Interview with Dr. Dorothea Portius - Scientific Advisor of MOLEQLAR

Dr. Dorothea Portius is a nutritionist with a PhD and teaches and researches at Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg. In addition to numerous professional publications, she has written several books and is a nutrition expert for MDR and ARD Mittagsmagazin. As a scientific expert, she advises the MOLEQLAR team on all aspects of nutrition and women's health .

Mario (MOLEQLAR): Hello Dorothea, I'm delighted that we've managed to meet up for an interview today. We already know each other quite well. Can you perhaps tell our readers a bit more about yourself and your career?

Dorothea Portius:Thank you very much for inviting me to this interview, I'm delighted to be here today! I am very happy to tell you something about my career. I combine extensive expertise in nutritional science with practical experience in the healthcare sector.

My academic career began with the end of my diploma studies and the completion of my diploma thesis at the Else-Kröner-Fresenius Institute at the Technical University of Munich.This is also where my love for obesity research was kindled. I therefore decided to do a doctorate, which I completed at the Faculty of Medicine at the University of Geneva. This was followed by research projects in San Diego, USA. This time really shaped my scientific understanding and further encouraged my passion for practical research.

In addition to my research activities in the States, I became certified in clinical trial management and completed further training in functional nutrition coaching. in 2020, I returned to Germany and accepted an appointment as a professor at a private university.

After a short time back in Germany, I was able to rebuild my network and the desire to build a bridge between scientific research and practical health care grew in me.

So I embarked on the path as an independent Medical& amp; Nutrition Advisor, advising various companies and start-ups in the healthcare sector.

However, I couldn't quite say goodbye to research and got the chance to lead my own research project at Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg at the Chair of Human Nutrition.

I am also particularly keen to collaborate with specialist bodies, such as theGerman Obesity Society (DAG) and the German Society for Nutritional Psychology (DGEP) . Here I contribute to important discussions on health topics. I am also co-founder of thestart-up F-50, where we have developed a digital self-help program for people with eating disorder symptoms.

My commitment to knowledge transfer is reflected in various publications and books, but also in my role asnutrition expert for MDR and ARD .

The connection between research, practice and educating people is what drives me every day. I am delighted to be able to share these experiences and my passion here!

Mario (MOLEQLAR) :That sounds really exciting. I can imagine that it's not easy to get it all under one roof. What exactly were you researching in America and what made you decide to come back to Germany?

Dorothea Portius: In the USA, I had the opportunity to conduct research at two renowned institutes: the Salk Institute for Biological Sciences and the Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute (SBP) . At the Salk, I worked on a previously unknown RNA sequence that plays a role in the regulation of hunger and satiety and thus has an influence on metabolism. In addition, I used knockout mouse models - mice in which certain genes were specifically switched off - in a similar way to my doctoral studies.

My research focused on liver metabolism in connection with obesity and diabetes.

At the SBP, my focus shifted more towards application, in particular drug target screening for cardiovascular diseases associated with metabolic disorders. In this context, I worked with various cell and mouse models to identify potential therapeutic approaches.

The decision to return to Germany was a very personal one. A family fate and the COVID-related border closures that began almost simultaneously prompted me to take this step.

After the borders were reopened, it was clear to me that I had to return to Germany.

The opportunities I had here to contribute my expertise both in science and in practical healthcare confirmed to me that this was the right decision from a professional point of view.

Mario (MOLEQLAR) :You recently joined our MOLEQLAR family as an expert. What was the deciding factor for you to join? Why MOLEQLAR and not another company with a similar focus?

Dorothea Portius:As a scientist and nutrition expert, it is particularly important to me that the products I support are based on founded scientific findings and are of high quality. The market for supplements is often flooded with offers that are hardly backed up by science - I wouldn't put my name to such products.

At MOLEQLAR, I particularly appreciate the scientifically sound approach and the transparency in product development .

The focus on health maintenance and the area of longevity , although there is still no generally accepted scientific definition, is an extremely exciting and important topic.

MOLEQLAR has a product portfolio that helps to support long-term health, and that convinced me to become part of the team.

Mario (MOLEQLAR) :What are your tasks as an expert scientific advisor at MOLEQLAR?

Dorothea Portius:My main role at MOLEQLAR is to support the team as a medical and nutritional advisor - especially in product development and possible innovations.

