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A special issue of Nutrients (ISSN 2072-6643). This special issue belongs to the section "Phytochemicals and Human Health".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (15 September 2023) | Viewed by 47684

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Special Issue Editor

Prof. Dr. Tingtao Chen

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Guest Editor

1. School of Pharmacy, Jiangxi Medical College, Nanchang University, Nanchang, China
2. National Engineering Research Center for Bioengineering Drugs and the Technologies, Institution of Translational Medicine, Jiangxi Medical College, Nanchang University, Nanchang, China
Interests: probiotics; chronic disease; intestinal microbiota; functional foods
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Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Emerging evidence has indicated that functional foods are involved in regulating host health, as well as influencing the therapeutic effect of diseases, including allergy, obesity, inflammatory bowel disease, cancer, mental illness, and other diseases. Functional food interventions have been shown to have a significant potential on preventing and treating various diseases.

In this Special Issue, we welcome submissions including high-quality original research articles, clinical studies, and reviews that contribute innovative knowledge to understand functional foods and their potentials in diseases. Potential topics include but are not limited to the following:

1) The role of functional foods (e.g., probiotics, prebiotics, epigenetics) in the occurrence and development of diseases, e.g., pharmacology, pathology, genetics, neurosciences, infectious diseases;

2) Studies using single and/or combinations of metagenomics, metabonomics, and transcriptomics to reveal the interaction of functional foods and microbes in host health (e.g., animal model, human volunteers);

3) Function and mechanisms of the dietary, prebiotics, probiotics, and symbiotics for personalized nutrition in prevention and treatment of diseases;

4) Studies characterizing gut microbiota on disease development, host immunity, and medical treatment using molecular biology and multi-omics, to reveal deeper mechanisms between functional foods and host health.

Prof. Dr. Tingtao Chen
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Nutrients is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2900 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

prebiotics
probiotics
symbiotics
metagenomics
metabonomics
microbiota
disease

Published Papers (13 papers)

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Research

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13 pages, 3692 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Collagen Peptide Exerts an Anti-Obesity Effect by Influencing the Firmicutes/Bacteroidetes Ratio in the Gut

by Ga Hyeon Baek, Ki Myeong Yoo, Seon-Yeong Kim, Da Hee Lee, Hayoung Chung, Suk-Chae Jung, Sung-Kyun Park and Jun-Seob Kim

Nutrients 2023, 15(11), 2610; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu15112610 - 2 Jun 2023

Cited by 8 | Viewed by 3114

Abstract

Alterations in the intestinal microbial flora are known to cause various diseases, and many people routinely consume probiotics or prebiotics to balance intestinal microorganisms and the growth of beneficial bacteria. In this study, we selected a peptide from fish (tilapia) skin that induces significant changes in the intestinal microflora of mice and reduces the Firmicutes/Bacteroidetes ratio, which is linked to obesity. We attempted to verify the anti-obesity effect of selected fish collagen peptides in a high-fat-diet-based obese mouse model. As anticipated, the collagen peptide co-administered with a high-fat diet significantly inhibited the increase in the Firmicutes/Bacteroidetes ratio. It increased specific bacterial taxa, including Clostridium_sensu_stricto_1, Faecalibaculum, Bacteroides, and Streptococcus, known for their anti-obesity effects. Consequently, alterations in the gut microbiota resulted in the activation of metabolic pathways, such as polysaccharide degradation and essential amino acid synthesis, which are associated with obesity inhibition. In addition, collagen peptide also effectively reduced all obesity signs caused by a high-fat diet, such as abdominal fat accumulation, high blood glucose levels, and weight gain. Ingestion of collagen peptides derived from fish skin induced significant changes in the intestinal microflora and is a potential auxiliary therapeutic agent to suppress the onset of obesity. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Functional Foods for Metabolism Regulation and Disease Improvement)

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17 pages, 5766 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Alleviation Syndrome of High-Cholesterol-Diet-Induced Hypercholesterolemia in Mice by Intervention with Lactiplantibacillus plantarum WLPL21 via Regulation of Cholesterol Metabolism and Transportation as Well as Gut Microbiota

by Kui Zhao, Liang Qiu, Yao He, Xueying Tao, Zhihong Zhang and Hua Wei

Nutrients 2023, 15(11), 2600; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu15112600 - 1 Jun 2023

