Skip to main content

Thank you for visiting nature.com. You are using a browser version with limited support for CSS. To obtain the best experience, we recommend you use a more up to date browser (or turn off compatibility mode in Internet Explorer). In the meantime, to ensure continued support, we are displaying the site without styles and JavaScript.

  • Original Article
  • Published:

Urinary and serum concentrations of seven phytoestrogens in a human reference population subset

Journal of Exposure Science & Environmental Epidemiology volume 13, pages 276–282 (2003)Cite this article

Abstract

Diets rich in naturally occurring plant estrogens (phytoestrogens) are strongly associated with a decreased risk for cancer and heart disease in humans. Phytoestrogens have estrogenic and, in some cases, antiestrogenic and antiandrogenic properties, and may contribute to the protective effect of some diets. However, little information is available about the levels of these phytoestrogens in the general US population. Therefore, levels of phytoestrogens were determined in urine (N=199) and serum (N=208) samples taken from a nonrepresentative subset of adults who participated in NHANES III, 1988–1994. The phytoestrogens quantified were the lignans (enterolactone, enterodiol, matairesinol); the isoflavones (genistein, daidzein, equol, O-desmethylangolensin); and coumestrol (urine only). Phytoestrogens with the highest mean urinary levels were enterolactone (512 ng/ml), daidzein (317 ng/ml), and genistein (129 ng/ml). In serum, the concentrations were much less and the relative order was reversed, with genistein having the highest mean level (4.7 ng/ml), followed by daidzein (3.9 ng/ml) and enterolactone (3.6 ng/ml). Highly significant correlations of phytoestrogen levels in urine and serum samples from the same persons were observed for enterolactone, enterodiol, genistein, and daidzein. Determination of phytoestrogen concentrations in large study populations will give a better insight into the actual dietary exposure to these biologically active compounds in the US population.

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution

Access options

Buy this article

  • Purchase on Springer Link
  • Instant access to full article PDF
Buy now

Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout

Figure 1
Figure 2

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Adlercreutz H., Fotsis T., Bannwart C., Wahala K., Makela T., Brunow G., and Hase T . Determination of urinary lignans and phytoestrogen metabolites, potential antiestrogens and anticarcinogens, in urine of women on various habitual diets. J Steroid Biochem 1986: 25: 791–797.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Adlercreutz H., Fotsis T., Kurzer M.S., Wahala K., Makela T., Hase T . Isotope dilution gas chromatographic–mass spectrometric method for the determination of unconjugated lignans and isoflavonoids in human feces, with preliminary results in omnivorous and vegetarian women. Anal Biochem 1995: 225: 101–108.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Adlercreutz H., Fotsis T., Lampe J., Wahala K., Makela T., Brunow G., and Hase T., Quantitative determination of lignans and isoflavonoids in plasma of omnivorous and vegetarian women by isotope dilution gas chromatography–mass spectrometry. Scand J Clin Lab Invest Suppl 1993: 215: 5–18.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Adlercreutz H., Hockerstedt K., Bannwart C., Bloigu S., Hamalainen E., Fotsis T, and Ollus A . Effect of dietary components, including lignans and phytoestrogens, on enterohepatic circulation and liver metabolism of estrogens and on sex hormone binding globulin (SHBG). J Steroid Biochem 1987: 27: 1135–1144.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Adlercreutz H., Hockerstedt K., Bannwart C., Hamalainen E., Fotsis T., and Bloigu S . Asociation beween dietary fiber, urinary excretion of lignns and isoflavonic phytoestrogens, and plasma non-protein bound sex hormones in relation to breast cancer. In: Bresciani F, King RJB, Lippman ME, Raynaud J-P (Eds.) Progess in Cancer Research and Therapy: Hormones and Cancer Vol. 35, Raven Press: New York, NY 1988, pp. 409–412.

    Google Scholar 

  • Adlercreutz H., Honjo H., Higashi A., Fotsis T., Hamalainen E., Hasegawa T., and Okada H . Urinary excretion of lignans and isoflavonoid phytoestrogens in Japanese men and women consuming a traditional Japanese diet. Am J Clin Nutr 1991: 54: 1093–1100.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Adlercreutz H. and, Mazur W . Phyto-oestrogens and Western diseases. Ann Med 1997: 29: 95–120.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Arai Y ., Uehara M ., Sato Y ., Kimira M ., Eboshida A ., AAdlercreuttz H ., Watanabe S . Comparison of isoflavones among dietary intake, plasma concentration and urinary excretion for accurate estimation of phytoestrogen intake. J Epidemiol 2000: 10: 127–135.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Bennetau-Pelissero C., Le Houerou C., Lamothe V., Le Menn F., Babin P., and Bennetau B . Synthesis of haptens and conjugates for ELISAs of phytoestrogens. Development of the immunological tests. J Agric Food Chem 2000: 48: 305–311.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Diem K. (ed.) Documenta Geigy: Scientific Tables 6th edd. Geigy PPharmaceuticals, Ardsley 1962.