At the moment, however, the focus of my work is on introducing women to MOLEQLAR's existing products and showing how they can be used specifically to support female health - whether during the female cycle or during the transition to menopause.

I find it particularly important that there are currently often no optimal solutions or clear recommendations to really effectively support women in these phases of life. This is exactly where I see great potential in MOLEQLAR's science-based approaches to offer women real support through high-quality products.

Mario (MOLEQLAR) : Nutritionin itself is an incredibly broad field. Where have you set a focus for yourself?

Dorothea Portius: Nutrition is indeed an incredibly broad field that is unfortunately often flooded with unscientific trends and false recommendations. That's why nutrition communication is particularly close to my heart.

As an expert, I see it as my job to make valid statements and provide people with sound information in order to protect them from misinformation.

My own research focus is on personalized nutrition and nutritional behaviour . A current project that I am working on in collaboration with Heilbronn Cooperative State University is looking into how nutrition affects the quality of life of menopausal women. We use sensor technologies and artificial intelligence to develop personalized approaches.

Another key point for me is nutritional behavior, especially with regard to nutritional psychology. It is often not the knowledge about healthy or unhealthy food that is lacking, but the way we eat - whether sitting down, walking, in the car or under stress.

The hectic pace of everyday life and pressure from social media are contributing to more and more people developing problematic eating habits, whether through restrictive diets or binge eating.

Through my startup F-50, I see first-hand how much these issues affect our society - and women in particular. Many feel pressured by beauty ideals and dietary trends, which often leads to weight fluctuations, difficulties in building muscle or micronutrient deficiencies. These in turn can lead to cycle irregularities, sleep disorders, hair loss or even depressive symptoms and poor concentration. This is where I come in to support people and women in particular with scientifically sound information and individual solutions.

Mario (MOLEQLAR) : That sounds very exciting and highly topical. At first glance, your second area of specializationFemale Health is similarly unspecific to nutrition. Even though the two areas are closely intertwined, which points are particularly important to you here?

Dorothea Portius: You are absolutely right - female health and nutrition are closely intertwined and influence each other. As I always emphasize, health is based on three pillars: nutrition, exercise and stress management. All three are closely linked, and if one pillar wobbles, it can quickly have an impact on the others. For women in particular, the interplay between nutrition and hormones is extremely important, and this is often underestimated.

The female menstrual cycle is a topic that has long received little attention in research, but has fortunately received more attention in recent years.

The metabolism of women works differently to that of men - while testosterone in men fluctuates in a 24-hour rhythm, women are characterized by a 28-day cycle that is controlled by hormones such as oestrogen and progesterone . Within this cycle, women go through four phases (menstruation, follicular phase, ovulation and luteal phase), which place different demands on the body, particularly in terms of macro- and micronutrients and metabolic activity.

I find the topic of stress particularly interesting. In the second half of the cycle, i.e. the luteal phase, women are significantly more susceptible to stress as the body prepares for the potential implantation of the egg. During this phase, stress - be it through fasting, restrictive diets or psychological strain - can have a major impact on the body. If the body does not receive the nutrients it needs, symptoms such as lack of energy, lack of concentration, hair loss or even depressive moods and cycle problems can occur more frequently. Many women also report cycle irregularities during fasting, such as intermittent fasting.

It is therefore essential to better educate women about these connections and provide them with the knowledge of how they can optimally support their bodies - both through nutrition and mindful stress management.

Mario (MOLEQLAR) : In the past, women were often underrepresented in scientific studies. In other words, research results on men were often applied to the entire population. Has that changed?

Dorothea Portius: As already mentioned, I also worked for many years in basic research, especially with mouse models. Interestingly, we only used male animals for most of the experiments. On the one hand, this was because male mice offered better comparability for scientific studies. On the other hand, female animals reacted differently to certain interventions due to oestrogen. This is because oestrogen has a protective effect, particularly with regard to cardiometabolic diseases. This protective factor can strongly influence and bias the study results, which is why female animals were often excluded.

This also shows how long sex-specific differences have been overlooked or simply bypassed in research.

Luckily, this is now changing, and more and more emphasis is being placed on including women - and the associated hormonal differences - in research.

Because gender plays a decisive role in diseases such as cardiovascular diseases or metabolic disorders. It is therefore essential that these gender-specific differences are finally systematically researched and put into practice.

Mario (MOLEQLAR): What role do supplements play in women's health? What do you say to people who say that supplements are just an economic factor and provide no real added value?