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1643

Abstract

Probiotics are prospective for the prevention and treatment of cardiovascular diseases. Until now, systematic studies on the amelioration of hypercholesterolemia have been rare in terms of (cholesterol metabolism and transportation, reshaping of gut microbiota, as well as yielding SCFAs) intervention with lactic acid bacteria (LAB). In this study, strains of Lactiplantibacillus plantarum, WLPL21, WLPL72, and ZDY04, from fermented food and two combinations (Enterococcus faecium WEFA23 with L. plantarum WLPL21 and WLPL72) were compared for their effect on hypercholesterolemia. Comprehensively, with regard to the above aspects, L. plantarum WLPL21 showed the best mitigatory effect among all groups, which was revealed by decreasing total cholesterol (TC) and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) levels, upregulated cholesterol metabolism (Cyp27a1, Cyp7b1, Cyp7a1, and Cyp8b1) levels in the liver, cholesterol transportation (Abca1, Abcg5, and Abcg8) in the ileum or liver, and downregulated Npc1l1. Moreover, it reshaped the constitution of gut microbiota; specifically, the ratio of Firmicutes to Bacteroidetes (F/B) was downregulated; the relative abundance of Allobaculum, Blautia, and Lactobacillus was upregulated by 7.48–14.82-fold; and that of Lachnoclostridium and Desulfovibrio was then downregulated by 69.95% and 60.66%, respectively. In conclusion, L. plantarum WLPL21 improved cholesterol metabolism and transportation, as well as the abundance of gut microbiota, for alleviating high-cholesterol-diet-induced hypercholesterolemia. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Functional Foods for Metabolism Regulation and Disease Improvement)

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19 pages, 5439 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Gas-Mediated Intestinal Microbiome Regulation Prompts the Methanol Extract of Schizonepetae Spica to Relieve Colitis

by Xuewei Ye, Yingxin Cen, Kefei Wu, Langyu Xu, Jiahui Ni, Wenxin Zheng and Wei Liu

Nutrients 2023, 15(3), 519; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu15030519 - 19 Jan 2023

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 1848

Abstract

Intestinal dysbiosis plays an important role in the pathogenesis of colitis (UC). Schizonepetae Herba can achieve anti-inflammatory effects as a medicine and food homologous vegetable. Luteolin, eriodictyol, fisetin, and kaempferol are the main anti-inflammatory active compounds obtained through mass spectrometry from the methanol extract of Schizonepetae Spica (JJSM). JJSM intervention resulted in attenuated weight loss, high disease-activity-index score, colon length shortening and colonic pathological damage in DSS-induced colitis mice. Interestingly, hydrogen sulfide (H₂S) was inhibited remarkably, which is helpful to elucidate the relationship between active substance and intestinal flora. Furthermore, JJSM administration improved intestinal flora with down-regulating the abundance of harmful bacteria such as Clostridiales and Desulfovibrio and up-regulating the abundance of beneficial bacteria such as Muribaculaceae and Ligolactobacillus and enhanced the production of SCFAs. It is worth noticing that Desulfovibrio is related to the production of intestinal gas H₂S. The elevated levels of Desulfovibrio and H₂S will hasten the onset of colitis, which is a crucial risk factor for colitis. The results displayed that JJSM could considerably ameliorate colitis by rebuilding H₂S-related intestinal flora, which provides a new therapeutic strategy for Schizonepetae Spica to be utilized as a functional food and considered as an emerging candidate for intestinal inflammation. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Functional Foods for Metabolism Regulation and Disease Improvement)

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15 pages, 3667 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Postoperative Probiotics Administration Attenuates Gastrointestinal Complications and Gut Microbiota Dysbiosis Caused by Chemotherapy in Colorectal Cancer Patients

by Feng Huang, Shengjie Li, Wenjie Chen, Yiyang Han, Yue Yao, Liang Yang, Qiang Li, Qun Xiao, Jing Wei, Zhaoxia Liu, Tingtao Chen and Xiaorong Deng

