Journal of Nutrition最新文献

{"title":"Concordance between Hemoglobin and Hematocrit among Children and Pregnant Persons in National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey Data, 1999–2020","authors":"Maren E Wolf ,&nbsp;Maria Elena D. Jefferds ,&nbsp;Lisa D Gardner ,&nbsp;Zuguo Mei ,&nbsp;Christine M Pfeiffer ,&nbsp;O. Yaw Addo","doi":"10.1016/j.tjnut.2024.12.029","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.tjnut.2024.12.029","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>Hemoglobin and hematocrit are the 2 most common biomarkers used to identify anemia in clinical settings, but their results do not always agree.</div></div><div><h3>Objectives</h3><div>To examine agreement between hemoglobin and hematocrit in identifying anemia among children aged 1 to &lt;5 y and pregnant persons.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>Pregnant persons and children aged 1 to &lt;5 y with hemoglobin and hematocrit results from the same whole blood sample in National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (1999–2020) were included. We used the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention anemia cutoff values for children, pregnancy status, trimester, and smoking adjustments. We examined concordance of anemia, sensitivity, and specificity among those with anemia based on ≥1 test overall and by race/ethnicity, sex, and income level. Cohen’s kappa was used to measure concordance.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>Analytic samples included 7052 children and 1437 pregnant persons, of whom 1119 had trimester data. Among children, anemia prevalence was 3.7% [95% confidence interval (CI): 3.1, 4.3] based on hemoglobin and 5.5% (95% CI: 4.7, 6.3) based on hematocrit. Among pregnant persons, anemia prevalence was 7.7% (95% CI: 5.9, 9.5) based on hemoglobin and 12.4% (95% CI: 10.1, 14.6) based on hematocrit. Kappa scores overall and by sociodemographic characteristics ranged from 0.64 to 0.75 (moderate concordance) among children and from 0.53 to 0.78 (weak to moderate concordance) among pregnant persons. Among those with anemia on ≥1 test, 53.5% of children and 61.5% of pregnant persons had anemia based on both tests.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusions</h3><div>We found substantial discordance between the 2 biomarkers; ∼50% of children and 40% of pregnant women were identified by only 1 of the 2 biomarkers. Because hemoglobin and hematocrit may be used interchangeably in the clinical setting, individuals with anemia may be missed, not receive treatment, and therefore be at higher risk of adverse pregnancy, birth, and developmental outcomes.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":16620,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Nutrition","volume":"155 3","pages":"Pages 968-974"},"PeriodicalIF":3.7,"publicationDate":"2025-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142915115","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"The Arcana of Zinc","authors":"Wolfgang Maret","doi":"10.1016/j.tjnut.2025.01.004","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.tjnut.2025.01.004","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This perspective discusses the essential micronutrient zinc, which functions in &gt;3000 human proteins (the zinc proteome), and the implications of three aspects to ascertain an adequate zinc status for human health. First, the advent of highly sensitive fluorescent (bio)chemicals revealed cellular pools of zinc ions involved in signaling and secretion from cells for paracrine, autocrine, and possibly endocrine functions. Zinc signaling adds a yet unaccounted number of targeted proteins to the already impressive number of zinc proteins. Second, cellular zinc concentrations are remarkably high in the order of the concentrations of major metabolites and, therefore, at the cellular level zinc is not a trace element. Zinc is also not an antioxidant because zinc ions are redox-inactive in biology. However, zinc can express indirect pro-oxidant or proantioxidant effects depending on how cellular zinc is buffered. Zinc sites in proteins and other biomolecules can become redox-active when zinc is bound to the redox-active sulfur donor atom of cysteine. This interaction links zinc and redox metabolism, confers mobility on tightly bound zinc, and has implications for treating zinc deficiency. Third, the concept of zinc deficiency in blood as the only measure of an inadequate zinc status needs to be extended to zinc dyshomeostasis in cells because overwhelming the mechanisms controlling cellular zinc homeostasis can result in either not enough or too much available zinc. We need additional biomarkers of zinc status that determine cell-specific changes and perturbations of the system regulating cellular zinc, including functional deficits, and address the multiple genetic and environmental factors that can cause a conditioned zinc deficiency or overload. Considering the wider context of altered zinc availability in different organs, cells, and organelles impinges on whether zinc supplementation will be efficacious and adds another dimension to the already high health burden of zinc deficiency and its sequelae worldwide.