Skip to main content
. Author manuscript; available in PMC: 2016 Mar 23.
Published in final edited form as: J Nutr. 2013 Apr 17;143(6):986S–994S. doi: 10.3945/jn.112.172981

Table 2.

Unadjusted phytoestrogen biomarker concentrations by sociodemographic and lifestyle variables for adults ≥20 y, NHANES 2003–20061,2

Variable Genistein Daidzein Equol DMA3 Enterodiol Enterolactone
Sociodemographic
 Age, y
  20–39 28.9 (25.3–33.0) 62.2 (53.5–72.3) 8.62 (7.55–9.84) 4.25 (3.57–5.07) 39.2 (34.6–44.5) 278 (239–323)
  40–59 28.7 (25.4–32.5) 62.9 (56.0–70.6) 6.88 (6.00–7.88) 4.57 (3.92–5.33) 38.8 (32.3–46.6) 285 (244–334)
  ≥60 29.7 (26.2–33.6) 61.0 (52.7–70.6) 6.97 (6.02–8.07) 4.39 (3.64–5.30) 38.9 (34.4–44.0) 337 (296–385)
  P-value4 0.93 0.94 0.0118 0.82 0.99 0.16
  r2 (%)5 <1 <1 <1 <1 <1 <1
Sex
  Males 31.9 (29.1–35.1) 68.1 (61.1–76.0) 7.88 (7.15–8.68) 4.26 (3.67–4.96) 40.5 (35.4–46.4) 302 (266–343)
  Females 26.4 (23.6–29.6) 57.0 (51.2–63.4) 7.19 (6.40–8.07) 4.55 (3.99–5.19) 37.6 (33.5–42.1) 285 (247–329)
  P-value4 0.0152 0.0147 0.15 0.49 0.38 0.56
  r2 (%)5 <1 <1 <1 <1 <1 <1
 Race-ethnicity
  Mexican-American 27.9 (25.2–31.0) 52.0 (47.0–57.5) 5.19 (4.64–5.81) 1.98 (1.62–2.41) 38.4 (32.0–46.0) 327 (277–386)
  Non-Hispanic black 29.1 (23.7–35.8) 69.0 (56.9–83.8) 6.20 (5.44–7.07) 4.71 (3.67–6.05) 37.7 (33.1–42.9) 285 (246–329)
  Non-Hispanic white 28.3 (25.9–31.0) 60.3 (54.5–66.6) 8.12 (7.34–8.99) 4.71 (4.20–5.28) 38.9 (34.7–43.6) 291 (259–327)
  P-value4 0.29 0.0129 <0.0001 <0.0001 0.16 0.69
  r2 (%)5 <1 <1 <1 1 <1 <1
 Education
  <High school 32.5 (27.7–38.1) 62.3 (50.9–76.4) 6.66 (5.72–7.74) 3.29 (2.46–4.39) 34.9 (30.1–40.3) 283 (236–340)
  High school 26.6 (23.0–30.7) 58.4 (49.9–68.3) 7.15 (6.03–8.47) 4.01 (3.32–4.84) 32.1 (27.3–37.6) 256 (210–312)
  >High school 29.1 (26.0–32.5) 63.8 (56.6–72.0) 7.98 (7.13–8.92) 5.04 (4.37–5.81) 43.9 (38.7–49.7) 315 (280–354)
  P-value4 0.26 0.69 0.16 0.0302 0.0096 0.22
  r2 (%)5 <1 <1 <1 <1 <1 <1
 PIR6
  Low 30.7 (27.8–33.9) 62.3 (55.3–70.2) 6.60 (5.93–7.34) 3.74 (3.00–4.66) 31.9 (27.4–37.1) 258 (218–304)
  Medium 28.8 (24.3–34.2) 61.1 (51.6–72.4) 7.70 (6.57–9.03) 4.07 (3.37–4.91) 41.5 (37.1–46.6) 291 (249–341)
  High 28.3 (24.8–32.3) 63.0 (53.8–73.9) 8.18 (7.20–9.31) 5.19 (4.39–6.13) 43.7 (36.5–52.4) 327 (289–369)
  P-value4 0.67 0.96 0.0098 0.0465 0.0038 0.0183
  r2 (%)5 <1 <1 <1 <1 <1 <1
Lifestyle
 Smoking7
  No 29.6 (26.9–32.5) 64.5 (58.7–70.9) 7.78 (7.00–8.65) 5.02 (4.43–5.69) 40.6 (36.5–45.2) 337 (308–370)
  Yes 27.4 (24.3–30.9) 56.3 (47.3–67.0) 7.03 (6.28–7.87) 3.30 (2.64–4.13) 36.1 (32.0–40.8) 221 (182–268)
  P-value4 0.31 0.17 0.17 0.0031 0.11 0.0002
  r2 (%)5 <1 <1 <1 <1 <1 1
 Alcohol consumption8
  No drinks 29.6 (26.4–33.2) 67.5 (59.7–76.4) 7.18 (6.36–8.10) 5.15 (4.30–6.15) 34.8 (28.7–42.3) 273 (233–320)
  >0–<1 drinks/d 29.1 (25.4–33.3) 61.9 (53.9–71.1) 8.20 (7.38–9.12) 4.67 (4.01–5.44) 40.5 (35.3–46.5) 318 (281–360)
  ≥1–<2 drinks/d 25.7 (18.2–36.2) 52.5 (36.9–74.7) 6.68 (4.94–9.04) 3.45 (2.24–5.32) 43.5 (31.4–60.3) 284 (193–418)
  ≥2 drinks/d 25.6 (18.0–36.4) 51.1 (37.0–70.4) 4.75 (3.49–6.45) 2.17 (1.50–3.15) 39.6 (29.9–52.6) 213 (138–329)
  P-value4 0.82 0.26 0.0031 <0.0001 0.43 0.22
  r2 (%)5 <1 <1 <1 <1 <1 <1
 BMI9
  Underweight 21.6 (11.2–41.7) 28.5 (15.6–52.0) 6.55 (3.01–14.3) 1.59 (.780–3.25) 32.7 (17.5–61.3) 284 (139–581)
  Normal weight 29.3 (24.0–35.7) 60.5 (49.2–74.4) 7.33 (6.22–8.64) 4.52 (3.75–5.45) 40.1 (33.6–47.9) 342 (288–407)
  Overweight 28.4 (25.1–32.2) 62.3 (55.6–69.6) 7.16 (6.37–8.04) 4.19 (3.51–5.00) 38.2 (33.0–44.2) 298 (261–340)
  Obese 29.4 (27.2–31.8) 65.6 (59.4–72.4) 8.07 (7.32–8.90) 4.73 (4.01–5.57) 39.8 (35.0–45.1) 253 (221–290)
  P-value4 0.73 0.0249 0.53 0.0021 0.86 0.0484
  r2 (%)5 <1 <1 <1 <1 <1 <1
 Physical activity10
  None 29.5 (26.5–32.7) 63.3 (55.4–72.3) 6.59 (5.61–7.75) 3.72 (3.06–4.51) 34.8 (28.9–41.9) 254 (217–298)
  >0–<500 25.5 (21.5–30.3) 57.2 (47.6–68.9) 7.39 (6.26–8.72) 4.62 (3.76–5.68) 35.3 (30.3–41.1) 250 (212–295)
  ≥500–<1000 30.1 (24.0–37.8) 60.6 (48.8–75.4) 8.01 (6.75–9.52) 4.68 (3.50–6.26) 45.9 (36.8–57.2) 349 (278–439)
  ≥1000 30.6 (25.2–37.2) 64.6 (53.5–78.0) 8.65 (7.57–9.89) 4.82 (3.89–5.98) 43.7 (37.1–51.6) 354 (315–398)
  P-value4 0.34 0.74 0.06 0.14 0.07 0.0006
  r2 (%)5 <1 <1 <1 <1 <1 <1
 Supplement use11
  Yes 28.8 (26.1–31.8) 60.8 (55.4–66.6) 7.84 (6.90–8.92) 4.88 (4.26–5.58) 40.6 (36.3–45.4) 316 (282–353)
  No 29.2 (26.3–32.5) 63.7 (55.8–72.8) 7.17 (6.43–8.00) 3.94 (3.26–4.76) 37.3 (32.7–42.5) 271 (235–312)
  P-value4 0.84 0.53 0.27 0.09 0.28 0.07
  r2 (%)5 <1 <1 <1 <1 <1 <1
1