Nutrients 2023, 15(2), 356; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu15020356 - 11 Jan 2023

Cited by 29 | Viewed by 5648

Abstract

The current study aims to evaluate the potential roles of taking probiotics postoperatively in attenuating the gastrointestinal complications and disturbed gut microbiota in colorectal cancer (CRC) patients undergoing chemotherapy. One hundred eligible CRC patients who were treated with radical surgery and needed to receive chemotherapy were recruited. Half of them were randomly assigned to the Probio group to take a probiotic combination from post-operation to the end of the first chemotherapeutic course. The other half of patients taking placebo instead were classified as the Placebo group. Gastrointestinal complications such as nausea, acid reflux, abdominal pain, abdominal distention, constipation, and diarrhea were recorded during chemotherapy. Fecal samples were collected preoperatively and after the first cycle of postoperative chemotherapy for 16S rRNA high-throughput sequencing and short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) analysis. Results showed that probiotics administration could effectively reduce chemotherapy-induced gastrointestinal complications, particularly in diarrhea (p < 0.01). Additionally, chemotherapy also reduced the bacterial diversity indexes of the gut microbiota in CRC patients, which could be significantly increased by taking probiotics. Moreover, this chemotherapy caused significant changes in the composition of the gut microbiota, as indicated by decreased phylum levels of Firmicutes and increased Bacteroidetes, Proteobacteria, and Verrucomicrobia. In particular, several bacterial genera such as Akkermansia and Clostridium were significantly increased, while Prevotella, Lactobacillus, and Roseburia were decreased (p < 0.05). However, probiotic administration could effectively restore these taxa changes both at the phylum and genus levels, and mildly increase the genus levels of Bifidobacterium, Streptococcus, and Blautia. Furthermore, probiotics could also promote the production of SCFAs, particularly increasing acetate, butyrate, and propionate (p < 0.0001). These results support the beneficial effects of the probiotic interventions as novel alternative or complementary strategies in chemoprevention. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Functional Foods for Metabolism Regulation and Disease Improvement)

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13 pages, 2451 KiB

Open AccessArticle

In Vitro Fermentation of Beechwood Lignin–Carbohydrate Complexes Provides Evidence for Utilization by Gut Bacteria

by Xiaochen Ma, Shujun Liu, Hongliang Wang, Yulu Wang, Zhen Li, Tianyi Gu, Yulong Li, Fengjiao Xin and Boting Wen

Nutrients 2023, 15(1), 220; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu15010220 - 1 Jan 2023

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2142

Abstract

Lignin–carbohydrate complexes (LCCs) are emerging as a new and natural product with pharmacological and nutraceutical potential. It is uncertain, however, whether LCCs have a positive effect on the microbiota of the gut based on the current evidence. Here, the LCC extracted from beechwood (BW-LCC) was used as a substrate for in vitro fermentation. The lignin in BW-LCC consisted of guaiacyl (G) and syringyl (S) units, which are mainly linked by β-O-4 bonds. After 24 h of in vitro fermentation, the pH had evidently declined. The concentrations of acetic acid and propionic acid, the two main short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs), were significantly higher than in the control group (CK). In addition, BW-LCC altered the microbial diversity and composition of gut microbes, including a reduction in the relative abundance of Firmicutes and an increase in the relative abundance of Proteobacteria and Bacteroidetes. The relative abundance of Escherichia coli-Shigella and Bacteroides were the most variable at the genus level. The genes of carbohydrate-active enzymes (CAZymes) also changed significantly with the fermentation and were related to the changes in microbes. Notably, the auxiliary actives (AAs), especially AA1, AA2, and AA3_2, play important roles in lignin degradation and were significantly enriched and concentrated in Proteobacteria. From this study, we are able to provide new perspectives on how gut microbes utilize LCC. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Functional Foods for Metabolism Regulation and Disease Improvement)

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19 pages, 5661 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Dietary Methionine Restriction Alleviates Choline-Induced Tri-Methylamine-N-Oxide (TMAO) Elevation by Manipulating Gut Microbiota in Mice

by Manman Lu, Yuhui Yang, Yuncong Xu, Xiaoyue Wang, Bo Li, Guowei Le and Yanli Xie

