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Lower serum oestrogen concentrations associated with faster intestinal transit
S J Lewis1, K W Heaton, R E Oakey
1University Department of Medicine, Bristol Royal Infirmary, UK.
British Journal of Cancer
|January 1, 1997
Summary
Increasing dietary fibre intake can lower serum oestrogen levels by speeding up intestinal transit time. This study investigated how manipulating gut transit affects oestrogen reabsorption and serum concentrations in healthy women.
Area of Science:
- Endocrinology
- Gastroenterology
- Nutritional Science
Background:
- Dietary fibre intake is linked to reduced serum oestrogen concentrations.
- The proposed mechanism involves decreased oestrogen reabsorption in the colon due to faster intestinal transit.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the hypothesis that fibre reduces serum oestrogen by decreasing colonic reabsorption time.
- To examine the effects of manipulated intestinal transit times on serum oestrogen levels.
Main Methods:
- A randomized controlled trial involving 40 healthy premenopausal volunteers.
- Interventions included senna, loperamide, and wheat bran to alter intestinal transit times.
- Measurements included whole-gut transit time, stool pH, fecal beta-glucuronidase activity, and serum oestrogen (oestrone, oestradiol, oestrone sulphate) and non-protein-bound fractions.
Main Results:
- Senna and loperamide successfully altered intestinal transit times; wheat bran showed a trend towards faster transit.
- Serum oestrone sulphate decreased with wheat bran and senna.
- Total and non-protein-bound oestrogen levels decreased with senna.
- Loperamide did not significantly alter serum oestrogen levels.
- No significant changes in fecal beta-glucuronidase activity were observed.
- Stool pH decreased only with senna.
Conclusions:
- Accelerating intestinal transit time can effectively lower serum oestrogen concentrations.
- The findings support the hypothesis that reduced transit time limits oestrogen reabsorption in the colon.
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