CAROTENOIDS AND MENSTRUAL-CYCLE PHASE IN YOUNG-WOMEN

An association between serum carotenoid concentrations and risk for ce rtain cancers has been observed in epidemiological studies. Determinan ts of serum carotenoid concentrations are known to include dietary int ake, plasma lipid concentrations, and body mass. Menstrual cycle phase , which has not been adequately addressed in previous studies, has bee n suggested to be a possible additional factor to consider in the inte rpretation of these values in women. We evaluated hormonal status, ser um carotenoids, cholesterol, and triglycerides in 48 healthy women at early follicular, mid-luteal, and late luteal phases of one menstrual cycle. Eating patterns were assessed with diet records at two 3-day in tervals during the cycle. Analysis was focused on the 30 subjects who were determined to have ovulated during the menstrual cycle under obse rvation. Serum cholesterol was significantly decreased (P < 0.05) in t he late luteal phase of an ovulatory cycle. Lutein concentration was i ncreased in the early follicular phase (P < 0.05) and a-carotene was i ncreased in the mid-luteal phase (P < 0.05) only if uncorrected for to tal cholesterol. Other carotenoids did not vary across the menstrual c ycle, whether corrected or uncorrected for total cholesterol concentra tion. In normal healthy ovulating women, serum carotenoids do not appe ar to vary with menstrual cycle phase when corrected for serum cholest erol concentrations.