Serum Selenium, Copper, Zinc and Iron of Premenopausal Female Students of Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Nnewi Campus after Three Months of Exercise

Abstract

Background: Regular physical exercise is associated with physiological and health benefits. However, prolonged moderate-to-vigorous exercise increases metabolic activity and may influence mineral homeostasis through trace-element redistribution, sweating, altered metabolic demand, and increased oxidative stress. Objective: This study investigated the effect of prolonged moderate-to-vigorous-intensity exercise on serum selenium, zinc, copper, and iron concentrations in premenopausal female university students. Methods: A prospective comparative study was conducted among female undergraduate students of Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Nnewi Campus, Nigeria. Eighty participants aged 19–25 years were initially recruited and allocated to exercise and non-exercise groups. Sixty participants completed the study, comprising 30 participants in each group. The exercise group performed aerobic exercise using an elliptical bicycle ergometer for 30 minutes per day, five days per week, for three months. Serum selenium, zinc, copper, and iron concentrations were determined at baseline and after one, two, and three months. Data were expressed as mean ± standard deviation. The independent Student’s t-test and analysis of variance (ANOVA) were used to compare mean differences. Statistical significance was set at p < 0.05. Results: After three months, serum selenium concentration was significantly lower in the exercise group than in the non-exercise group (0.766 ± 0.06 vs. 0.836 ± 0.05 ppm; t = 4.368, p < 0.001). Copper, zinc, and iron showed no significant differences at any stage of exercise compared with the control group. Conclusion: Prolonged moderate-to-vigorous-intensity exercise may be associated with progressive reductions in serum selenium, whereas serum zinc, copper, and iron may not be significantly affected.