Key Findings:
This research reported that consuming 7.5 g of flaxseed per day for 6 wk. and 15 g of flaxseed for an additional 6 wk. resulted in modest, non-statistically significant declines in serum levels of testosterone, estrone, and estradiol in 48 postmenopausal women. A mean reduction of 6.5 pg/ml for estrone was statistically significant in a subset of overweight women. The findings suggest that consumption of one to two tablespoons of flaxseed may positively effect estrogen and androgen concentrations, particularly in overweight/obese women.
ABSTRACT:
Flaxseed is a rich source of dietary lignans. Experimental studies suggest lignans may exert breast cancer preventive effects through hormonal mechanisms. Our aim was to study the effects of flaxseed on serum sex hormones implicated in the development of breast cancer. Forty-eight postmenopausal women participated in a 12-wk preintervention–postintervention study. Participants consumed 7.5 g/day of ground flaxseed for the first 6 wk and 15.0 grams/day for an additional 6 wk. Non-significant declines were noted over the 12 wk (95% confidence intervals) for estradiol (pg/ml), estrone (pg/ml), and testosterone (pg/ml): –4.4 (–12.6 to 3.9), –3.3 (–7.7 to 1.2), –4.7 (–17.8 to 8.5), respectively. Changes tended to be more pronounced in overweight/obese women, particularly for estrone (–6.5, –11.9 to –1.2; P = .02). Our results suggest that dietary flaxseed may modestly lower serum levels of sex steroid hormones, especially in overweight/obese women. (Author’s abstract)
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