Journal of Nutrition最新文献

Background: In-utero exposure to a low-protein (LP) diet is a well-established model of developmental programming linked to increased risk of chronic metabolic diseases, including lean Type 2 Diabetes (T2D).

Objective: In this study, we investigated the long-term effects of maternal LP diet on hepatic lipid metabolism and mitochondrial dynamics in adult lean T2D male rat offspring.

Methods: Pregnant Wistar rats were fed either a control (20% protein) or isocaloric low-protein (6% protein) diet during gestation, and male offspring were examined in adulthood. Hepatic lipid accumulation, mitochondrial function, and related signaling pathways were analyzed using integrated histological, metabolomic, and molecular methods. Student's t-test and two-way ANOVA were used for statistical analyses.

Results: In LP-programmed livers, Oil Red O staining and TEM revealed increased lipid accumulation, with a 55% increase in lipid droplet area compared with controls. Further, relative levels of carnitine and acylcarnitines were elevated (carnitine 66%, deoxycarnitine 33%, glutarylcarnitine 37%, malonylcarnitine 44%, methylglutarylcarnitine 83%; p ≤ 0.05), consistent with disrupted fatty-acid handling. Transcriptionally, β-oxidation genes (Acadm, Acads, Cact) were ∼2-fold downregulated, and the lipogenic gene Acaca was ∼1.5-fold upregulated (p ≤ 0.05), indicating a shift toward lipid synthesis and reduced mitochondrial fatty-acid oxidation. TCA-cycle intermediates were lower (p ≤ 0.05) in LP, with citrate (∼2.5-fold), succinate (∼1.5-fold), and malate (∼1.2-fold), suggesting impaired oxidative metabolism. Mitochondrial remodeling was evident with increased OPA1 (115%) and decreased FIS1 (35%), alongside reduced mitophagy regulators LC3B (45%) and BNIP3L (41%) (all, p ≤ 0.05), suggesting compromised mitochondrial quality control. mtDNA copy number was unchanged, but multiple PKC isoforms were increased (p ≤ 0.05), consistent with altered intracellular insulin signaling.

Conclusion: Our findings collectively demonstrate that in-utero protein restriction induces persistent impairments in hepatic mitochondrial function and lipid metabolism, contributing to the developmental origins of insulin resistance and metabolic dysfunction.

Background: Fatigue is a common and complex phenomenon resulting from the disruption of one or more physiological processes that facilitate muscle fibers in generating force. It is a significant public health concern affecting human health globally. Research indicates that natural compounds may effectively and safely alleviate physical fatigue due to their potential health benefits and minimal side effects.

Objective: To investigate the ergogenic effect of citrus flavonoid Hesperetin (HES).

Methods: This study utilized a multifaceted approach involving network pharmacology, molecular docking, in vitro and in vivo analyses.

Results: Our results revealed that HES may acts on multiple targets and pathways to ameliorate fatigue. Molecular docking analysis showed that AKT1 was the most potential target for HES in relieving fatigue. In addition, histological immunostaining analysis revealed that HES enhanced the size of myofibers by elevating the expression of type I and type II myofibers through the AKT/mTOR signaling pathway in C2C12 myotubes and mouse gastrocnemius muscle. Besides, HES increased the strength and endurance of mice by increasing grip strength, running time, and exhaustion time. These results indicate that HES is a potential natural compound to alleviate fatigue and improve exercise performance.

Conclusions: This study provides a novel natural compound for alleviating physical fatigue. Due to its role in skeletal muscle synthesis, HES could be a potential candidate for skeletal muscle disorders like sarcopenia. The potential role of HES in addressing sarcopenia requires further investigations.

Background: Serum carotenoids are thought to reflect higher consumption of fruits and vegetables. However, venous blood draws are invasive and not suitable for pediatric populations. Reflection spectroscopy (RS) offers a non-invasive alternative for measuring carotenoids in the skin; however, the relationship between RS-assessed skin carotenoids and serum carotenoids in children remains understudied.

Objective: To test the hypothesis that RS-assessed skin carotenoids would significantly correlate with serum and dietary carotenoids in children.