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":16620,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Nutrition","volume":"155 3","pages":"Pages 669-675"},"PeriodicalIF":3.7,"publicationDate":"2025-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142950488","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Retraction notice to ‘Grape Powder Supplementation Prevents Oxidative Stress–Induced Anxiety-Like Behavior, Memory Impairment, and High Blood Pressure in Rats’ [J Nutr 143 (2013) 835–842]","authors":"Farida Allam,&nbsp;An T. Dao,&nbsp;Gaurav Chugh,&nbsp;Ritu Bohat,&nbsp;Faizan Jafri,&nbsp;Gaurav Patki,&nbsp;Christopher Mowrey,&nbsp;Mohammad Asghar,&nbsp;Karim A. Alkadhi,&nbsp;Samina Salim","doi":"10.1016/j.tjnut.2025.02.023","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.tjnut.2025.02.023","url":null,"abstract":"&lt;div&gt;&lt;div&gt;This article has been retracted: please see Elsevier Policy on Article Withdrawal (&lt;span&gt;&lt;span&gt;https://www.elsevier.com/about/policies/article-withdrawal&lt;/span&gt;&lt;svg&gt;&lt;path&gt;&lt;/path&gt;&lt;/svg&gt;&lt;/span&gt;).&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;This article has been retracted at the request of the Editor-in-Chief.&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;Questions have been raised regarding the reliability and accuracy of the results in Figures 5, 6 and 7 of the paper. Notably, there are concerns that the protein bands in the following panels appear to be either highly similar, if not identical, despite representing different conditions or parts of the brain or that they have been manipulated inappropriately:&lt;ul&gt;&lt;li&gt;&lt;span&gt;•&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;div&gt;Total ERK ½ panels in the amygdala and hippocampus in Figure 5;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;&lt;span&gt;•&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;div&gt;GLO1 panels in the amygdala and hippocampus in Figure 6A&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;&lt;span&gt;•&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;div&gt;β-actin panels in the amygdala, hippocampus, and cortex in Figures 6A, 6B, and 7C;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;&lt;span&gt;•&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;div&gt;GSR1 panels in the amygdala and hippocampus in Figure 6B;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;&lt;span&gt;•&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;div&gt;BDNF panels in the amygdala and hippocampus in Figure 7C; and&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;&lt;span&gt;•&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;div&gt;Total CREB panels in the amygdala and cortex in Figure 7B.&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;The corresponding author, Dr. Samina Salim, was invited to respond to the raised concerns and encouraged to provide original files for supporting the published results. Dr. Salim has responded to JN by stating that the paper was part of a collaborative study with two other laboratories conducted more than 10 years ago. Both laboratories were shut down due to the death of one leader and the retirement of the other. In addition, Dr. Salim has changed her research directions, and her laboratory was relocated, resulting in misplaced or lost research record. Thus, she was unable to supply any of the requested original image files. Instead, she has indicated that similar protein expression profiles among the hippocampus, amygdala, and prefrontal cortex as shown in the figures were caused by their similar vulnerabilities and responses to oxidative stress induced by the pro-oxidant drug treatments and the multiple uses of the same blots for probing and re-probing different proteins.&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;However, the editorial board of JN (with the aid of image analysis software), solicited experts, and external professionals are not convinced that the explanations given by the corresponding author can address the above-described issues in Figures 5, 6, and 7 of the paper.&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;In light of the concerns affecting multiple figure panels that question the reliability of these data, The Journal of Nutrition's Editor retracts this article. Dr. Salim was informed accordingly of the decision and attempts were made to contact the active authors on the paper individually and via the University of Houston's Division of Research.