Makayla Blakely
Hello, my name is Makala Blakely and I am a senior at Indiana University Bloomington studying Exercise Science. Growing up, I witnessed a lot of people with poor health outcomes due to public health disparities and lack of informed decisions with regard to health and wellness. Participating in research with Dr. Glesu-Miller has given me the opportunity to explore why these disparities exist within underrepresented communities, like my own, and to work towards creating alternatives to improve quality of life. This opportunity has taught me so much about the processes of public health research and its importance within our very own communities and spaces. I hope to continue to engage in research projects in the future as I work towards becoming a physician serving underserved populations.
Undergraduate Researchers Aid in Initiating Two Studies Regarding Dietary Intervention and Cardiovascular Health
Background and Significance: Cardiovascular disease is the greatest cause of death and illness in the United States. The objective of this work was to assist the Gletsu-Miller lab to initiate two dietary intervention studies to combat cardiovascular disease: The Magnesium Bioavailability and The Controlled-Feeding Avocado Studies. Magnesium is an under-consumed nutrient that aids in cardiovascular disease prevention. Magnesium supplements do not absorb in the gastrointestinal tract easily, causing digestive upset. This ongoing study will investigate magnesium bioavailability from solid and liquid forms of supplementation. The ongoing Avocado study will investigate whether replacing poor quality foods, such as butter and sugar, with avocados, which contains healthy polyunsaturated fats, will lower cholesterol in individuals with high triglycerides.
Methods: Under sterile conditions, we manufactured magnesium capsules by weighing out magnesium oxide into each capsule, providing 150 mg of magnesium. We then performed quality control procedures (reweighing, and mass spectrometry) to verify that the amount of magnesium was accurate. For the Avocado study, we helped to screen participants via telephone for eligibility based on body mass index (BMI), medical history, and daily habits. We also helped to schedule participants to have further screening via clinic visits.
Results: In the Magnesium Bioavailability Study, we found that 130 out of 195 capsules passed our quality control metrics. For the Avocado Study, 7 of 31 total calls resulted in a passed pre-screen and advancement to further parts of the study.
Conclusions: Both studies are in-progress, and the results detailed above indicate completed activities within these studies.
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