Dr. Dorothea Portius is holds a doctorate in nutrition and teaches and researches at the Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg. In addition to numerous professional publications, she has written several books and is a nutrition expert for MDR and the ARD Mittagsmagazin. As a scientific expert, she supports the MOLEQLAR team on the topics of nutrition and women's health provide advice.
Mario (MOLEQLAR): Hello Dorothea, I'm very pleased that we managed to meet for an interview today. We know each other quite well now. Can you tell our readers a little more about yourself and your career?
Dorothea Portius: Thank you for the invitation to the interview, I am very pleased to be here today! I would be delighted to tell you a little about my career. I combine extensive expertise in nutritional science with practical experience in the health sector.
My academic career began with the completion of my diploma studies and the preparation of my diploma thesis at the Else-Kröner-Fresenius Institute at the Technical University of Munich. This is where my love for obesity research began. I therefore decided to do a doctorate, which I completed at the medical faculty of the University of Geneva. This was followed by research projects in San Diego, USA. This time had a great impact on my scientific understanding and further encouraged my passion for practical research.
In addition to my research work 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 a position as a professor at a private university.
After only 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 healthcare grew within me.
So I decided to become an independent Medical & Nutrition Advisor and advise various companies and start-ups in the healthcare sector.
Nevertheless, I could not completely say goodbye to research and was given the opportunity to lead my own research project at the Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg at the Professorship for Human Nutrition.
I am particularly interested in working with specialist committees, such as the German Obesity Society (DAG) and the German Society for Nutritional Psychology (DGEP)Here I contribute to important discussions on health issues. I am also co-founder of the start-ups F-50, where we 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 as Nutrition expert for MDR and ARD.
The connection between research, practice and educating people is what drives me every day. I am happy to be able to share these experiences and my passion here!
Mario (MOLEQLAR): That sounds really exciting. I can imagine that it is not easy to get everything to fit together.What exactly did you research in America and what motivated you to come back to Germany?
Dorothea Portius: In the USA I had the opportunity to do research at two renowned institutes: the Salk Institute for Biological Sciences and the Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute (SBP)At Salk, I worked on a previously unknown RNA sequence that plays a role in regulating hunger and satiety and thus influences metabolism. In addition, similar to my doctoral studies, I used knockout mouse models - these are mice in which certain genes were specifically switched off.
My research focus was on liver metabolism in relation to obesity and diabetes.
At SBP, my focus shifted more towards application, particularly 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 situation and the COVID-related border closures that began almost at the same time 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 that arose for me to be able 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 have recently joined as an expert our MOLEQLAR family. What made you decide 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 sound scientific findings and are of high quality. The market for supplements is often flooded with offers that are hardly scientifically based – I would not lend my name to such products.
At MOLEQLAR I particularly appreciate the scientifically based approach and transparency in product development.
The focus on health maintenance and the area Longevity, although there is no generally accepted scientific definition, is an extremely exciting and important topic.
MOLEQLAR has a product portfolio that helps support long-term health and that convinced me to become part of the team.
Mario (MOLEQLAR): What are your tasks as an expert or scientific advisor at MOLEQLAR?
Dorothea Portius: My main task at MOLEQLAR is to support the team as a medical and nutritional advisor – especially in product development and possible innovations.
However, the focus of my work is currently on introducing women to MOLEQLAR's existing products and showing how they can be used specifically to support female health - be it during the female cycle or during the transition to menopause.
What is particularly important to me is that there are currently often no optimal solutions or clear recommendations to really effectively support women in these phases of life. This is precisely where I see great potential in MOLEQLAR's scientifically based approaches to offer women real support through high-quality products.
Mario (MOLEQLAR): Nutrition in itself is an incredibly broad field. Where have you set a focus for yourself?
Dorothea Portius: Indeed, nutrition is an incredibly broad field that is unfortunately often flooded with unscientific trends and incorrect recommendations. That is why nutrition communication is particularly important to me.
As an expert, I see it as my job to make valid statements and to provide people with well-founded information in order to protect them from misinformation.
My own research focus is on the personalized nutrition and eating behaviorA current project that I am driving forward in collaboration with the Heilbronn Cooperative State University deals with the question how nutrition affects the quality of life of women in menopauseWe use sensor technologies and artificial intelligence to develop personalized approaches.
Another key point for me is eating habits, especially with regard to nutritional psychology. It is often not the knowledge about healthy or unhealthy foods that is lacking, but the way we eat - whether sitting, walking, in the car or under stress.
The hectic pace of everyday life and the pressure from social media are contributing to more and more people developing problematic eating habits, be it 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 nutritional trends, which often leads to weight fluctuations, difficulty building muscle or micronutrient deficiencies. These in turn can lead to menstrual irregularities, sleep disorders, hair loss or even depressive symptoms and lack of concentration. This is where I come in to support people, especially women, with scientifically based information and individual solutions.
