Postmenopausal women with high TNF-α concentrations presented less reduction in fat and blood lipids

Abstract

Aims: evaluate the effects of a high-protein diet associated with physical exercise on inflammatory markers and body composition. Methods: the study is a 12-week clinical trial of 26 postmenopausal women who received an individualized high-protein food plan and participated in three multicomponent training sessions each week. Food intake was monitored through eight 24-hour food recalls, and the habitual food intake was estimated. At the beginning and end of the study, anthropometric variables were measured; fat content and lean mass were estimated using formulas, and blood was collected for C-reactive protein (CRP) quantification, including TNF-α, IL-6, IL-10, and IL-18. One-way ANOVA was performed.Results: it was identified that 13 participants had a high-protein (HP) diet and 13 had a standard-protein (SP) diet. The HP group lost weight (p = 0.032); however, there were no changes in the fat content, the lean mass content, or the inflammatory markers. Only women who started the program with lower TNF-α values showed significant loss of total fat (p = 0.049), visceral fat (p = 0.037), triglycerides (p = 0.031), and LDL cholesterol (p = 0.003). Conclusion: postmenopausal women with high concentrations of inflammatory markers are less responsive to strategies for modifying body composition.