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ARS Home » Plains Area » Grand Forks, North Dakota » Grand Forks Human Nutrition Research Center » Dietary Prevention of Obesity-related Disease Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #66453
Title: NO EFFECT OF MN OR CA SUPPLEMENTATION ON MENSTRUAL MINERAL LOSSES IN HEALTHY YOUNG WOMEN

Author
item JOHNSON, PHYLLIS - 5450 20 00
item Penland, James

Submitted to: Journal of Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 4/14/1996
Publication Date: N/A
Citation: N/A

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: An earlier study in a metabolic unit showed a significant reduction in menstrual iron (Fe) and Mn losses when women consumed 5.6 rather than 1.0 mg Mn/day; the reduction in Fe loss apparently was caused by a decrease in volume of menses. This study involved 80 women aged 20-40, without menstrual disorders, consuming self-selected diets and supplemented double-blind with either placebo, 7mg Mn/d, 1000 mg Ca/d, or 7mg Mn + 1000 mg Ca/d. Supplementation began 14 d after 1st d of menses, and continued until 3 menstrual periods occurred. All menses were collected for analysis. Clotting factors in blood were measured weekly. Dietary intake of Ca (exclusive of supplement) was 822 +/- 267 mg/d; Mn intake was 2.53 +/- 0.88 mg/d. Neither Ca nor Mn intake from diet varied among experimental groups. There was no treatment effect on menstrual loss of Fe, Ca, Mn, Cu, or Zn, but total loss of menstrual fluid (wet wt) was significantly affected by a Mn x Ca interaction (p < 0.03), such that loss was least with placebo. Fibrogen and plasminogen were unaffected by treatment; Factor VII, PTT, and protime were slightly but significantly affected by an interaction between Mn x Ca (p < 0.05) and Factor VII was significantly affected by phase of the menstrual cycle. Women consuming recommended amounts of Mn and Ca are unlikely to benefit from supplementation with respect to menstrual losses.