Methods: This was a cross-sectional study among children (n=51, 11.0±1.9y). Serum carotenoids were quantified using high-performance liquid chromatography. Skin carotenoids were assessed using the Veggie Meter®, a pressure-mediated RS device. Dietary carotenoids were measured via 7-day food diaries, analyzed using the Nutrition Data Systems for Research software. Height and weight were measured to calculate BMI percentile. Log transformation was applied to all carotenoid variables to address right-skewness. Pearson's partial correlations were conducted, adjusting for age, sex, and BMI percentile. Benjamini-Hochberg false discovery rate (FDR) correction was applied for multiple comparisons.

Results: Most participants (76%) had normal BMI percentile for age and sex. Skin carotenoids significantly correlated with serum lycopene (r=0.31, P=0.034), β-cryptoxanthin (r=0.49, P<0.001), β-carotene (r=0.75, P<0.001), lutein (r=0.45, P=0.002), zeaxanthin (r=0.36, P=0.013), and total carotenoids (r=0.65, P<0.001). Skin carotenoids were significantly correlated with several dietary carotenoids, including β-carotene (r=0.48, P=0.0095), α-carotene (r=0.38, P=0.041), lutein/zeaxanthin (r=0.37, P =0.041), and dark green vegetable intake (r=0.43, P=0.033). Dietary and serum carotenoids were not significantly correlated to each other after FDR correction.

Conclusions: RS-assessed skin carotenoids demonstrated robust correlations with serum carotenoids, supporting its utility as a non-invasive biomarker of carotenoid status in school-aged children.

Background: Dietary supplements (DS) contribute substantially to total nutrient intake. However, DS questionnaires differ in format and development practices, which can introduce distinct patterns of measurement error and complicate accurate estimation of both intake and prevalence.

Objective: This study aimed to scope and describe questionnaires that quantify nutrient intake from DS, describing questionnaire formats (closed-ended, mixed-type), development procedures (DS classification, composition sources, default-value rules, and missing-data handling), and their validity and reproducibility.

Methods: PubMed and Web of Science databases were searched. Eligible questionnaires were those that could independently quantify DS intake and for which development and/or validation versus a reference (inventory, 24-h recalls/dietary records, and biomarkers) were reported. Open-ended (record-like) questionnaires were excluded. We extracted development procedures and presented them descriptively. Validation results were summarized-by nutrient/DS type, intake type (DS-only; total from foods/beverages plus DS), and questionnaire format-using relative differences (intake, prevalence) and correlation coefficients. Results of reproducibility were extracted when reported.

Results: Of 14,529 records, 15 eligible questionnaires (six closed-ended and nine mixed-type) were included, and 13 were validated. Reference methods included 24-h recalls/dietary records (n=9), biomarkers (n=6), and inventory (n=4). On average, the questionnaires tended to overestimate DS-only and total (mixed-type only) intake. Correlation coefficients with intake-based references (24-h recalls/dietary records) were generally moderate to high for both DS-only and total intake, except iron, which was negligible. However, for mixed-type questionnaires, correlations for total intake were lower than for DS-only. Closed-ended questionnaires more often overestimated the prevalence of DS users relative to reference methods, whereas mixed-type questionnaires showed the opposite pattern-slightly underestimating vs inventory and overestimating vs 24-h recalls/dietary records. Development procedures were frequently incompletely reported.

Conclusion: Overall performance varied by format, nutrient, intake type, and reference method. To improve comparability and policy utility, standardized DS classification and transparent reporting of development procedures are needed.

Eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), and Vitamin-D3 are pivotal micronutrients, with well-established roles in maintaining physiological function and preventing disease. This comprehensive review explores their individual molecular pathways and synergistic interactions that arise from their co-supplementation. This review synthesizes evidence from a spectrum of sources, including foundational pre-clinical studies and large-scale randomized controlled trials, to elucidate the efficacy and safety across various health conditions, including cardiovascular disease, metabolic disorders, immune modulation, neurological health, and bone/joint disorders. A critical assessment of landmark trials reveals that while individual supplementation may not yield broad primary prevention benefits in a general population, significant reductions in myocardial infarction and autoimmune disease incidence emerge in specific, targeted subgroups. Further, the review addresses the global regulatory landscape and surveillance strategies established by key authorities, including the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), and the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), highlighting the critical role of these frameworks in ensuring product quality, safety, and consumer protection. The review concludes that the field necessitates further research into optimal dosing, long-term effects, and the precise molecular mechanisms of their complex interplay to guide future clinical practice and public health policy.