&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;As a consequence of the","PeriodicalId":16620,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Nutrition","volume":"155 3","pages":"Pages 1006-1007"},"PeriodicalIF":3.7,"publicationDate":"2025-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143570565","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Erratum to ‘Association between Adiposity and Iron Status in Women of Reproductive Age: Data from the UK National Diet and Nutrition Survey (NDNS) 2008–2019’, [J Nutr 154 (2024) 3048–3059]","authors":"Sabrina P Demirdjian ,&nbsp;Maeve A Kerr ,&nbsp;Maria S Mulhern ,&nbsp;Paul D Thompson ,&nbsp;Mark Ledwidge ,&nbsp;Mary T McCann","doi":"10.1016/j.tjnut.2025.01.026","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.tjnut.2025.01.026","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":16620,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Nutrition","volume":"155 3","pages":"Page 1005"},"PeriodicalIF":3.7,"publicationDate":"2025-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143074608","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Associations between Food Insecurity and Perceived Overall Health, Stress, and Counseling Utilization among a Representative Sample of the Active-Duty United States Military, 2020","authors":"Matthew R Beymer ,&nbsp;Matthew P Rabbitt ,&nbsp;Joanna J Reagan ,&nbsp;Courtney P Paolicelli","doi":"10.1016/j.tjnut.2024.12.007","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.tjnut.2024.12.007","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>In 2020, ∼10% of United States civilian households were food insecure compared with ∼25% of households with active-duty United States military service members. Given the increased risk for food insecurity in the military, it is vital to investigate both the precursors and consequences of food insecurity in military populations.</div></div><div><h3>Objectives</h3><div>To determine associations between food insecurity and perceived overall health, stress, and psychological counseling utilization in United States military service members.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>Using weighted logistic regressions, we conducted secondary analyses of the 2020 Status of Forces Survey-Active Duty (unweighted <em>n</em> = 12,324), a nationally representative cross-sectional, probability-based survey of United States military service members.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>Approximately 25% of respondents were food insecure. Respondents with low (adjusted odds ratio [AOR]: 1.36; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.14, 1.64) and very low food security (AOR: 1.71; 95% CI: 1.35, 2.18) had significantly greater odds of current work-related stress compared with food secure respondents. Respondents with low (AOR: 1.49; 95% CI: 1.18, 1.89) and very low food security (AOR: 1.88; 95% CI: 1.42, 2.47) had lower self-perceived overall health compared with food secure respondents. There was no association between food insecurity and psychological counseling utilization.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusions</h3><div>Although food insecure respondents had higher odds of stress and poorer perceptions of overall health, they had similar odds of utilizing counseling support, suggesting potential opportunities for specialized engagement. Military leadership engagement with service members for counseling support and supplemental nutrition assistance resources could improve health outcomes and increase quality of life.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":16620,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Nutrition","volume":"155 3","pages":"Pages 936-944"},"PeriodicalIF":3.7,"publicationDate":"2025-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143007058","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"How Did I Get Here? A Reflection of My Journey in Academia and the American Society for Nutrition","authors":"Kevin L Schalinske","doi":"10.1016/j.tjnut.2025.01.016","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.tjnut.2025.01.016","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":16620,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Nutrition","volume":"155 3","pages":"Pages 661-663"},"PeriodicalIF":3.7,"publicationDate":"2025-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143007060","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Maternal Supplementation of Dietary Choline and DHA During Gestational Nutrition Restriction Alters Hepatic mRNA and miRNA Expression Patterns in Full-Term Fetal Pigs","authors":"Feng Wang,&nbsp;Xiaoqiu Wang,&nbsp;Jack Odle,&nbsp;Christian Maltecca,&nbsp;Xi Lin","doi":"10.1016/j.tjnut.2025.01.012","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.tjnut.2025.01.012","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>Supplementing choline and DHA to pregnant gilts modified fetal pig hepatic global DNA methylation induced by gestational malnutrition, suggesting that gene expression and regulation and its associated metabolic pathways are affected in the liver of offspring during growth and development.