Impacto de una intervención mediante suplementación mineral en mujeres posmenopáusicas sobre la defensa antioxidante y el estatus nutricional de la vitamina D

Resum

Introduction: postmenopausal women, due to the decline in estrogen levels and the multiple effects that this fact entails, constitute a population at considerable risk of presenting alterations in nutritional status, affecting their body composition, anthropometric characteristics, biochemical parameters, and dietary intake patterns, which may lead, in terms of nutritional status, to possible deficiency states, mainly of micronutrients. Objectives: the aim of this Doctoral Thesis is to evaluate the general clinical-nutritional status of a population of postmenopausal women before and after an 8-week intervention by means of oral mineral supplementation with Zinc (Zn) and Magnesium (Mg), as well as its relationship with antioxidant defense and vitamin D nutritional status. Materials and methodology: an assessment of nutritional status was carried out in which the clinical history was self-reported by means of questionnaires, quantitative dietary intake was measured by means of the 24-hour recall, anthropometry, and body composition via bioimpedance equipment and specialized material, and biochemical parameters by means of specific analytical methods. Results: a high prevalence of inadequate intakes of Zn, Mg, and vitamin D together with a hypocaloric intake was observed, as well as alterations in anthropometry and body composition. The initial high percentage of women deficient in plasma Mg and erythrocyte Zn and Mg was corrected in practically all cases after the intervention. On the other hand, in the case of plasma Zn, the prevalence of deficiency was maintained in one third of the Zn supplemented population. The Zn intervention improved vitamin D3 levels, with minimal contribution to overall vitamin D status. Mg supplementation improved initial vitamin D levels and reduced the percentage of deficiency in 20% of the population. Regarding antioxidant status, although a positive relationship with erythrocyte Zn was observed, none of the interventions showed an effect on these parameters. Conclusions: the mineral intervention had a positive effect on vitamin D levels. Although there was a positive association between erythrocyte Zn levels and antioxidant status parameters, the intervention did not appear to have a determinant effect on antioxidant status. However, further studies with longer duration of interventions and in a more heterogeneous population are needed to confirm our findings.