Nutrients 2023, 15(1), 206; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu15010206 - 1 Jan 2023

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2939

Abstract

Dietary methionine restriction (MR) has been shown to decrease plasma trimethylamine-N-oxide (TMAO) levels in high-fat diet mice; however, the specific mechanism used is unknown. We speculated that the underlying mechanism is related with the gut microbiota, and this study aimed to confirm the hypothesis. In this study, we initially carried out an in vitro fermentation experiment and found that MR could reduce the ability of gut microbiota found in the contents of healthy mice and the feces of healthy humans to produce trimethylamine (TMA). Subsequently, mice were fed a normal diet (CON, 0.20% choline + 0.86% methionine), high-choline diet (H-CHO, 1.20% choline + 0.86% methionine), or high-choline + methionine-restricted diet (H-CHO+MR, 1.20% choline + 0.17% methionine) for 3 months. Our results revealed that MR decreased plasma TMA and TMAO levels in H-CHO-diet-fed mice without changing hepatic FMO3 gene expression and enzyme activity, significantly decreased TMA levels and expression of choline TMA-lyase (CutC) and its activator CutD, and decreased CutC activity in the intestine. Moreover, MR significantly decreased the abundance of TMA-producing bacteria, including Escherichia-Shigella (Proteobacteria phylum) and Anaerococcus (Firmicutes phylum), and significantly increased the abundance of short-chain fatty acid (SCFA)-producing bacteria and SCFA levels. Furthermore, both MR and sodium butyrate supplementation significantly inhibited bacterial growth, down-regulated CutC gene expression levels in TMA-producing bacteria, including Escherichia fergusonii ATCC 35469 and Anaerococcus hydrogenalis DSM 7454 and decreased TMA production from bacterial growth under in vitro anaerobic fermentation conditions. In conclusion, dietary MR alleviates choline-induced TMAO elevation by manipulating gut microbiota in mice and may be a promising approach to reducing circulating TMAO levels and TMAO-induced atherosclerosis. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Functional Foods for Metabolism Regulation and Disease Improvement)

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14 pages, 2690 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Protective Effects of Piperine on Ethanol-Induced Gastric Mucosa Injury by Oxidative Stress Inhibition

by Zhouwei Duan, Shasha Yu, Shiping Wang, Hao Deng, Lijun Guo, Hong Yang and Hui Xie

Nutrients 2022, 14(22), 4744; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu14224744 - 10 Nov 2022

Cited by 14 | Viewed by 2463

Abstract

Piper nigrum Linnaeus is often used as a treatment for chills, stomach diseases, and other ailments. Piperine has many biological functions; however, its mechanism for preventing gastric mucosal damage is still unclear. The objective of this study was to investigate the preventive effects of piperine on ethanol-induced gastric mucosal injury by using GES-1 cells and rats. SOD, CAT, GSH-Px and MDA were effectively regulated in GES-1 cells pre-treated with piperine. Piperine significantly increased SOD, CAT and GSH-Px activities, but decreased the ulcer area, MDA, ROS and MPO levels in the gastric tissues of rats. RT-PCR analysis showed that piperine downregulated the mRNA expression levels of keap1, JNK, ERK and p38, and upregulated the mRNA transcription levels of Nrf2 and HO-1. Western blotting results indicated that piperine could activate the protein expression levels of Nrf2 and HO-1 and inhibit the protein expression levels of keap1, p-JNK, p-ERK and p-p38. In conclusion, piperine suppressed ethanol-induced gastric ulcers in vitro and in vivo via oxidation inhibition and improving gastric-protecting activity by regulating the Nrf2/HO-1 and MAPK signalling pathways. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Functional Foods for Metabolism Regulation and Disease Improvement)

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13 pages, 3364 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Heat-Treated Meat Origin Tracing and Authenticity through a Practical Multiplex Polymerase Chain Reaction Approach

by Yan Cheng, Sha Wang, Shilong Ju, Song Zhou, Xiaoqun Zeng, Zhen Wu, Daodong Pan, Guowei Zhong and Zhendong Cai

