Relationship between macronutrients and energy intake and liver serum transaminase levels in elderly athletes and non-athletes: findings from the Neyshabur longitudinal study on aging

Abstract Background Assessing liver health and its determinants in the elderly is crucial. Lifestyle factors, including nutrition and exercise, may influence liver function. This study aimed to investigate the association between macronutrients and energy intake with serum levels of aminotransferase...

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Main Authors: Hossein Taghizadeh Bilondi, Seyyed Mostafa Arabi, Fatemeh Mohammadzadeh, Seyed Reza Mirhafez, Alireza Ostadrahimi
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: BMC 2024-11-01
Series:BMC Geriatrics
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Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1186/s12877-024-05445-9
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author Hossein Taghizadeh Bilondi
Seyyed Mostafa Arabi
Fatemeh Mohammadzadeh
Seyed Reza Mirhafez
Alireza Ostadrahimi
author_facet Hossein Taghizadeh Bilondi
Seyyed Mostafa Arabi
Fatemeh Mohammadzadeh
Seyed Reza Mirhafez
Alireza Ostadrahimi
author_sort Hossein Taghizadeh Bilondi
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Background Assessing liver health and its determinants in the elderly is crucial. Lifestyle factors, including nutrition and exercise, may influence liver function. This study aimed to investigate the association between macronutrients and energy intake with serum levels of aminotransferases in elderly Iranian athletes and non-athletes. Methods A cross-sectional study involving 811 elderly participants (369 athletes, 442 non-athletes) from the Neyshabur Longitudinal Study on Aging (NeLSA) was conducted. Dietary intake was assessed using a food frequency questionnaire. Serum Alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) levels were measured. Regression analyses were employed to evaluate the associations between macronutrient intake and liver enzymes, adjusting for potential confounding variables. Results In elderly athletes, higher calorie, protein, and carbohydrate intake were significantly associated with elevated ALT levels (p < 0.01 for all). Additionally, higher carbohydrate and calorie intake were linked to increased AST levels in athletes (p < 0.05 for both). For elderly non-athletes, only higher protein intake was significantly associated with increased ALT levels (p < 0.05), while no nutritional factors were associated with changes in AST levels. Conclusions This study revealed that higher calorie, protein, and carbohydrate intake were associated with elevated ALT and AST levels in elderly individuals, particularly athletes. For athletes, all three nutrients were linked to elevated ALT, while only carbohydrates and calories impacted AST. For non-athletes, only protein affected ALT. These findings suggest that tailored nutritional strategies may be necessary to preserve liver health in active aging populations.
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spelling doaj-art-336dab4c7290435a9528b85d9335f41f2025-08-20T02:51:18ZengBMCBMC Geriatrics1471-23182024-11-0124111310.1186/s12877-024-05445-9Relationship between macronutrients and energy intake and liver serum transaminase levels in elderly athletes and non-athletes: findings from the Neyshabur longitudinal study on agingHossein Taghizadeh Bilondi0Seyyed Mostafa Arabi1Fatemeh Mohammadzadeh2Seyed Reza Mirhafez3Alireza Ostadrahimi4Nutrition Research Center, School of Nutrition and Food Sciences, Tabriz University of Medical SciencesHealthy Ageing Research Centre, Neyshabur University of Medical Sciences Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Health, Social Development and Health Promotion Research Center, Gonabad University of Medical Sciences Noncommunicable Diseases Research Center, Neyshabur University of Medical SciencesNutrition Research Center, School of Nutrition and Food Sciences, Tabriz University of Medical SciencesAbstract Background Assessing liver health and its determinants in the elderly is crucial. Lifestyle factors, including nutrition and exercise, may influence liver function. This study aimed to investigate the association between macronutrients and energy intake with serum levels of aminotransferases in elderly Iranian athletes and non-athletes. Methods A cross-sectional study involving 811 elderly participants (369 athletes, 442 non-athletes) from the Neyshabur Longitudinal Study on Aging (NeLSA) was conducted. Dietary intake was assessed using a food frequency questionnaire. Serum Alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) levels were measured. Regression analyses were employed to evaluate the associations between macronutrient intake and liver enzymes, adjusting for potential confounding variables. Results In elderly athletes, higher calorie, protein, and carbohydrate intake were significantly associated with elevated ALT levels (p < 0.01 for all). Additionally, higher carbohydrate and calorie intake were linked to increased AST levels in athletes (p < 0.05 for both). For elderly non-athletes, only higher protein intake was significantly associated with increased ALT levels (p < 0.05), while no nutritional factors were associated with changes in AST levels. Conclusions This study revealed that higher calorie, protein, and carbohydrate intake were associated with elevated ALT and AST levels in elderly individuals, particularly athletes. For athletes, all three nutrients were linked to elevated ALT, while only carbohydrates and calories impacted AST. For non-athletes, only protein affected ALT. These findings suggest that tailored nutritional strategies may be necessary to preserve liver health in active aging populations.https://doi.org/10.1186/s12877-024-05445-9ElderlyAlanine aminotransferaseAspartate aminotransferaseMacronutrientsAthletes
spellingShingle Hossein Taghizadeh Bilondi
Seyyed Mostafa Arabi
Fatemeh Mohammadzadeh
Seyed Reza Mirhafez
Alireza Ostadrahimi
Relationship between macronutrients and energy intake and liver serum transaminase levels in elderly athletes and non-athletes: findings from the Neyshabur longitudinal study on aging
BMC Geriatrics
Elderly
Alanine aminotransferase
Aspartate aminotransferase
Macronutrients
Athletes
title Relationship between macronutrients and energy intake and liver serum transaminase levels in elderly athletes and non-athletes: findings from the Neyshabur longitudinal study on aging
title_full Relationship between macronutrients and energy intake and liver serum transaminase levels in elderly athletes and non-athletes: findings from the Neyshabur longitudinal study on aging
title_fullStr Relationship between macronutrients and energy intake and liver serum transaminase levels in elderly athletes and non-athletes: findings from the Neyshabur longitudinal study on aging
title_full_unstemmed Relationship between macronutrients and energy intake and liver serum transaminase levels in elderly athletes and non-athletes: findings from the Neyshabur longitudinal study on aging
title_short Relationship between macronutrients and energy intake and liver serum transaminase levels in elderly athletes and non-athletes: findings from the Neyshabur longitudinal study on aging
title_sort relationship between macronutrients and energy intake and liver serum transaminase levels in elderly athletes and non athletes findings from the neyshabur longitudinal study on aging
topic Elderly
Alanine aminotransferase
Aspartate aminotransferase
Macronutrients
Athletes
url https://doi.org/10.1186/s12877-024-05445-9
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