Dietary Intake of Micronutrients and Disease Severity in Patients with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis

• Published in: Metabolites Vol. 13; no. 6; p. 696
• Main Authors: Barros, Acsa Nara de Araújo Brito, Felipe, Maria Luisa do Nascimento, Barbosa, Isabelle Ribeiro, Leite-Lais, Lucia, Pedrosa, Lucia Fátima Campos
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Switzerland MDPI AG 27-05-2023; MDPI
• Subjects: Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis; Care and treatment; Cross-sectional studies; Diagnosis; Dietary intake; Disease; Folic acid; food intake; Heavy metals; Magnesium; Malnutrition; Medical prognosis; Medical records; Micronutrients; Ostomy; Outpatient care facilities; Oxidative stress; Pantothenic acid; Potassium; Pyridoxine; Riboflavin; Selenium; Software; Vitamin B; Vitamin B12; Vitamin D; Vitamin deficiency; Vitamin E; Womens health; Brazil; amyotrophic lateral sclerosis; micronutrients; food intake
• ISSN: 2218-1989; 2218-1989
• DOI: 10.3390/metabo13060696

Vitamins and essential metals have been studied as potential risk and prognostic factors in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). This study aimed to evaluate the prevalence of inadequate micronutrient intake in ALS patients, comparing subgroups according to the disease severity. Data were obtained from the medical records of 69 individuals. Assessment of disease severity was determined by the revised ALS Functional Scale (ALSFRS-R), using the median as the cutoff. The prevalence of inadequate micronutrient intake was estimated using the Estimated Average Requirements (EAR) cut-point method. The prevalence of inadequate vitamin D, E, riboflavin, pyridoxine, folate, cobalamin, calcium, zinc, and magnesium intake was considered severe. Patients with lower ALSFRS-R scores had lower intakes of vitamin E (
< 0.001), niacin (
= 0.033), pantothenic acid (
= 0.037), pyridoxin (
= 0.008), folate (
= 0.009) and selenium (
= 0.001). Therefore, ALS patients should be monitored regarding dietary intake of micronutrients essential in neurological processes.