Spirulina Supplementation in Postmenopausal Women

Menopause is defined as the spontaneous and permanent cessation of menstrual bleeding in women due to the loss of ovarian function. The onset of menopause brings about many physiological and psychological symptoms. Certain hormonal changes increase the risk of chronic diseases such as high waist circumference, cardiovascular diseases, obesity, diabetes, and osteoporosis. Spirulina platensis contains approximately 50-70% protein, 15-25% carbohydrates, 6-13% lipids, 4.2-6% nucleic acids, and 2.2-4.8% minerals by dry weight. Polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) constitute 1.5-2% of the total lipid content. It is rich in essential amino acids (especially leucine, isoleucine, valine), γ-linolenic acid (36% of total FDA), vitamins (thiamine, niacin, riboflavin, pyridoxine, folic acid, cobalamin, C, D and E), minerals (potassium, calcium, chromium, copper, iron, magnesium, manganese, phosphorus, selenium, sodium and zinc), pigments (chlorophyll a, xanthophyll, beta-carotene, echinone, myxoxanthophyll, zeaxanthin, canthaxanthin, diathoxanthin, 3-hydroxyechinone, beta-cryptoxanthin and ossilaxanthin, phycobiliprotein, C-phycocyanin, allophycocyanin) and enzymes (lipase, superoxide dismutase, etc.). Many of the beneficial effects of spirulina on health, which contains powerful antioxidants such as carotenoids, chlorophyll, and phycocyanin, stem from its antioxidant properties. Spirulina supplementation is considered effective as a therapeutic tool in the management of multiple interconnected metabolic abnormalities such as dyslipidemia, glucose intolerance, obesity, and hypertension. This study aimed to investigate the effects of spirulina supplementation on weight gain associated with menopause, changes in metabolic parameters, sleep quality, and markers of depression in mildly obese postmenopausal women.

• Body Weight [Срок оценки: Baseline and Week 8]
• Body Mass Index [Срок оценки: Baseline and Week 8]
• Waist Circumference [Срок оценки: Baseline and Week 8]
• Hip Circumference [Срок оценки: Baseline and Week 8]
• Mid-Upper Arm Circumference [Срок оценки: Baseline and Week 8]
• Waist-to-Height Ratio [Срок оценки: Baseline and Week 8]
• Body Fat Percentage [Срок оценки: Baseline and Week 8]
• Body Fat Mass [Срок оценки: Baseline and Week 8]
• Total Body Water [Срок оценки: Baseline and Week 8]
• Skeletal Muscle Mass [Срок оценки: Baseline and Week 8]
• The Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale-21 (DASS-21) [Срок оценки: eight weeks]
• Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) [Срок оценки: eight weeks]