Dietary phytoestrogens and vascular function in postmenopausal women: a cross-sectional study.
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.
Kreijkamp-Kaspers
Sanne
S
Julius Center for Health Sciences and Primary Care, University Medical Center Utrecht, The Netherlands.
Kok
Linda
L
Bots
Michiel L
ML
Grobbee
Diederick E
DE
van der Schouw
Yvonne T
YT
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
D017705:Lignans; D048789:Phytoestrogens