Molecular Nutrition & Food Research最新文献

Soy has been a fundamental component of human diets for thousands of years. This umbrella review aims to evaluate the existing evidence for associations between soy food consumption and multiple health outcomes. By summarizing the effects of different types of soy foods, this study seeks to provide a comprehensive understanding of the potential benefits and risks associated with increased dietary soy consumption. We identified 23 meta-analyses of observational research with 39 unique health outcomes and one meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials with four unique outcomes by searching six databases in English (PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, and the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews), and three databases in Chinese (China National Knowledge Infrastructure, Wanfang database, and Sinomed) from January 1, 2014 to April 22, 2024 for meta-analyses that investigated the association between soy food consumption and any health outcome. Generally, dietary soy food consumption is more beneficial than harmful, especially in cancer and cardiometabolic diseases. However, it is important to note that the benefits of fermented soy products were inconclusive, and even some studies indicated their possible adverse effects. In the future, more studies that explore the effects of dietary soy food consumption on biological indicators are needed.

In recent years, studies have demonstrated a link between paternal preconception nutrient exposure and the phenotype of the offspring. However, there is a paucity of direct scientific evidence on the effects and the underlying mechanism of paternal folic acid supplementation (PFAS) on offspring phenotype. In this study, male mice were fed different doses of folic acid for 10 weeks, and then mated with females to produce offspring. In our findings, male offspring of PFAS fathers exhibit lower body weight and reduced hepatic lipid accumulation. Moreover, liver lipidomics analysis indicates the beneficial effect of PFAS on offspring hepatic lipid homeostasis. Offspring of PFAS exhibited altered gene expression patterns in the liver, with downregulation of several genes involved in lipid metabolism and inflammation signaling pathways. Mechanistically, whole genome bisulfite sequencing (WGBS) of paternal sperm revealed changes in gene expression of offspring liver depending on PFAS, including reproducibly increased methylation at the intron region of Acc1 and the promoter region of Scd1, the key gene of lipid metabolism, in the liver of PFAS offspring. However, these epigenetic findings are exploratory and require confirmation with a larger sample size. Overall, this study provides the first evidence of beneficial effect of paternal folic acid administration on preventing NAFLD in the offspring.

Traditional probiotics such as Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium have long supported gut health, but recent advances in microbiome research have introduced next-generation probiotics (NGPs) such as Akkermansia muciniphila and Faecalibacterium prausnitzii. These strains are associated with more specific functions, including mucin degradation, butyrate production, enhanced gut barrier integrity, immune regulation, and modulation of host metabolism and inflammation. Unlike conventional probiotics, which mainly promote general digestive balance, NGPs demonstrate targeted mechanisms that link them to metabolic, inflammatory, and even neurological conditions. This review provides a critical comparison of traditional and NGPs, highlighting mechanistic distinctions and functional advancements. It also explores recent innovations in synthetic biology, including programmable gene circuits, and examines how artificial intelligence and microbiome profiling are paving the way toward personalized probiotic therapies, though widespread clinical application remains in its early stages. Key safety, regulatory, and translational challenges are also addressed, outlining barriers to clinical adoption. By integrating omics technologies and precision medicine, NGPs represent a promising frontier with the potential to advance personalized nutrition and therapeutic strategies.