title: Reduction of serum estradiol in postmenopausal women given free access to low-fat high-carbohydrate diet.
abstract: The short-term effects of a low-fat (less than 10% of cal) high-fiber (35-45 g.1000 kcal-1.day-1) diet on estradiol levels were studied in 13 postmenopausal women under residential conditions with cafeteria food service. During this diet study (mean +/- SE duration 22 +/- 4.6 days), body weight declined from 84.9 +/- 6.4 to 82.3 +/- 6.0 kg (P less than 0.001). Serum cholesterol and low-density and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol also fell significantly, whereas triglycerides remained constant. Serum estradiol fell from 18.1 +/- 3.6 to 9.4 +/- 2.4 pg/ml (P less than 0.05). This study demonstrates that serum estradiol levels are reduced in normal to over-weight postmenopausal women given free access to a low-fat high-fiber diet. Most of these women were in negative caloric balance during the study, suggesting that short-term changes in caloric balance may affect estrogen synthesis in postmenopausal women prior to a large decrease in fat mass.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, University of California, School of Medicine, Los Angeles 90024-1742.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Heber
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Ashley
authors.forename: D A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Leaf
authors.forename: R J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Barnard
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000097:blood; D008076:Cholesterol, HDL / Q000097:blood; D008078:Cholesterol, LDL / Q000097:blood; D004040:Dietary Carbohydrates / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D004041:Dietary Fats / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D004043:Dietary Fiber / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D002149:Energy Intake; D004958:Estradiol / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008593:Menopause / Q000502:physiology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D015431:Weight Loss
chemical_list: D008076:Cholesterol, HDL; D008078:Cholesterol, LDL; D004040:Dietary Carbohydrates; D004041:Dietary Fats; D004043:Dietary Fiber; D004958:Estradiol; D002784:Cholesterol