Overweight and erythrocyte polyunsaturated fatty acid changes in menopause

Abstract

Lipid disorders have been implicated in overweight and menopause. However, evidence on lipidomic analysis of fatty acids in erythrocytes of menopausal women is scarce. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between the body mass index within or beyond 5 years of menopause and erythrocyte fatty acid profile. This case-control study was conducted on out of 37 menopausal women total patients, 22 with body mass index ≥ 25 and 12 matched controls (body mass index 25 and non-physiological content of fatty acids, were richer in percentage of saturated fatty acids and poorer of monounsaturated fatty acids and polyunsaturated fatty acids than women with BMI25 than in women with BMI<25. Interestingly, the percentage of patients that had physiological values of lipids beyond 5 years of menopause increased in comparison patients within 5 years of menopause. Notably, n-6/n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids physiological ratio beyond 5 years of menopause increased in both case and control patients, indicating normalization over time. In conclusion erythrocytes fatty acids composition may be related to the body mass index and to the time from menopause.

Keywords

• menopause
• bmi
• lipidomic
• fatty acids
• omega 6
• omega 3