</div></div><div><h3>Objectives</h3><div>This study aimed to investigate the effect of maternal supplementation of choline, DHA, and their interaction on hepatic mRNA expression, miRNA regulation, and metabolic pathways in the fetal pigs born to malnourished mothers.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>The abundance of mRNA and miRNA was profiled in fetal liver from sows with undernutrition supplemented with choline and DHA in a 2 × 2 factorial design. The effects of choline, DHA, and their interaction on mRNA and miRNA expression were evaluated. Identification of the Biological Processes from the Gene Ontology database and miRNA Target Prediction Analysis were performed using the DAVID Functional Annotation Tool and Ingenuity Pathway Analysis. The identified miRNA–mRNA pairings were validated using RT-qPCR.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>In total, 144 mRNA and 1 miRNA were altered by supplementation of choline, and the alterations were associated with the inhibitions of cardiac hypertrophy signaling, IL-6 signaling, IL-3 signaling, the T_{<span>h</span>}1 pathway, and the acute phase response signaling pathway. Further, 151 mRNAs and 6 miRNAs were altered by maternal supplementation DHA and were associated with inhibition of 5 inositol-related pathways, 5 immune-related pathways, and 7 other pathways and the stimulation of peroxisome proliferator–activated receptor signaling and RhoGDI signaling pathways. In addition, 383 mRNAs and 25 miRNAs displayed choline × DHA interactions including synergistic effects on acute phase response signaling, and antagonistic effects on tRNA splicing, peroxisome proliferator–activated receptor α/retinoid X receptor α activation, and sirtuin signaling, NAD signaling, and RNA polymerase I transcription pathways. Ten of the identified 20 miRNA–mRNA pairings were validated using RT-qPCR.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusions</h3><div>The supplementation of choline, DHA, or choline plus DHA to pregnant gilts modifies liver mRNA, miRNA, and pathways in fetal pigs during gestational undernutrition.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":16620,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Nutrition","volume":"155 3","pages":"Pages 804-816"},"PeriodicalIF":3.7,"publicationDate":"2025-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142978999","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Novel Lipid Emulsion Supports Positive Outcomes in Piglets Receiving Total Parenteral Nutrition","authors":"Philip C Calder","doi":"10.1016/j.tjnut.2024.12.015","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.tjnut.2024.12.015","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":16620,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Nutrition","volume":"155 3","pages":"Pages 664-666"},"PeriodicalIF":3.7,"publicationDate":"2025-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142906868","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Erythrocyte Fatty Acid Patterns Are Associated with Skeletal Muscle Mass in Chinese Children","authors":"Qinwen Zhou ,&nbsp;Lan Huang ,&nbsp;Yulin Wu ,&nbsp;Mengyang Su ,&nbsp;Xuemei Liao ,&nbsp;Quan Zhou ,&nbsp;Guo Zheng ,&nbsp;Jingjing Liang ,&nbsp;Qinzhi Wei ,&nbsp;Zheqing Zhang","doi":"10.1016/j.tjnut.2025.01.001","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.tjnut.2025.01.001","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>Nutritional factors are important for skeletal muscle mass and grip strength development in children.</div></div><div><h3>Objectives</h3><div>This study aimed to investigate the relationship between erythrocyte membrane fatty acid patterns (FAPs) and skeletal muscle mass and grip strength in children.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>A total of 452 children aged 6–9 y were included in this study. Appendicular skeletal muscle mass (ASM) was assessed by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry. Hand grip strength was determined by the Jamar Plus+ hand dynamometer (Sammons Preston). Appendicular skeletal muscle mass index (ASMI) was calculated, and the relative concentrations of 20 fatty acids in erythrocyte membranes were measured by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. Factor analysis was used to explore the relationship between fatty acids and skeletal muscle mass and grip strength.