Effects of Zinc-Biofortified Wheat Intake on Fatty Acid Metabolism and Oxidative Stress in Adolescents
Background and Objective
Zinc deficiency is a widespread issue that can hinder growth, immune function, and recovery from infections. It is also linked to non-communicable diseases. To tackle this problem, biofortifying wheat with zinc is proposed as a sustainable method to boost zinc intake, particularly in countries like Pakistan, where deficiency is high and wheat is a staple food. Since plasma zinc levels may not show minor changes in intake, we need better biomarkers to reflect these changes. This study aimed to examine how eating zinc-biofortified wheat flour affects fatty acid metabolism in girls aged 10-16 years.
Methods
We carried out a secondary analysis using data from a double-blind, cluster-randomized controlled trial in rural Pakistan. A total of 517 participants consumed either zinc-biofortified wheat flour or standard flour for 25 weeks. We measured plasma fatty acids and oxylipins using advanced liquid chromatography techniques.
Results
Aside from docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), which showed a significant effect (p < 0.05), we did not find notable changes in other plasma fatty acids. However, consuming zinc-biofortified wheat led to a decrease in pro-inflammatory oxylipins and oxidative stress markers, like 5-HETE and 15-HETE (all p < 0.05). After adjusting for multiple comparisons, these findings were not statistically significant.
Conclusions
More research is needed to understand how plasma oxylipins respond to changes in zinc intake.
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