title: Dietary phytoestrogens and vascular function in postmenopausal women: a cross-sectional study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the effects of low levels of intake of phytoestrogens in Western habitual diet on vascular function.
  
  
  METHODS
  A cross-sectional study.
  
  
  METHODS
  A population-based study.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 301 postmenopausal women aged 60-75 years living in The Netherlands. DETERMINANT: Dietary phytoestrogen intake as assessed using a food frequency questionnaire covering the year prior to enrollment.
  
  
  METHODS
  Blood pressure, hypertension, endothelial function and ankle brachial index.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The median isoflavone intake was 0.2 mg in the lowest tertile and 11.4 mg in the highest tertile. Median lignan intake was 0.8 and 2.2 mg, respectively. No associations were found for higher intake of isoflavones, systolic and diastolic blood pressures, ankle-arm blood pressure index, endothelial function or hypertension. For lignans no association was found for ankle-arm blood pressure index or endothelial function, but we did observe lower systolic and diastolic blood pressures and a lower prevalence of hypertension (systolic blood pressure difference T3-T1, -11.2 mmHg, 95% confidence interval = -17.8 to -4.5, P for trend = 0.001; diastolic blood pressure difference T3-T1, -3.6 mmHg, 95% confidence interval = -7.8 to 0.6, P for trend = 0,08; and prevalence of hypertension, odds ratio T3 versus T1 = 0.41, 95% confidence interval = 0.22-0.76, P for trend over tertiles = 0.004).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results of this study suggest a protective effect of dietary lignan intake on blood pressure and hypertension, even at low levels.
authors.affiliation: Julius Center for Health Sciences and Primary Care, University Medical Center Utrecht, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Sanne
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kreijkamp-Kaspers
authors.forename: Linda
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Kok
authors.forename: Michiel L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Bots
authors.forename: Diederick E
authors.initials: DE
authors.lastname: Grobbee
authors.forename: Yvonne T
authors.initials: YT
authors.lastname: van der Schouw
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000842:Ankle; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000187:drug effects*; D001916:Brachial Artery / Q000502:physiology; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004034:Diet Surveys; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000178:diet therapy* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D017705:Lignans / Q000008:administration & dosage; D008875:Middle Aged; D048789:Phytoestrogens / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D017698:Postmenopause; D015995:Prevalence
chemical_list: D017705:Lignans; D048789:Phytoestrogens