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>Five FAPs were identified by factor analysis, and after adjusting for covariates, a multiple linear regression model showed that FAP2 (high C17:0, C20:5 <em>n</em>–3, C22:6 <em>n</em>–3) showed a negative correlation with ASM (β = –0.214; <em>P</em> &lt; 0.001), ASMI (β = –0.085; <em>P</em> &lt; 0.001), and left-hand grip strength (β = –0.235; <em>P</em> = 0.012). FAP3 (high C14:0, C15:0, C16:0, C16:1 <em>n</em>–7, low C20:4 <em>n</em>–6) scores were positively correlated with ASM (β = 0.134, <em>P</em> = 0.017). No other associations between FAPs and skeletal muscle mass were found.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusions</h3><div>The relationship between different FAPs and skeletal muscle health in children aged 6–9 y may be different. The pattern characterized by higher concentrations of C17:0, C20:5 <em>n</em>–3, and C22:6 <em>n</em>–3 in erythrocyte membranes may be associated with lower skeletal muscle mass. The pattern featuring higher concentrations of C14:0, C15:0, C16:0, and C16:1 <em>n</em>–7 and lower concentrations of C20:4 <em>n</em>–6 may be protective factors for muscle mass.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":16620,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Nutrition","volume":"155 3","pages":"Pages 736-744"},"PeriodicalIF":3.7,"publicationDate":"2025-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142950487","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Effect of Daily Consumption of a Fermented Milk Containing Lacticaseibacillus paracasei Strain Shirota (LcS) on Stool Consistency in United States Adults with Hard or Lumpy Stools: A Randomized Controlled Trial.","authors":"Chad M Cook, Takuya Akiyama, Traci Blonquist, Eunice Mah, Linda Derrig, Hideyuki Shibata","doi":"10.1016/j.tjnut.2025.02.021","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.tjnut.2025.02.021","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Lacticaseibacillus paracasei strain Shirota (LcS) has shown benefits for stool consistency in populations with certain bowel complaints (e.g., constipation), but data in a United States population are limited.</p><p><strong>Objectives: </strong>This study evaluated the effects of LcS on hard or lumpy stools (HLS) in an otherwise healthy population that generally represents the United States adult demographic.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>In this randomized, controlled, open-label study, 50 participants (41 females, 9 males) with HLS in ≥25% of bowel movements (BMs) during a 14-d run-in period were randomly assigned to receive either 80 mL fermented milk containing 8.0 × 10⁹ colony forming units LcS/mL for 28 d (active group) or no intervention (control group) followed by a 14-d postintervention period. Bowel habits were recorded daily using a novel smartphone application. The primary endpoint was the presence of HLS in ≥25% of the participant-rated BMs using the Bristol Stool Form Scale over the 28-d intervention. Secondary endpoints included the presence of reduced frequency of BMs with HLS from baseline, stool frequency, straining, incomplete evacuation, artificial intelligence-derived stool image scores, and Patient Assessment of Constipation Quality of Life (PAC-QOL) scores.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The active group showed a significantly lower proportion of participants with HLS in ≥25% of BMs [odds ratio: 0.34; 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.14, 0.80; P = 0.014] along with a higher proportion of participants with a reduced frequency of BMs with HLS from baseline (odds ratio: 2.86; 95% CI: 1.03, 7.92; P = 0.043). The active group also demonstrated positive improvements in total PAC-QOL scores (P = 0.003).</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Daily consumption of LcS-containing fermented milk significantly reduced constipation symptoms and improved quality of life in an otherwise generally healthy United States adult population with a history of intermittent BMs producing HLS. The intervention was well tolerated, with no serious adverse events related to the product, suggesting its safety and potential as a dietary strategy for managing constipation.</p><p><strong>Trial registration number: </strong>This trial was registered at clinicaltrials.gov as NCT06014008 (https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT06014008).</p>","PeriodicalId":16620,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Nutrition","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.7,"publicationDate":"2025-02-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143537298","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}