Mario (MOLEQLAR): That sounds very exciting and highly topical. At first glance, your second area of expertise Female Health similarly unspecific as 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 is shaky, it can quickly affect the others. The interaction between nutrition and hormones is extremely important, especially for women, and this is often underestimated.
The female cycle is a topic that has long received little attention in research, but fortunately has received more attention in recent years.
Women’s metabolism works differently than men’s – 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 estrogen and progesteroneWithin 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. in the luteal phase, women are significantly more susceptible to stress because the body is preparing for the potential implantation of the egg. In this phase, stress - whether from fasting, restrictive diets or psychological stress - can have a strong impact on the body. If the body does not receive the nutrients it needs, symptoms such as lack of energy, poor concentration, hair loss or even depressive moods and cycle problems can become more frequent. Many women also report cycle irregularities when fasting, such as with intermittent fasting.
It is therefore essential to better educate women about these connections and to give them the knowledge they need to best 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 extrapolated to the entire population. Has this changed?
Dorothea Portius: As mentioned, I also worked in basic research for many years, mainly with mouse models. Interestingly, we only used male animals for most of the experiments. This was partly because male mice offered better comparability for scientific studies. On the other hand, female animals responded differently to certain interventions due to estrogen. Estrogen has a protective effect, especially with regard to cardiometabolic diseases. This protective factor can strongly influence and distort the study result, which is why female animals were often excluded.
This also shows how long gender differences have been overlooked or simply ignored in research.
Fortunately, this is now changing, and more and more emphasis is being placed on including women – and the associated hormonal differences – in research.
Gender plays a crucial role, especially in diseases such as cardiovascular disease 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 dietary supplements are just an economic factor and do not provide any real added value?
Dorothea Portius: As the name suggests, Supplements are a "supplement" and not a substitute for a healthy dietHowever, high-quality nutritional supplements, such as those from MOLEQLAR, can be a valuable support for health – especially with regard to women’s health.
Targeted supplements can, for example, promote fertility, relieve menstrual problems or alleviate the symptoms of menopause and perimenopause.
The problem is that many people often believe that they can compensate for an unhealthy lifestyle by taking 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 lifestyle and food are different today than they were in the past. We are getting older and with it the health challenges are increasing, but the quality of our food has also changed. Over 80% of the products in supermarkets are highly processed, often low in nutrients and have negative effects on the metabolismPlant products, which lose nutrient density due to long transport routes or breeding, 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 targeted supplements to promote my health. And I can clearly feel the positive effects. As with everyone, the rule always applies: 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? (Diet, health hacks, supplements... just 3-4 concrete, easy-to-implement tips that apply to the vast majority of women)
Dorothea Portius: With pleasure! Here are a few simple yet effective tips that every woman can integrate into her daily routine to do something for her health in the long term:
- No restrictive or low-calorie diets: It is important to always give the 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 in legumes, whole grain 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 hormonal balance in the long term.
- Fats and Hormone Regulation: Healthy fats, especially omega-3 fatty acids, are essential for hormone regulation and help you stay full longer.Omega-3 especially DHA and EPA have a strong anti-inflammatory effect and can particularly support the inflammatory processes that occur during ovulation and menstruation. These fats also promote cardiovascular health and help to keep the body in balance.
- Regular meals: The misconception that skipping meals or eating less will help you control your weight is one of the biggest mistakes. Eating regularly and in a balanced way is important to maintain your metabolism and promote a healthy body weight and a balance of fat and muscle mass. Quality is more important than quantity – the focus should be on unprocessed, whole foodsEspecially in the second half of the cycle, regularity of food intake is crucial to support a healthy cycle and fertility.
- Targeted supplementation: For many women it may 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, support the metabolism and function of the female reproductive organs. Anti-inflammatory and antioxidant supplements such as resveratrol and quercetin can also be useful. Especially for women in perimenopause or menopause, such supplements that boost energy metabolism can help alleviate symptoms such as sleep disorders or lack of energy.
- Eat mindfully and listen to your body: In our hectic world, we often tend to eat quickly and carelessly or let ourselves be influenced by dietary trends. Mindfulness when eating - that is, eating slowly, consciously and without distraction - can improve the feeling of satiety and have a positive effect on general eating habits. 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 promote health.
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 follow the tips I just mentioned – but the real key is to handle the whole thing flexibly and with ease.
Too much pressure or strict avoidance rarely leads to long-term success. It's about finding balance. After all, life should also be fun!
For me, a glass of wine in good company and my Sunday cake are just as important as my morning porridge with berries and daily exercise. Ultimately, it is about living not only healthily, but also with enjoyment and serenity – because both contribute to a long, fulfilling life.
Thank you very much for the informative conversation!
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