Dorothea Portius: As the name suggests, supplements are a "supplement" and not a substitute for a healthy diet . However, high-quality nutritional supplements, such as those from MOLEQLAR, can be a valuable support for health - especially with regard to women's health.

Targeted supplementation can, for example, promote fertility, alleviate menstrual cycle symptoms or alleviate the symptoms of menopause and perimenopause.

The problem is often that many people believe they can compensate for an unhealthy lifestyle with dietary supplements. But that's not how it works. Supplements should always be used in combination with a balanced diet and a healthy lifestyle.

Another important point is that our lifestyles and foods are different today than they used to be. We are getting older and this increases the health challenges, but the quality of our food has also changed. Over 80% of products in supermarkets are highly processed, often low in nutrients and have a negative impact on the metabolismPlant products, which lose nutrient density due to long transportation routes or cultivation, and animal products from factory farming, which are often influenced by processed feed, also contribute to us consuming fewer micronutrients.

Even I, although I am very conscious of what I eat, supplement my diet with specific supplements to promote my health. And I can clearly feel the positive effects. As with everyone, the rule is always more quality than quantity.

Mario (MOLEQLAR) : Do you have any concrete basic tips for our readers on how they can make a simple contribution to a healthy future? (Nutrition, health hacks, supplements... just 3-4 concrete, easy-to-implement tips that apply to the vast majority of women)

Dorothea Portius: You're welcome! Here are a few simple yet effective tips that every woman can integrate into her everyday life to do something for her health in the long term:

1. No restrictive or low-calorie diets : It is important to always give your body what it needs and not to be afraid of fats or carbohydrates. Carbohydrates in particular, which have often been demonized in recent years, play a crucial role in energy metabolism and cell health. Complex carbohydrates such as those found in pulses, wholegrain products, fruit and vegetables are particularly valuable. Carbohydrates are crucial for the maturation of follicles (egg cells). Restrictive diets can slow down the metabolism and disrupt the hormone balance in the long term.
2. Fats and hormone regulation: Healthy fats, especially omega-3 fatty acids , are essential for hormone regulation and help you stay full for longer. Omega-3s in particular DHA andEPAhave a strong anti-inflammatory effect and can be particularly helpful in the inflammatory processes that occur during ovulation and menstruation. These fats also promote cardiovascular health and help to keep the body in balance.
3. Regular meals : The misconception that skipping meals or eating less will support weight management is one of the biggest mistakes. To maintain metabolism and promote a healthy body weight and balance of fat and muscle mass, it is important to eat regularly and in a balanced way. Quality comes before quantity - the focus should be on unprocessed, wholesome foods . Especially in the second half of the cycle, regularity of food intake is crucial to support a healthy cycle and fertility.
4. Targeted supplementation : For many women, it can be useful to use certain dietary supplements. Vitamin D , B vitamins, iodine, selenium ,magnesium and omega-3 are often among the nutrients that are lacking in the diet. In addition, supplements such as Spermidine and Berberine , as you offer them, can support the metabolism and function of the female reproductive organs. Anti-inflammatory and antioxidant supplements such as resveratrol andquercetin may also be useful. Especially for perimenopausal or menopausal women, such supplements, which boost energy metabolism, can help alleviate symptoms such as insomnia or lack of energy.
5. Eat mindfully and listen to your body : In our hectic world, we often tend to eat quickly and carelessly or allow ourselves to be influenced by food trends. Mindful eating - eating slowly, mindfully and without distraction - can improve satiety and have a positive influence on general eating behavior. By listening to our body and giving it what it really needs, we can build a healthy relationship with food in the long term and thus also promote health maintenance.

Mario (MOLEQLAR): What is your personal key to a long healthy life? Do you have a so-called longevity routine that you follow consistently?

Dorothea Portius: Yes, I generally stick to the tips I've just mentioned - but the real key is to be flexible and manage the whole thing with ease .

Too much compulsion or strict avoidance rarely leads to long-term success. It's about finding a balance. After all, life should also be fun!

A glass of wine in good company and my Sunday cake are just as much a part of it for me as my morning porridge with berries and daily exercise.In the end, it's about living not only healthily, but also with pleasure and serenity - because both contribute to a long, fulfilled life.

Thank you very much for the informative interview!

In the coming weeks and months, we will be creating a lot of joint content and making it available to you.