Nutrition & Metabolism最新文献

Background: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) pathogenesis involves the cross-links between inflammation, oxidative stress, and metabolic dysregulation leading to irreversible airflow limitation. The metabolic vulnerability index (MVX) integrates inflammation and metabolic malnutrition related metabolic biomarkers that may reflect these underlying mechanisms. This study aimed to assess the associations of MVX score with risk of incident COPD and lung function in the UK Biobank.

Methods: The sex-specific MVI score was developed as a composite biomarker, which integrates six nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR)-based plasma biomarkers, including glycoprotein acetyls (GlycA), small high-density lipoprotein particles (sHDL), citrate, and the branched-chain amino acids (isoleucine, leucine, and valine). Multivariable Cox or linear regression model was used to assess the association of MVX score with risk of COPD and lung function level, respectively.

Results: A total of 240,873 participants were included. The results showed that per 1-SD increase in MVX score was associated with a 19% increased risk of COPD (HR: 1.19, 95% CI: 1.16, 1.21). Furthermore, compared to low MVX score group (Q1), high MVX score group (Q4) was associated with 55% increased risk of COPD (HR: 1.55, 95% CI: 1.45, 1.66). Furthermore, per 1-SD increase in MVX score was associated with decreased lung function level, including FVC (β: -67.55, 95% CI: -71.36, -63.74) and FEV1 (β: -52.24, 95% CI: -55.34, -49.14). Compared to low MVX score group (Q1), high MVX score group (Q4) was also associated with lower FVC (β: -174.78, 95% CI: -185.47, -164.10) and FEV1 (β: -135.72, 95% CI: -144.42, -127.02) levels. Furthermore, we observed the significant dose-response relationship between MVX score and COPD risk and lung function level.

Conclusion: Our study demonstrates that higher MVX score, reflecting inflammation and metabolic malnutrition, is significantly associated with increased COPD risk and impaired lung function. These findings suggest that MVX score may help identify high-risk individuals for early intervention.

Objective: The associations between a diet that associated with maintaining a healthy gut microbiota and muscle mass, as well as the role of inflammation in these associations, remain unclear. This study aimed to examine the associations between the dietary index for gut microbiota (DI-GM) and muscle mass, and to explore whether the systemic inflammation index (SII) mediates these associations.

Methods: A total of 6,908 participants, aged 20 to 59 years, from the 2010-2018 cycles of the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, were included in this cross-sectional study. The DI-GM was calculated based on the dietary intake of 13 foods or nutrients, with a higher score indicating a diet associated with a healthier gut microbiota. Muscle mass was assessed using the skeletal muscle mass index (SMI), which was calculated by dividing the appendicular lean mass by the square of height. The SII was calculated by multiplying the platelet count and neutrophil count, and then dividing by the lymphocyte count. Weighted multivariable linear regression models were used to examine the associations between DI-GM and SMI. Mediation analysis was performed to investigate the role of SII in mediating the association between DI-GM and SMI.

Results: Each 1-point increase in DI-GM was associated with a 0.03 (95% CI: 0.01 to 0.04) increase in SMI. The stratified analyses revealed that, with the exception of alcohol consumption, age, gender, race, marital status, education level, income level, smoking status, physical activity, BMI categories, and the history of hypertension, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, or cancer did not modify the association between DI-GM and SMI (P values for all interaction terms >0.05). The positive association between DI-GM and SMI were more pronounced among non-drinkers when comparing the highest quintile to the lowest quintile (β: 0.29; 95% CI: 0.14 to 0.43). SII partially mediated the associations between DI-GM and SMI, with a mediation proportion of 11.6%.

Conclusion: DI-GM was positively associated SMI, with SII partially mediating this association. These findings suggested that a diet associated with maintaining a healthy gut microbiota may help prevent muscle mass loss by reducing systemic inflammation.

Background: The prevalence of metabolic disorders such as obesity, type 2 diabetes, and dyslipidemia has increased globally. Postbiotics as non-viable microbial products or metabolites, have recently emerged as potential modulators of metabolic health due to their anti-inflammatory and insulin-sensitizing properties. In order to obtain a better viewpoint from them, this study aimed to comprehensively investigate the effects of postbiotics on metabolic health.

Methods: This systematic review and meta-analysis, adhering to PRISMA 2020 guidelines, synthesized data from 25 RCTs assessing the effects of postbiotic supplementation on metabolic parameters. Databases including PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, and Scopus were searched up to June 2025. Outcomes included glycemic indices, anthropometric measures, lipid profiles, inflammatory markers, and blood pressure.

Results: Postbiotic supplementation significantly reduced serum insulin levels (WMD: - 2.76 µU/mL), triglycerides (TG) (-8.46 mg/dL), waist circumference (WC) (-1.47 cm), and C-reactive protein (CRP) (-0.99 mg/L). However, changes in fasting blood glucose (FBG), homeostatic model assessment for insulin resistance (HOMA-IR), HbA1c, other profile lipids, blood pressure as well as weight and body mass index (BMI) were not statistically significant. Subgroup analyses revealed more pronounced benefits in younger participants, bacterial-based formulations, and interventions longer than 8 weeks. Risk of bias was low to moderate, and no major publication bias was detected.