Nutrients 2022, 14(22), 4727; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu14224727 - 9 Nov 2022

Cited by 6 | Viewed by 1431

Abstract

Meat adulteration have become a global issue, which has increasingly raised concerns due to not only economic losses and religious issues, but also public safety and its negative effects on human health. Using optimal primers for seven target species, a multiplex PCR method was developed for the molecular authentication of camel, cattle, dog, pig, chicken, sheep and duck in one tube reaction. Species-specific amplification from the premixed total DNA of seven species was corroborated by DNA sequencing. The limit of detection (LOD) is as low as 0.025 ng DNA for the simultaneous identification of seven species in both raw and heat-processed meat or target meat: as little as 0.1% (w/w) of the total meat weight. This method is strongly reproducible even while exposed to intensively heat-processed meat and meat mixtures, which renders it able to trace meat origins in real-world foodstuffs based on the authenticity assessment of commercial meat samples. Therefore, this method is a powerful tool for the inspection of meat adulterants and has broad application prospects. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Functional Foods for Metabolism Regulation and Disease Improvement)

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26 pages, 9985 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Efficacy and Mechanism of Pueraria lobata and Pueraria thomsonii Polysaccharides in the Treatment of Type 2 Diabetes

by Zhujun Wang, Hui Du, Wanqian Peng, Shilin Yang, Yulin Feng, Hui Ouyang, Weifeng Zhu and Ronghua Liu

Nutrients 2022, 14(19), 3926; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu14193926 - 22 Sep 2022

Cited by 15 | Viewed by 2879

Abstract

Diabetes is called a “wasting and thirsting disorder” in Chinese traditional medicine because there is a depletion of vital substances in the body independent of the intake of food or water and an inability to reintroduce fluids through drinking. Pueraria lobata (Willd.) Ohwi (GG) and Pueraria thomsonii Benth. (FG) are traditional Chinese herbal medicines used in the treatment of wasting-thirst that reduce blood glucose levels. Flavonoids are the main pharmacodynamic components of GG and FG, and they are also the most studied components at present, but polysaccharides are also active components of GG and FG, which, however, are less studied. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the effect of Pueraria polysaccharides (GG and FG polysaccharides) on type 2 diabetes (T2D), as well as their related mechanisms of action in terms of both intestinal flora and metabolomics. The C57BL/KsJ-db/db mouse model, a well-established model of obesity-induced T2D, was used in this study. The metabolomic analysis showed that Pueraria polysaccharides improved the metabolic profile of diabetic mice and significantly regulated metabolites and metabolic pathways. Both GG and FG polysaccharides regulated insulin resistance in mice by regulating PPAR signaling pathway so as to treat T2D. Additionally, Pueraria polysaccharides regulated the structure of gut microbiota and improved the diabetes-related metabolic pathway. Therefore, this study discovered the antidiabetic effects and potential mechanisms of Pueraria polysaccharides through multiple pathways involving gut microbiota and metabolites, providing a theoretical basis for further studies on their effects in the treatment of T2D. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Functional Foods for Metabolism Regulation and Disease Improvement)

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Review

Jump to: Research

32 pages, 4386 KiB

Open AccessReview

Polyphenols in Oral Health: Homeostasis Maintenance, Disease Prevention, and Therapeutic Applications

by Yuanyuan Guo, Zhiquan Li, Feng Chen and Yujuan Chai

Nutrients 2023, 15(20), 4384; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu15204384 - 16 Oct 2023

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 2675

Abstract

Polyphenols, a class of bioactive compounds with phenolic structures, are abundant in human diets. They have gained attention in biomedical fields due to their beneficial properties, including antioxidant, antibacterial, and anti-inflammatory activities. Therefore, polyphenols can prevent multiple chronic or infectious diseases and may help in the prevention of oral diseases. Oral health is crucial to our well-being, and maintaining a healthy oral microbiome is essential for preventing various dental and systemic diseases. However, the mechanisms by which polyphenols modulate the oral microbiota and contribute to oral health are still not fully understood, and the application of polyphenol products lies in different stages. This review provides a comprehensive overview of the advancements in understanding polyphenols’ effects on oral health: dental caries, periodontal diseases, halitosis, and oral cancer. The mechanisms underlying the preventive and therapeutic effects of polyphenols derived from dietary sources are discussed, and new findings from animal models and clinical trials are included, highlighting the latest achievements. Given the great application potential of these natural compounds, novel approaches to dietary interventions and oral disease treatments may emerge. Moreover, investigating polyphenols combined with different materials presents promising opportunities for developing innovative therapeutic strategies in the treatment of oral diseases. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Functional Foods for Metabolism Regulation and Disease Improvement)