  • Herman C., Adlercreutz B.R., Goldin B.R., Gorbach S.L., Hockerstedt A.V., Watanabe S., Hardin M.J., Makela T.H., Wahala K.T., Hase T.A., and Fotsis T . Soybean phytoestrogen intake and cancer risk. J Nutr 1995: 125: 757S–770S.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Horn-Ross P.L., Barnes S., Kirk M., Coward L., Parsonnet J., and Hiatt R.A . Urinary phytoestrogen levels in young women from a multiethnic population. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 1997: 6: 339–345.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Hutchins A.M., Lampe J.W., Martini M.C., Campbell D.R., and Slavin J.L . Vegetables, fruits, and legumes: effect on urinary isoflavonoid phytoestrogen and lignan excretion. J Am Diet Assoc 1995a: 95: 769–774.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Hutchins A.M., Slavin J.L., and Lampe J.W . Urinary isoflavonoid phytoestrogen and lignan excretion after consumption of fermented and unfermented soy products. J Am Diet Assoc 1995b: 95: 545–551.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Karr S.C., Lampe J.W., Hutchins A.M., and Slavin J.L . Urinary isoflavanoid excretion in humans is dose dependent at low to moderate levels of soy-protein consumption. Am J Clin Nutr 1997: 66: 46–51.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • King R.A., and Bursill D.B . Plasma and urinary kinetics of the isoflavones daidzein and genistein after a single soy meal in humans. Am J Clin Nutr 1998: 67: 867–872.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Kirkman L.M., Lampe J.W., Campbell D.R., Martini M.C., and Slavin J.L . Urinary lignan and isoflavonoid excretion in men and women consuming vegetable and soy diets. Nutr Cancer 1995: 24: 1–12.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Knight D.C., and Eden J.A . A review of the clinical effects of phytoestrogens. Obstet Gynecol 1996: 87: 897–904.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Kurzer M.S., and Xu X . Dietary phytoestrogens. Annu Rev Nutr 1997: 17: 353–381.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Lamartiniere C.A., Moore J., Holland M., and Barnes S . Neonatal genistein chemoprevents mammary cancer. Proc Soc Exp Biol Med 1995a: 208: 120–123.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Lamartiniere C.A., Moore J.B., Brown N.M., Thompson R., Hardin M.J., and Barnes S . Genistein suppresses mammary cancer in rats. Carcinogenesis 1995b: 16: 2833–2840.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Phipps W.R., Martini M.C., Lampe J.W., Slavin J.L., and Kurzer M.S . Effect of flax seed ingestion on the menstrual cycle. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 1993: 77: 1215–1219.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Saarinen N.M., Huovinen R., Warri A., Makela S.I., Valentín-Blasini L., Needham L., Eckerman C., Collan Y.U., and Santti R . Uptake and metabolism of hydroxymatairesinol in relation to its anticarcinogenicity in DMBA-induced rat mammary carcinoma model. Nutr Cancer 2001: 41: 82–90.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Setchell K.D., Brown N.M., Desai P., Zimmer-Nechemias L., Wolfe B.E., and Brashear W.T . Bioavailability of pur isoflavones in healthy humans and analysis of commericial soy isoflavone supplements. J Nutr 2001: 131(Suppl. 4): 1362S–1375S.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Setchell K.D., and Cassidy A . Dietary isoflavones: biological effects and relevance to human health. J Nutr 1999: 129: 758S–767S.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Valentín-Blasini L., Blount B.C., Rogers H.S., and Needham L.L . HPLC-MS/MS method for the measurement of seven phytoestrogens in human serum and urine. J Expos Anal Environ Epidemiol 2000: 10: 799–807.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wei H., Bowen R., Cai Q., Barnes S., and Wang Y . Antioxidant and antipromotional effects of the soybean isoflavone genistein. Proc Soc Exp Biol Med 1995: 208: 124–130.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Whitten P.L., and Patisaul H.B . Cross-species and interassay comparisons of phytoestrogen action. Environ Health Perspect 2001: 109(Suppl. 1): 5–20.

    CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

We acknowledge personnel at the National Center for Health Statistics of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for conducting NHANES, for providing results of creatinine measurements, and for assistance with demographic information.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. National Center for Environmental Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, 30341, GA, USA

    Liza Valentín-Blasini, Benjamin C Blount, Samuel P Caudill & Larry L Needham

Authors
  1. Liza Valentín-Blasini
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Benjamin C Blount
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Samuel P Caudill
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Larry L Needham
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Liza Valentín-Blasini.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Valentín-Blasini, L., Blount, B., Caudill, S. et al. Urinary and serum concentrations of seven phytoestrogens in a human reference population subset. J Expo Sci Environ Epidemiol 13, 276–282 (2003). https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.jea.7500278

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.jea.7500278

Keywords

This article is cited by

Search

Advanced search

Quick links