title: Comparison of serum zinc concentrations and body antioxidant status between young women with premenstrual syndrome and normal controls: A case-control study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Premenstrual syndrome (PMS) is one of the important health problems with high incidence in young women. The exact cause of this syndrome is not clear and some theories have been declared from hormonal factors to nutritional disorders.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  We investigated the correlation between serum zinc and antioxidant status with PMS.
  
  
  METHODS
  In this case-control study, forty eight young girls were selected from a total sample of 110 students residing at university dormitories including PMS (n=23) and healthy (n=25) groups based on PMS questionnaire. Dietary intake questionnaire and blood samples were collected from all participants. Serum total antioxidant capacity (TAC) and zinc concentrations were also measured.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Serum TAC and zinc concentrations were lower in PMS patients compared with healthy groups (p<0.01 and p<0.05, respectively). Healthy controls consumed lower servings of hydrogenated oils (p<0.05). There were significant differences in terms of muscle mass between the PMS and healthy groups (p<0.05). Both serum TAC and zinc levels were negatively correlated to PMS scores (r=-0.39, p<0.05 and r= -0.36; p<0.05, respectively).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study shows that higher TAC and zinc serum levels are associated with lower risk of PMS. PMS cases have more hydrogenated oils than their normal counterparts.
authors.affiliation: Nutrition and Metabolic Disease Research Center, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran.
authors.forename: Sanaz
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Fathizadeh
authors.affiliation: Department of Nutrition, Health Research Institute, Diabetes Research Center, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran.
authors.forename: Reza
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Amani
authors.affiliation: Department of Biostatistics, School of Health, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran.
authors.forename: Mohammad Hossein
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Haghighizadeh
authors.affiliation: Nutrition and Metabolic Disease Research Center, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran.
authors.forename: Razieh
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Hormozi
keywords: Premenstrual syndrome; Serum zinc concentrations; Total antioxidant capacity; Young women