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Using isothiocyanate excretion as a biological marker of Brassica vegetable consumption in epidemiological studies: evaluating the sources of variability

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 January 2007

Jay H Fowke ,
Jed W Fahey ,
Katherine K Stephenson  and
James R Hebert
Jay H Fowke*
Affiliation:
Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics and the Nutrition Center, School of Public Health, University of South Carolina and the South Carolina Cancer Center, Columbia, SC, USA
Jed W Fahey
Affiliation:
Department of Pharmacology and Molecular Sciences, Brassica Chemoprotection Laboratory, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
Katherine K Stephenson
Affiliation:
Department of Pharmacology and Molecular Sciences, Brassica Chemoprotection Laboratory, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
James R Hebert
Affiliation:
Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics and the Nutrition Center, School of Public Health, University of South Carolina and the South Carolina Cancer Center, Columbia, SC, USA
*
*Corresponding author: Email jay.fowke@palmettohealth.org
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Abstract

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Objective:

Brassica vegetable consumption (e.g. broccoli) leads to excretion of isothiocyanates (ITC) in urine. We evaluated the consistency of ITC as a biomarker for dietary Brassica vegetable consumption across the types of vegetables and methods of preparation used in Western societies, and across consumption levels.

Design:

A single-armed behavioural intervention with duplicate baseline assessment and post-intervention assessment. Urinary ITC excretion and estrogen metabolites were measured from 24-hour urine samples. Dietary intake was measured by a 24-hour recall.

Setting:

The behavioural intervention facilitated daily Brassica intake among participants by providing peer support, food preparation instruction, guided practice in a teaching kitchen, and other information.

Subjects:

Thirty-four healthy free-living postmenopausal women who recently had a negative screening mammogram at the University of Massachusetts Medical Center.

Results:

Urinary ITC excretion and total Brassica intake followed the same pattern over the intervention. The ITC biomarker significantly predicted Brassica intake when Brassica consumption averaged about 100 g day−1, but not when Brassica consumption averaged about 200 g day−1. Urinary ITC levels were somewhat higher when more raw vegetables were consumed as compared to lightly cooked vegetables, while the types of Brassica consumed appeared to have only a small, non-significant effect on urinary ITC levels.

Conclusion:

Urinary ITC excretion would be a good exposure biomarker among populations regularly consuming a vegetable serving/day, but may be less accurate among populations with greater intake levels or a wide range of cooking practices.

Keywords

IsothiocyanateBiomarkerDietEstrogen metabolismDietary assessmentBrassica
Type
Research Article
Information
Public Health Nutrition , Volume 4 , Issue 3 , June 2001 , pp. 837 - 846
Copyright
Copyright © CABI Publishing 2001

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