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14 pages, 901 KiB

Open AccessReview

Effects of Diet and Exercise on Circadian Rhythm: Role of Gut Microbiota in Immune and Metabolic Systems

by Yidan Cai, Yanan Liu, Zufang Wu, Jing Wang and Xin Zhang

Nutrients 2023, 15(12), 2743; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu15122743 - 14 Jun 2023

Cited by 6 | Viewed by 3867

Abstract

A close relationship exists between the intestinal microbiota and the circadian rhythm, which is mainly regulated by the central-biological-clock system and the peripheral-biological-clock system. At the same time, the intestinal flora also reflects a certain rhythmic oscillation. A poor diet and sedentary lifestyle will lead to immune and metabolic diseases. A large number of studies have shown that the human body can be influenced in its immune regulation, energy metabolism and expression of biological-clock genes through diet, including fasting, and exercise, with intestinal flora as the vector, thereby reducing the incidence rates of diseases. This article mainly discusses the effects of diet and exercise on the intestinal flora and the immune and metabolic systems from the perspective of the circadian rhythm, which provides a more effective way to prevent immune and metabolic diseases by modulating intestinal microbiota. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Functional Foods for Metabolism Regulation and Disease Improvement)

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16 pages, 754 KiB

Open AccessReview

Benefits of Whey Proteins on Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus Parameters and Prevention of Cardiovascular Diseases

by Jean-François Lesgards

Nutrients 2023, 15(5), 1294; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu15051294 - 6 Mar 2023

Cited by 7 | Viewed by 7341

Abstract

Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is a major cause of morbidity and mortality, and it is a major risk factor for the early onset of cardiovascular diseases (CVDs). More than genetics, food, physical activity, walkability, and air pollution are lifestyle factors, which have the greatest impact on T2DM. Certain diets have been shown to be associated with lower T2DM and cardiovascular risk. Diminishing added sugar and processed fats and increasing antioxidant-rich vegetable and fruit intake has often been highlighted, as in the Mediterranean diet. However, less is known about the interest of proteins in low-fat dairy and whey in particular, which have great potential to improve T2DM and could be used safely as a part of a multi-target strategy. This review discusses all the biochemical and clinical aspects of the benefits of high-quality whey, which is now considered a functional food, for prevention and improvement of T2DM and CVDs by insulin- and non-insulin-dependent mechanisms. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Functional Foods for Metabolism Regulation and Disease Improvement)

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17 pages, 1242 KiB

Open AccessReview

Postbiotics in Human Health: A Narrative Review

by Linxi Ma, Huaijun Tu and Tingtao Chen

Nutrients 2023, 15(2), 291; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu15020291 - 6 Jan 2023

Cited by 17 | Viewed by 8412

Abstract

In the 21st century, compressive health and functional foods are advocated by increasingly more people in order to eliminate sub-health conditions. Probiotics and postbiotics have gradually become the focus of scientific and nutrition communities. With the maturity and wide application of probiotics, the safety concerns and other disadvantages are non-negligible as we review here. As new-era products, postbiotics continue to have considerable potential as well as plentiful drawbacks to optimize. “Postbiotic” has been defined as a “preparation of inanimate microorganisms and/or their components that confers a health benefit on the host”. Here, the evolution of the concept “postbiotics” is reviewed. The underlying mechanisms of postbiotic action are discussed. Current insight suggests that postbiotics exert efficacy through protective modulation, fortifying the epithelial barrier and modulation of immune responses. Finally, we provide an overview of the comparative advantages and the current application in the food industry at pharmaceutical and biomedical levels. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Functional Foods for Metabolism Regulation and Disease Improvement)

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