Skip to main content
ARS Home » Northeast Area » Beltsville, Maryland (BHNRC) » Beltsville Human Nutrition Research Center » Food Components and Health Laboratory » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #338820
Title: Effects of low-to-moderate alcohol supplementation on urinary estrogen metabolites in postmenopausal women in a controlled feeding study

Author
item MAHABIR, SOMDAT - National Cancer Institute (NCI, NIH)
item PFEIFFER, RUTH - National Cancer Institute (NCI, NIH)
item XU, XIA - National Cancer Institute (NCI, NIH)
item Baer, David
item TAYLOR, PHILUP - National Cancer Institute (NCI, NIH)

Submitted to: Cancer Medicine
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 7/11/2017
Publication Date: 9/6/2017
Citation: Mahabir, S., Pfeiffer, R., Xu, X., Baer, D.J., Taylor, P.R. 2017. Effects of low-to-moderate alcohol supplementation on urinary estrogen metabolites in postmenopausal women in a controlled feeding study. Cancer Medicine. 6:2419-2423. https://doi.org/10.1002/cam4.1153.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/cam4.1153

Interpretive Summary: Excessive alcohol consumption is associated with increased breast cancer risk, but associations with low to moderate alcohol consumption are less clear, and the biological mechanisms are not well defined. It is clear that the concentration of endogenous and exogenous estrogens (hormones) and increased urinary estrogens are important risk factors for breast cancer. However, clear evidence from controlled trials that low to moderate alcohol consumption increases concentrations of estrogens related to breast cancer would suggest a mechanism by which alcohol dose and duration of intake could increase risk, and provide support for a causal relationship. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of low (15 g/d, equivalent to 1 drink/day) and moderate (30 g/d, equivalent to 2 drinks/day) alcohol ingestion on concentrations of 15 urinary estrogen metabolites (EMs) in postmenopausal women in a controlled dietary intervention. Compared to no alcohol, 15 g/day of alcohol for 8 weeks had no effect on urinary EMs. However, compared to no alcohol, 30 g/day of alcohol for 8 weeks decreased urinary 2-hydroestrone (2-OHE1) and increased 16-epiestriol (16-EpiE3). Trends for reduced urinary 2-OHE1 and increased 16-EpiE3 were observed as alcohol ingestion increased from 0 g to 15 g to 30 g/d. Moderate alcohol consumption for 8 weeks had modest effects on urinary concentrations of 2-OHE1 and 16-EpiE3 among postmenopausal women in a carefully controlled feeding study. These data provide insights into the mechanisms by which alcohol consumption may modulate risk for breast cancer.

Technical Abstract: Heavy alcohol drinking is associated with increased breast cancer risk, but associations with low-to-moderate alcohol consumption are less clear and the biological mechanisms are not well defined. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of 8 weeks of low (15 g/d) and moderate (30 g/d) alcohol ingestion on concentrations of 15 urinary estrogen metabolites (EMs) in postmenopausal women (n = 51) in a controlled feeding study with a randomized crossover design. Compared to no alcohol, 15 g/day for 8 weeks had no effect on urinary EMs. However, compared to no alcohol, 30 g/day for 8 weeks decreased urinary 2-hydroestrone (2-OHE1) by 3.3% (P = 0.055) and increased 16-epiestriol (16-EpiE3) by 26.6% (P = 0.037). Trends for reduced urinary 2-OHE1 (P = 0.045), reduced ratio of 2-OH:16OH pathways (P = 0.008), and increased 16-EpiE3 (P = 0.035) were observed as alcohol ingestion increased from 0 g to 15 g to 30 g/d. Moderate alcohol consumption for 8 weeks had modest effects on urinary concentrations of 2-OHE1 and 16-EpiE3 among postmenopausal women in a carefully controlled feeding study.