Review Article

Diet across the Lifespan and the Association with Breast Density in Adulthood

Table 10

Summary of nutrient relationships with breast density and their proposed mechanisms.

Nutrients that are associated with an ↑ in breast density
(absolute density or % breast density)
Premenopausal women: mechanism of action (i.e., IGF/IGFBP/E2/ROS)

Higher intakes of
 Total fatIGF, IGFBP, May ↑Estrogen
 SFA (?)IGFBP, ↑IGF, May ↑Estrogen
 MUFAsIGFBP, ↑IGF, May ↑Estrogen
 n-6 FAIGFBP, ↑IGF, May ↑Estrogen
 PUFA↑IGF, IGFBP, May ↑Estrogen
 PUFA : SFA↑IGF, IGFBP, May ↑Estrogen (?)
 Vitamin C (supplemental)?
 Wine↑Estrogen metabolites, ↑Estrogen responsiveness, SHBG, ↑IGF,
IGFBP ↑Oxidative stress
 Overall alcohol consumption↑Estrogen metabolites, ↑Estrogen responsiveness, SHBG, ↑IGF, IGFBP ↑Oxidative stress
 MVMM supplementsMAY ↑IGF, ↑IGFBP
 Total energy (excess consumed in midlife may affect densities in later life or restriction early in life)↑Estrogen, ↑IGF availability, ↑DNA replication rate & apoptosis
Lower intakes of
 Carbohydrates↑IGF (Need to distinguish between whole v. refined, many studies do not do this)
 FiberOxidative stress (?), may ↑SHBG, ↑IGFBP
 CaroteneOxidative stress (?), ↑IGFBP
 CalciumAmeliorates IGF action & enhances IGFBP action (see paper in review), ↑IGF (?)
 ProteinVeg Pro = ↑IGFBP
Total Pro = ↑IGF
 Total fatIGFBP, ↑IGF, May ↑Estrogen
 Saturated fatIGFBP, ↑IGF, May ↑Estrogen
 Vitamin B12 (supplemental)?
 White wine↑Estrogen metabolites, ↑Estrogen responsiveness, SHBG, ↑IGF, IGFBP ↑Oxidative stress
 Meat↑Oxidative stress
 Carbohydrates (?)↑IGF (Need to distinguish between whole versus refined, many studies do not do this)
 Total energy↑Estrogen, ↑IGF availability, ↑DNA replication rate & apoptosis