Background: Healthy eating patterns are associated with reduced overall and select cause-specific mortality. Whether dietary quality and mortality risk differ by census-level neighborhood socioeconomic deprivation has not been well studied.

Objective: To investigate whether dietary quality, measured by the Healthy Eating Index (HEI)-2020, is associated with all-cause and 12 cause-specific mortality, and if the association is modified by a neighborhood socioeconomic deprivation index (NSDI).

Methods: Prospective analysis of 544,837 American participants (321,756 men and 223,081 women), aged 50-71 years from the National Institutes of Health (NIH)-AARP Diet and Health Study from baseline (1995/1996 through December 31, 2019). HEI-2020 was calculated using dietary data from self-reported responses to a 124-item baseline food frequency questionnaire. NSDI was estimated based on census variables and developed using principal component analysis. Multivariable-adjusted Cox proportional hazards models were used to estimate hazard ratios (HR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI).

Results: During follow-up to 24.2 years, 282,073 deaths occurred. HEI-2020 quintile (Q5), compared to the Q1 was associated with reduced all-cause mortality (HR: 0.86; 95% CI: 0.85-0.87) and death from 11 causes (HRs: 0.61-0.90), including cancer, cardiovascular, respiratory, stroke, infections, diabetes, kidney, liver, and autoimmune diseases, external, and other causes, but not neurological disease. Stronger reductions were observed among those in less deprived neighborhoods (NSDI Q1) than more deprived (Q5) for respiratory [HEI-2020 HR (95% CI) 0.67 (0.60-0.76) vs. 0.78 (0.71-0.85), P-interaction=.0001] and neurological disease mortality [0.90 (0.81-0.99) vs. 1.06 (0.98-1.16), P-interaction=.002], after correction for multiple comparisons (Bonferroni threshold P<.004) CONCLUSIONS: Dietary quality was protective for all-cause and most cause-specific mortality in middle-aged and older people, but less protective for respiratory and neurological disease among those living in more deprived neighborhoods.

Background: Age-related decline in digestive function increases malnutrition risk. Supplementing meals with digestive enzymes may improve macronutrient digestion and bioavailability in adults reaching older ages.

Objective: To assess postprandial plasma nutrient concentrations after co-ingestion of a mixed meal and a mixture of six enzyme preparations (ENZ), including proteases, lipase, amylase, and glucoamylase.

Design: Thirty middle-aged and older adults (56 ± 11 y; 18 females, 12 males) ingested chicken, peas, potatoes, and butter (435 kcal, 34 g PRO, 51 g CHO, 11 g FAT) with either ENZ or placebo (PLA) in a randomized crossover fashion. Blood samples were collected at baseline and throughout a 0-5 h postprandial period for measurement of plasma amino acid, insulin, glucose, and non-esterified fatty acid (NEFA) concentrations. Clustering of postprandial amino acid responses was conducted in MFuzz, and logistic regression for response groups was conducted in JMP 18.2.0.

Results: Plasma amino acid concentrations were not statistically different between treatments (PLA vs. ENZ) over the postprandial period (all, P > 0.05). Leucine time to maximum concentration (T_max) was significantly faster (P = 0.047) with ENZ (121.2 ± 55.9 min) compared to PLA (141.0 ± 49.2 min). Postprandial plasma glucose concentrations (P = 0.04) and total NEFA (P = 0.001) were higher with ENZ compared to PLA. Three distinct response patterns (clusters) were detected within and across all postprandial amino acid categories. Differences in habitual macronutrient intake and interactions between sex, lean mass, and BMI distinguished participants with an earlier time to maximum postprandial leucine concentration when consuming ENZ vs. PLA from those with stable responses.

Conclusion: Multi-enzyme supplementation improved macronutrient digestion of a mixed meal in middle-aged and older adults. For plasma amino acids, this benefit was most pronounced in adults with lower BMI and higher lean mass, and the effect was sex-dependent. The study was registered at ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT05211440).