Effect of micronutrient pack on micronutrient status and antioxidant capacities among institutional older adults in Shanghai, China.

Older adults are at increased risk of micronutrient deficiency, disrupting the balance of oxidation/antioxidation system and leading to serious health burdens. This study aimed to investigate the effect of micronutrient pack on micronutrient status and oxidative/antioxidative biomarkers in institutional older adults.Subjects aged 65-100 years were randomly assigned to either intervention group or control group (n=49 each), providing a package of micronutrient pack or placebo daily for three months. The concentrations of micronutrients, malondialdehyde (MDA), glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) were detected both at baseline and at the end of the study.The changes in concentrations of serum folate (21.1±1.6 vs 0.6±0.5 nmol/L), vitamin B-1 (3.4±0.4 vs -0.2±0.3 nmol/L), vitamin B-2 (11.5±3.3 vs 2.3±1.4 nmol/L), vitamin B-12 (128.8±34.8 vs 13.3±16.0 pmol/L), 25-hydroxyvitamin D (17.8±1.3 vs -0.8±0.5 ng/mL) and plasma zinc (0.6±1.8 vs -9.6±1.9 μmol/L) over 3-months were significantly increased in the intervention group compared with the control group (all p<0.05). While the prevalence of folate, vitamin B-12 and vitamin D deficiencies were significantly decreased after 3-months intervention (all p<0.05). Moreover, changes in serum MDA level (-1.5±0.2 vs 0.2±0.3 nmol/mL) were remarkably reduced, and the activities of serum GSH-Px (1.3±0.3 vs 0.3±0.2 ng/mL) and plasma SOD (14.3±2.4 vs -2.1±2.4 U/mL) were increased in the intervention group than those of in the control group (all p<0.01).The micronutrient pack among institutional older adults was well-accepted with good compliance and tolerance. The 3-month intervention may improve micronutrient status and enhance antioxidative capacities.