Key Findings
The effect of flaxseed on estrogen metabolism and the urinary 2/16a-OHE1 ratio in postmenopausal women was examined. The results indicated that flaxseed supplementation significantly increases urinary 2-OHEstrogen and the 2/16a-OHE1 ratio in healthy, postmenopausal women suggesting that it may be protective against breast cancer.
ABSTRACT
Flaxseed, the richest known source of plant lignans, has been shown to have chemoprotective effects in animal and cell studies. Some of its effects may be mediated through its influence on endogenous hormone production and metabolism. Two competing pathways in estrogen metabolism involve production of the 2-hydroxylated and 16a-hydroxylated metabolites. Because of the proposed differences in biological activities of these metabolites, the balance of the two pathways has been used as a biomarker for breast cancer risk. We examined the effects of flaxseed consumption on urinary estrogen metabolite excretion in postmenopausal women. Twenty-eight postmenopausal women were studied for three seven-week feeding periods in a randomized crossover design. During the feeding periods, subjects consumed their usual diets plus ground flaxseed (0, 5, or 10 g/day). Urinary excretion of the estrogen metabolites 2-hydroxyestrogen (2-OHEstrogen) and 16a-hydroxyestrone (16a-OHE1) as well as their ratio, 2/16a-OHE1, was measured by enzyme immunoassay. Flaxseed supplementation significantly increased urinary 2-OHEstrogen excretion (p < 0.0005) and the urinary 2/16a-OHE1 ratio (p < 0.05) in a linear, dose-response fashion. There were no significant differences in urinary 16a-OHE1 excretion. These results suggest that flaxseed may have chemoprotective effects in postmenopausal women.
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