Woolf Kathleen, Hahn Nicole L, Christensen Megan M, Carlson-Phillips Amanda, Hansen Christine M
Department of Nutrition and Food Studies, Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development, New York University, 411 Lafayette, 5th Floor, New York, NY 10003, USA.
Department of Culinary and Nutrition Services, Banner Boswell Medical Center, 10401 W. Thunderbird Boulevard, Sun City, AZ 85351, USA.
Nutrients. 2017 Mar 26;9(4):329. doi: 10.3390/nu9040329.
Female athletes and active women require adequate nutrition for optimal health and performance. Nutrition assessments are needed to identify potential nutrients of concern. Folate, vitamin B6, and vitamin B12 function in important pathways used during physical activity and female athletes may be at risk for poor status of these micronutrients. This cross-sectional study described a comprehensive nutrition assessment of the B-vitamins (folate, vitamin B6, and vitamin B12) using both dietary (food and dietary supplements) and biochemical assessments among highly active and sedentary women.
Highly active ( = 29; age 20 ± 2 years; body mass index (BMI) 23.8 ± 3.5 kg/m²) and sedentary ( = 29; age 24 ± 3 years; BMI 22.6 ± 3.0 kg/m²) women were recruited for this study. Participants completed 7-day weighed food records and a fasting blood draw.
Although the highly active women reported higher intakes of energy ( < 0.01), folate ( < 0.01), vitamin B6 ( < 0.01), and vitamin B12 ( < 0.01), no significant differences were found between the groups for biomarkers of folate, vitamin B6, and vitamin B12. All of the highly active women had biomarkers within the desired reference ranges, suggesting good status. In general, most participants were able to meet the 1998 Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA) from food alone. For the women that reported using dietary supplements, micronutrient intakes met the 1998 RDA and in some cases, exceeded the Tolerable Upper Intake Level.
This nutrition assessment documented good status for folate, vitamin B6, and vitamin B12 in the highly active women. Similar assessment approaches (food, dietary supplements, and biomarkers) should to completed with other nutrients of concern for the female athlete.
女性运动员和活跃女性需要充足的营养以保持最佳健康状态和运动表现。需要进行营养评估以确定潜在的营养问题。叶酸、维生素B6和维生素B12在体育活动中使用的重要途径中发挥作用，女性运动员可能存在这些微量营养素状态不佳的风险。这项横断面研究描述了一项对B族维生素（叶酸、维生素B6和维生素B12）的综合营养评估，该评估使用了饮食（食物和膳食补充剂）和生化评估方法，对象为高度活跃和久坐不动的女性。
招募了高度活跃的女性（n = 29；年龄20±2岁；体重指数（BMI）23.8±3.5kg/m²）和久坐不动的女性（n = 29；年龄24±3岁；BMI 22.6±3.0kg/m²）参与本研究。参与者完成了7天的称重食物记录和空腹采血。
尽管高度活跃的女性报告摄入的能量（P < 0.01）、叶酸（P < 0.01）、维生素B6（P < 0.01）和维生素B12（P < 0.01）较高，但两组之间叶酸、维生素B6和维生素B12的生物标志物没有显著差异。所有高度活跃的女性的生物标志物都在理想的参考范围内，表明状态良好。总体而言，大多数参与者仅通过食物就能满足1998年的推荐每日摄入量（RDA）。对于报告使用膳食补充剂的女性，微量营养素摄入量达到了1998年的RDA，在某些情况下超过了可耐受的最高摄入量水平。
这项营养评估记录了高度活跃女性叶酸、维生素B6和维生素B12的良好状态。对于女性运动员关注的其他营养素，应采用类似的评估方法（食物、膳食补充剂和生物标志物）。
