Intervention Study of Flaxseed in Postmenopausal Women: Effects on Hormonal Biomarkers of Breast Cancer Risk

Abstract

The objective of this study is to determine if flaxseed supplementation to usual diet in postmenopausal women had a beneficial effect on important hormonal biomarkers of breast cancer risk. Participants received 6 weeks of usual diet plus 7.5 grams per day of raw flaxseed, followed by 6 weeks of usual diet plus 15 grams per day of raw flaxseed. Serum and urinary levels of hormonal biomarkers of breast cancer risk were assessed at baseline, 7 weeks and 13 weeks. There were small declines in serum levels testosterone, estrone and estradiol after six and 12 weeks of flaxseed ingestion among all women (n=47) but these were not statistically significant. Among overweight/obese women (body mass index> 25kg/m2) (n=23), there were more substantial declines in serum levels of testosterone, estrone and estradiol associated with consumption of a flaxseed diet. Serum levels of sex hormone binding globulin were essentially unchanged in normal and overweight/obese women. Additional analyses are underway to evaluate changes in urinary hormone metabolites associated with flaxseed intake.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Jan 01, 2006
Accession Number
ADA446810

Entities

People

  • Susan R. Sturgeon

Organizations

  • University of Massachusetts Amherst

Tags

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Androgens
  • Biological Markers
  • Biomedical Research
  • Breast Cancer
  • Cancer
  • Department Of Defense
  • Digestive System Processes
  • Estrogens
  • Fish
  • Globulins
  • Hormones
  • Intervention
  • Metabolites
  • Neoplasms
  • Overweight
  • Sex Hormones
  • Testosterone

Fields of Study

  • Medicine

Readers

  • Women's Health and Cancer Risk Research: African American Women and Pregnancy Outcomes.