshi, C. Association of dietary factors and selected plasma variables with sex hormone-binding globulin in rural Chinese women. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition 1996; 63: 22–31.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
40Sturgeon, SR, Potischman, N, Malone, KE, Dorgan, JF, Daling, J, Schairer, C, et al. Serum levels of sex hormones and breast cancer risk in premenopausal women: a case–control study (USA). Cancer Causes&Control 2004; 15: 45–53.Google ScholarPubMed
41Zeleniuch-Jacquotte, A, Shore, RE, Koenig, KL, Akhmedkhanov, A, Afanasyeva, Y, Kato, I, et al. Postmenopausal levels of oestrogen, androgen, and SHBG and breast cancer: long-term results of a prospective study. British Journal of Cancer 2004; 90: 153–9.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
42Key, TJ, Allen, NE. Hormones and breast cancer. IARC Scientific Publications 2002; 156: 273–6.Google ScholarPubMed
43Li, BW, Andrews, MC, Pehrsson, PR. Individual sugars, soluble, and insoluble dietary fiber contents of 70 high consumption foods. Journal of Food Composition and Analysis 2005; 15: 715–23.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
44Williams, AE, Maskarinec, G, Franke, AA, Stanczyk, FZ. The temporal reliability of serum estrogens, progesterone, gonadotropins, SHBG and urinary estrogen and progesterone metabolites in premenopausal women. BMC Women's Health 2002; 2: 13.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
45Rinaldi, S, Moret, CN, Kaaks, R, Biessy, C, Kurzer, MS, Dechaud, H, et al. Reproducibility over time of measurements of androgens, estrogens and hydroxy estrogens in urine samples from post-menopausal women. European Journal of Epidemiology 2003; 18: 417–24.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
46Henderson, BE, Pike, MC, Bernstein, L, Ross, RK. Breast cancer. In: Schottenfeld, D, ed. Cancer Epidemiology and Prevention.. New York: Oxford University Press, 1996; 1022–39.Google Scholar
47Ahmad, N, Pollard, TM, Unwin, N. The optimal timing of blood collection during the menstrual cycle for the assessment of endogenous sex hormones: can interindividual differences in levels over the whole cycle be assessed on a single day?. Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers&Prevention 2002; 11: 147–51.Google ScholarPubMed