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This version published online on November 30, 2004
Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism, doi:10.1210/jc.2004-0614
A more recent version of this article appeared on March 1, 2005
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Submitted on April 1, 2004
Accepted on November 22, 2004

Alcohol and Endogenous Sex Steroid Levels in Postmenopausal Women: a cross-sectional study

N Charlotte Onland-Moret, Petra HM Peeters, Yvonne T van der Schouw, Diederick E Grobbee, and Carla H van Gils*

Julius Center for Health Sciences and Primary Care, University Medical Center Utrecht, PO Box 85500, 3508 GA Utrecht, the Netherlands

* To whom correspondence should be addressed.
Carla H van Gils, E-mail: c.vangils{at}umcutrecht.nl

Breast cancer risk increases with increased levels of alcohol consumption, potentially through an effect on sex hormone levels. In a cross-sectional study among Dutch participants (n = 17,357) of the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition conducted in Utrecht, The Netherlands (Prospect-EPIC), we investigated the relation between alcohol intake and estrogen and androgen levels. Alcohol intake was calculated from a food frequency questionnaire (FFQ). Women were included if they were postmenopausal, had donated a blood sample and did not use hormone replacement therapy or oral contraceptives at time of blood donation (n = 1093).

Women who consumed more than 25 grams of alcohol per day had higher levels of estrone (ptrend=0.001), estradiol (ptrend=0.03), dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEAS: ptrend=0.18), and higher estrone/estradiol (ptrend=0.14) and estrone/androstenedione (ptrend=0.06) ratios compared with non-drinkers. Levels of androstenedione, testosterone, and sex hormone binding globuline did not differ between women who consumed alcohol and non-drinkers. Furthermore, there were no differences in the free androgen index or the estradiol/testosterone ratio.

In conclusion, levels of estrogens and DHEAS are higher in women who consume more alcohol. This finding supports the hypothesis that alcohol use may increase breast cancer risk at least partially through an effect on sex steroid levels.
Key words: Alcohol • endogenous hormones • sex steroids




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