Micronutrient/Antioxidant Supplementation and Immune Function in Women: Effects of Physiological Stress.

摘要

Immune responses to exercise after acute supplementation with zinc (25 mg Zn and 1.5 mg copper) and vitamin E (400 IU E) were evaluated in 10 eumenorrheic women. Subjects (age 32 + 1 years) were studied on three occasions: once per menstrual cycle, between days 5 and 8, after supplementation with Zn, E and a placebo (P). They ran at 65 to 70% of their maximal aerobic capacity to exhaustion (94, 98, and 97 minutes for Zn, E & P, respectively). Blood levels of ACIFI, cortisol, prolactin, growth hormone, vitamin E, IL-6, and selected lymphocyte subset markers (CD3, CD4, CD8, CD19 and CD56) were measured before (PRE) and immediately (POST), one hour (REC) and the day after the run. Metabolic, hormonal and immune responses were similar for Zn, E and P with one exception: percentage of CD4+ cells was significantly lower (p <0.05) with Zn. Under all treatments, exercise significantly (p<0.05) increased plasma ACTH, cortisol, prolactin, growth hormone and IL-6 concentrations. Whereas CD8 and CD56 cell percentages increased (p<0.05), CD4/CD8 ratio, CD3, CD4, and CDl9 cell percentages decreased (p <0.05) at POST. These responses were temporary as most REC values were similar to PRE.