Studies have not established the effect of wheat bran on breast cancer
Wheat bran is the hard outer layer of wheat grain. Along with wheat germ, it is an integral part of the whole grain; both are removed during milling in the production of refined flour. Wheat bran is a good dietary source of complex carbohydrates, insoluble fiber, iron, vitamin E and B vitamins. Wheat bran also contains various phenolic acids, including ferulic acid, and has been shown to have antioxidant properties. Cereal fiber (including bran) consumption has been shown to be associated with lower risks of diabetes and cardiovascular disease. Consumption of wheat bran has also been found to be associated with lower risk of colon cancer. Note that a separate web page covers the effect of eating bread on risk of breast cancer.
Breast cancer-related effects of consuming wheat bran
Consumption of wheat bran results in the production of the lignan phytoestrogen enterolactone by the intestinal microflora. This production is influenced by the nature of other foods ingested at the same time. High levels of enterolactone in the blood have been found to be associated with decreased risk of breast cancer in some studies but other studies have found no reduction in risk. One study found that high dietary intakes of plant lignans was associated with reduced risk of ER+/PR+ breast cancer in postmenopausal women (but not tumors with other receptor status). Another study found that the female offspring of mice fed a whole wheat-rich diet during pregnancy had a lower incidence of carcinogen-induced mammary tumors than controls.
Additional comments
Other foods derived from the wheat plant, such as wheat germ, wheat germ oil, wheat grass and wheat sprouts are thought to have a variety of beneficial health effects but few formal studies exist that examine the associations between these foods and breast cancer risk. Wheat germ oil is a good source of vitamin E. Apart from water, wheat grass juice is approximately 70% chlorophyll. Wheat grass is also a good source of protein and contains numerous enzymes, vitamins and minerals. Wheat sprouts have been shown to have relatively high anti-oxidant activity. Wheat germ extract has been shown to inhibit experimental colon carcinogenesis in rats. Avemar, a fermented wheat germ extract, has been shown to inhibit the growth of human breast cancer cells transplanted into mice.
Tags: angiogenesis, bread, cardiovascular, enterolactone, fiber, iron, lignan, phytoestrogens, pregnancy, prenatalExposure, type2Diabetes, vitaminE, wheatBran