Excludes individuals who reported antibiotic use in the past 30 d. Sample sizes for urine phytoestrogens by variable are given in Supplemental Table 1.

2

Biomarker concentrations expressed as geometric means with 95% CI in parentheses. SI (nmol/L) conversion factors are as follows: genistein, × 3.70; daidzein, × 3.93; equol, × 4.13; O-desmethylangolensin, 3.87; enterodiol, × 3.31; enterolactone, ×3.35.

3

DMA: O-desmethylangolensin.

4

Based on Wald F test, which tests for significant differences in at least 1 of the means across a given variable.

5

r2 from Model 1 (simple linear regression) using categories as shown.

6

PIR: family poverty income ratio. Low: ≤1.85; Medium: >1.85–≤3.5; High: >3.5.

7

Based on serum cotinine concentration. Smoker: >10 μg/L. Non-smoker: ≤10 μg/L.

8

Categories by increasing alcohol consumption calculated as average daily number of “standard” drinks, i.e. (quantity×frequency)/365.25; 1 drink ≈ 15 g ethanol.

9

BMI: body mass index (kg/m2). Underweight: <18.5. Normal weight: ≥18.5–<25.0. Overweight: ≥25.0–<30.0. Obese: ≥30.0.

10

Categories by increasing degree of leisure time physical activity based on metabolic equivalent task (MET)-min/wk.

11

Based on reported use of any dietary supplement in the past 30 d.