title: Phytoestrogens: dietary intake and excretion in postmenopausal Chinese women.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aims of this study were to estimate the dietary intake of phytoestrogens and to measure urinary phytoestrogen excretion in postmenopausal Chinese women.
  
  
  METHODS
  Postmenopausal Chinese women were recruited from the hormone replacement clinic of the Prince of Wales Hospital. Dietary intake of phytoestrogen-rich foods was estimated using a food frequency questionnaire. Urinary output of the isoflavonoids daidzein and genistein and the metabolite of daidzein, equol, was measured using high-performance liquid chromatography.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean daily excretion of daidzein, genistein and equol was 3.24 (+/- 3.63), 1.47 (+/- 1.75) and 0.64 (+/- 1.53) mumol, respectively. The total mean daily isoflavonoid excretion was 5.36 (+/- 5.27) mumol.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Urinary excretion of isoflavonoid phytoestrogens in this Chinese population was lower than that reported in Japanese subjects. This may be due to the higher consumption of legumes, especially soy products, in the Japanese compared to the Chinese diet. The intake of green vegetables was higher in the Chinese subjects, and this food group may be the main contributor to their total phytoestrogen intake.
authors.affiliation: Departments of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Chinese University of Hong Kong, Prince of Wales Hospital, Hong Kong.
authors.forename: V J
authors.initials: VJ
authors.lastname: Roach
authors.forename: T F
authors.initials: TF
authors.lastname: Cheung
authors.forename: T K
authors.initials: TK
authors.lastname: Chung
authors.forename: N M
authors.initials: NM
authors.lastname: Hjelm
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Waring
authors.forename: E P
authors.initials: EP
authors.lastname: Loong
authors.forename: C J
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Haines
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000818:Animals; D002681:China; D002839:Chromans / Q000652:urine; D004032:Diet; D015930:Diet Records; D060754:Equol; D004968:Estrogens, Non-Steroidal / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000652:urine*; D007887:Fabaceae; D005260:Female; D019833:Genistein / Q000652:urine; D006801:Humans; D007529:Isoflavones / Q000652:urine; D008875:Middle Aged; D008892:Milk; D048789:Phytoestrogens; D028321:Plant Preparations; D017698:Postmenopause; D013025:Glycine max; D014675:Vegetables
chemical_list: C007610:4',7-dihydroxy-3,4-dihydroisoflavone; D002839:Chromans; D004968:Estrogens, Non-Steroidal; D007529:Isoflavones; D048789:Phytoestrogens; D028321:Plant Preparations; D060754:Equol; C004742:daidzein; D019833:Genistein