Conclusion: Postbiotic supplementation demonstrates modest but clinically relevant benefits on insulin sensitivity, central adiposity, TG, and systemic inflammation. These effects suggest a promising adjunctive role for postbiotics in metabolic health interventions, though further trials with standardized formulations and longer durations are warranted.

The increasing global rates of obesity underscore the need to investigate its impact on infant health. Breast milk, crucial for infant nutrition, varies in composition due to maternal obesity during pregnancy. Research reveals that obese or overweight mothers tend to have higher saturated fatty acids (SFAs) levels, like palmitic and myristic acids, while stearic acid levels are lower. Monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFAs), particularly oleic acid in milk, decline in obesity. Polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), essential for infant brain and nervous system development, show imbalances in obese mothers, with an increased omega-6 (ω-6): omega-3 (ω-3) ratio and reduced levels of key ω-3 fatty acids such as α-linolenic acid (ALA), eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). These changes could disrupt normal immune and nervous system development in infants. This review highlights the critical impact of maternal obesity on breast milk quality.

Background: Diabetic Kidney Disease (DKD) is one of the most serious complications of diabetes mellitus, and a main cause of end-stage kidney disease (ESKD). The identification of clinically applicable molecular biomarkers for monitoring DKD progression has become increasingly essential. In this study, we aim to investigate the relationship between the expression of fructose-1,6-bisphosphatase 1 (FBP1), a rate-limiting enzyme in gluconeogenesis, and DKD.

Methods: A two-sample Mendelian randomization (MR) analysis was conducted using plasma protein quantitative trait loci data obtained from deCODE genetics and DKD genome-wide association study data acquired from the Finnish Biobank Alliance to assess the causal relationship between FBP1 and DKD. In parallel, a retrospective cohort study was performed involving 107 patients with biopsy-confirmed DKD, in which DKD progression was defined as a composite endpoint consisting of serum creatinine doubling or ESKD. For this endpoint, a predictive nomogram was subsequently developed.

Results: MR results suggested that a genetically predicted higher level of circulating FBP1 was associated with a low risk of DKD (OR 0.57, 95% CI 0.33-0.98; P = 0.04) in diabetic patients. The expression level of renal FBP1 decreased with the progression of DKD pathological stage. Its expression level was positively correlated with estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) (r = 0.717, P < 0.001) and expression of renal carnitine palmitoyl transferase 1 A (a rate-limiting enzyme in fatty acid oxidation) (r = 0.745, P < 0.001). During a median follow-up of 26 months, 41 (38%) patients suffered from DKD progression. Multivariate Cox regression indicated that a reduced renal expression level of FBP1 was correlated with an increased risk of DKD progression (HR 0.325, 95% CI 0.107-0.986, P = 0.047). Finally, the integration of FBP1 with 24-h urine protein and eGFR into a nomogram significantly improved the prediction of 1-year and 3-year event-free survival in DKD (C-index: 0.871 vs. 0.794, P = 0.011), demonstrating its additive prognostic value.

Conclusions: Renal FBP1 might be a potential biomarker reflecting the severity of renal function and kidney progression in biopsy-proven DKD stages II to IV.

Background: Long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (LC-PUFAs) are essential nutrients for feto-placental development. We aimed to evaluate the associations between maternal pregestational BMI, mid-pregnancy LC-PUFA status, and delivery outcomes in non-obese pregnancies.

Methods: This was a secondary analysis of two Italian cohorts including healthy non-obese women with singleton spontaneous pregnancies previously studied for maternal nutritional habits, multivitamin supplementation, blood biomarkers and infant biometry/measures. In the present analysis, included women were stratified according to pregestational BMI (normal weight (NW) versus overweight (OW) groups). Fasting venous blood samples were collected between 24 and 34 gestational weeks for fatty acid (FA) analysis. Pregnancy outcomes were recorded at delivery. Multi-adjusted generalized linear models were applied to first assess the associations between BMI-based groups and mid-pregnancy LC-PUFA concentrations, and second to evaluate the associations between the LC-PUFA profile and pregnancy outcomes.

Results: 283 pregnancies were included. The OW group showed lower eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) levels (β= -0.09; 95%CI= -0.16; -0.03) and a higher arachidonic acid/EPA ratio (β = 8.06; 95%CI = 0.00; 16.3) compared with the NW group in multi-adjusted models. After excluding women with gestational diabetes mellitus (n = 13), a significant association between LC-PUFA status and birth weight was also proved with increased birth weights in case of lower LC-PUFA n-6/n-3 ratio (β= -78.9; 95%CI= -148.5; -9.2) and higher docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) (β = 26.5; 95%CI = 0.4; 52.6), total LC-PUFA n-3 (β = 22.9; 95%CI = 0.7; 45.1) and n-3 index (β = 24.9; 95%CI = 0.03; 49.8). A positive association was further detected between LC-PUFA n-6 and neonatal ponderal index (β = 0.01; 95%CI = 0.00; 0.02). No associations were detected between LC-PUFAs and gestational age at delivery.

Conclusions: These findings underscore significant associations between maternal pregestational BMI and mid-pregnancy LC-PUFA n-3 and n-6 status, with further associations with birth weight and neonatal ponderal index. Our results suggest that LC-PUFA n-3 and n-6 series may serve as valuable clinical biomarkers, particularly among OW women, and may act as predictors of intrauterine growth.

Trial registration: NCT04438928.