Abstract
We investigated whether seaweed intake is associated with sex steroid levels in young Japanese children. The design of the study was cross-sectional and it was conducted in October-November 2006. Subjects were substantially healthy preschoolers, 230 boys and 198 girls, aged 3-6 years. Dietary data, including seaweed intake, were assessed using 3-day dietary records covering 2 consecutive weekdays and 1 weekend day. Urinary estrone, estradiol, testosterone, and 5-androstene-3β,17α diol levels were measured by liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry. Urinary dehydroepiandrosterone level was measured with a radioimmunoassay. Steroid hormones were adjusted for urinary creatinine levels. Spearman's correlation coefficient between seaweed intake and estrone level was -0.144 (p = 0.030) in boys and -0.147 (p = 0.041) in girls after adjustments for age, BMI, and total energy intake. Seaweed intake was neither associated with estradiol, testosterone, 3β,17α-AED nor with DHEA among boys and girls. The negative association between seaweed intake and estrone level suggests that dietary seaweed intake might affect estrogen metabolism in childhood.
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