Question : Beer also contains oestrogen. Can these substances cause or encourage breast cancer in women?

G.W.

Answer: Beer does indeed contain flavonoids. These are phyto- oestrogens: biologically active substances with an analogous effect to the female hormone oestrogen. There are no indications that these phyto-oestrogens have any carcinogenic effect. On the contrary: a number of studies have shown that they are more likely to have a preventive effect for cancer of the breast and womb. Breast cancer seems to be less prevalent among women with a diet rich in oestrogens (such as soya). However, the amounts of flavonoids present in beer are too limited to have any significant biological influence.