title: Evaluation of the Aromatase Inhibition Potential of Freeze-Dried Grape Powder.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine the role of freeze-dried grapes as a potential aromatase inhibitor by testing of plasma hormone levels.
  
  
  METHODS
  A six-week study was conducted involving postmenopausal women during which 94 g of freeze-dried grape powder was consumed in addition to their usual diet. Plasma hormones were measured before and after the treatment.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of the 18 women involved in the study, average age and body mass index were 61.4 years and 24.4 respectively. For the hormone levels studied, the following median (interquartile range) percentage changes from baseline to six-week values were found: estradiol +11.8% (-34.4%, +44.2%), p = .42; estrone +3.4% (-15.7%, +12.9%), p = .64; estrone sulfate +5.3% (-19.9%, +56.3%), p = .35; testosterone -1.5% (-14.7%, +10.7%), p = .97; and androstenedione +12.6% (-17.1%, +49.1%), p = .15. The hormone levels did not significantly change between baseline and six weeks. Further, the changes that were observed did not tend to go in the hypothesized direction (estrogens and conjugates increased slightly, and testosterone decreased slightly). Only androstenedione showed a trend toward change in the hypothesized direction.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In this study, there was no evidence that plasma hormone levels are altered by six weeks of daily consumption of 94 g of freeze-dried grape powder.
authors.affiliation: a 1 Family Medicine Department , Mayo Clinic College of Medicine Rochester, Minnesota, USA.
authors.forename: Summer V
authors.initials: SV
authors.lastname: Allen
authors.affiliation: b 2 General Internal Medicine Department , Mayo Clinic College of Medicine Rochester, Minnesota, USA.
authors.forename: Sandhya
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Pruthi
authors.affiliation: c 3 Health Sciences Research Department , Mayo Clinic College of Medicine Rochester, Minnesota, USA.
authors.forename: Vera J
authors.initials: VJ
authors.lastname: Suman
authors.affiliation: d 4 Biomedical Statistics and Informatics Department , Mayo Clinic Rochester, Minnesota, USA.
authors.forename: Tanya L
authors.initials: TL
authors.lastname: Hoskin
authors.affiliation: c 3 Health Sciences Research Department , Mayo Clinic College of Medicine Rochester, Minnesota, USA.
authors.forename: Celine M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Vachon
authors.affiliation: e 5 Department of Oncology , Mayo Clinic College of Medicine Rochester, Minnesota, USA.
authors.forename: James N
authors.initials: JN
authors.lastname: Ingle
authors.affiliation: c 3 Health Sciences Research Department , Mayo Clinic College of Medicine Rochester, Minnesota, USA.
authors.forename: Janet E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Olson
keywords: biobanking; breast cancer; epidemiology; grape seed extract