Nutrients最新文献

{"title":"Manganese Deficiency Causes Testicular Developmental Disorders, Blood-Testis Barrier Damage, and Spermatogenesis Disruption via Nrf2-Mediated Oxidative Stress.","authors":"Dianyi Peng, Fuqing Feng, Heng Yin, Jianfei Zhao, Shanchuan Cao, Jingbo Liu","doi":"10.3390/nu17183007","DOIUrl":"10.3390/nu17183007","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p><b>Background</b>: Manganese (Mn) is a trace element essential for multiple physiological and biological processes. The testis plays a key role in male reproduction by producing sperm and synthesizing male hormones. This study investigates how Mn deficiency affects testicular development, spermatogenesis, and the blood-testis barrier (BTB), and evaluates associated variations in oxidative stress to explore potential mechanisms. <b>Methods</b>: A Mn-deficient diet was used to induce Mn deficiency in mice, with MnCl₂ administered via intraperitoneal injection. Mn levels in testicular tissue were measured by atomic absorption spectrometry. Testis and sperm morphology were assessed by H.E. and sperm staining. BTB markers were analyzed using immunofluorescence, Western blot, and qPCR. Oxidative stress was evaluated biochemically. Nrf2 pathway changes were detected by qPCR and Western blot. <b>Results</b>: The results indicated that Mn deficiency dramatically decreased the testicular index, caused abnormal testicular tissue structure, and significantly decreased Johnsen's score. At the same time, sperm density and motility were significantly reduced, and the sperm deformity rate was significantly increased. In addition, the BTB function was impaired, as indicated by the significantly down-regulated expression of tight junction proteins including <i>Occludin</i>, <i>ZO-1</i>, <i>JAM-A</i>, and <i>Claudin-11</i>. As the oxidative stress levels increased, the mRNA and protein expression levels of molecules (including <i>Nrf2</i> and <i>HO-1</i>) related to the Nrf2 signaling pathway were significantly down-regulated, while its inhibitor <i>Keap1</i> exhibited significantly up-regulated expression. Notably, after supplementing MnCl₂, all the above abnormal indicators were significantly improved. <b>Conclusions</b>: Mn deficiency can lead to testicular tissue damage, decreased sperm quality, and BTB dysfunction, and the potential mechanism is probably closely associated with the increase in the oxidative stress level mediated by the Nrf2 pathway.</p>","PeriodicalId":19486,"journal":{"name":"Nutrients","volume":"17 18","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":5.0,"publicationDate":"2025-09-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12472890/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145177130","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Predictors of Weight Reduction in a Multidisciplinary Community Program for Children with Overweight and Obesity: A Study from Emilia-Romagna, Italy.","authors":"Gianmarco Imperiali, Cecilia Acuti Martellucci, Marina Fridel, Giuseppe Diegoli, Maurizio Iaia, Giuliano Carrozzi, Petra Bechtold, Maria Elena Flacco, Lamberto Manzoli","doi":"10.3390/nu17183015","DOIUrl":"10.3390/nu17183015","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p><b>Background</b>: The worldwide prevalence of obesity in children and adolescents quadrupled in the past decades, becoming a public health priority. Following the recommendation by the Italian Minister of Health, the Emilia-Romagna Region started a community-based program aimed at reducing pediatric overweight through children and family behavioral counseling on nutrition and physical activity. <b>Methods</b>: Children with excess weight, aged 2-17 years, and without severe diseases were visited five times by a multidisciplinary team, who provided dietary advice, exercise plans, and psychosocial support, according to Italian guidelines. The outcomes were the median pre-post change in Δ₃₀BMI (distance between children's BMI and age- and sex-specific obesity threshold values) and the proportion of children who moved to a lower weight class. Logistic regression was used to identify potential predictors of weight improvement. <b>Results</b>: Up to March 2025, 1331 participants completed the follow-up. In total, 17.5% of the children showed an improvement in weight class, and 32.5% had a reduction of more than one unit of Δ₃₀BMI. The program was significantly and substantially more effective among the children with obesity at baseline (overweight vs. obese children adjusted odds ratio-aOR-of weight class improvement: 0.28; <i>p</i> < 0.001), older than eight years (9-11 years vs. 2-8 years children aOR: 1.41; <i>p</i> < 0.05), who adhered to breakfast recommendations (aOR: 1.60; <i>p</i> < 0.01) and had no obese parents (≥1 vs. 0 obese parents aOR: 0.62; <i>p</i> < 0.05). <b>Conclusions</b>: The multidisciplinary model was associated with an overall positive impact on the weight status of the enrolled children. Given the varying response, however, in order to maximize cost-effectiveness, future programs could be reserved for children with obesity, older than eight years. Further randomized research is needed to investigate the efficacy of this intervention in different settings and on late clinical endpoints.</p>","PeriodicalId":19486,"journal":{"name":"Nutrients","volume":"17 18","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":5.0,"publicationDate":"2025-09-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12473044/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145177193","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"The Impact of Physical Education Attendance and Diet on Bone Mineralization in Adolescents.","authors":"Agata Przytula, Joanna Popiolek-Kalisz","doi":"10.3390/nu17183016","DOIUrl":"10.3390/nu17183016","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p><b>Background</b>: Bone mineralization can be influenced by physical activity and dietary factors; however, the relative contributions of these factors are not well defined. Physical activity in adolescents can be implemented with physical education (PE) classes and there is no reported data on their impact on bone mineralization. This study investigates the relationship between PE class attendance, dietary factors, and bone mineralization in adolescents. <b>Methods</b>: 57 adolescents (median age 17.00 [16.00-17.00] years) were enrolled in this study. Bone mineralization was assessed with bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA) and dietary knowledge and selected foods intakes were assessed with a validated questionnaire. <b>Results</b>: PE attendance and dietary knowledge were positively associated with bone mineralization in the multivariate models (R² = 0.85, <i>p</i> < 0.001 for the best model, and R² = 0.81, <i>p</i> < 0.001 for the simplified model), and PE attendance was the dominant positive factor among the modifiable ones (B = 0.20, <i>p</i> = 0.02, and B = 0.25, <i>p</i> = 0.004, respectively). The impact of calcium sources intake was diminished when controlled for PE class attendance. <b>Conclusions</b>: PE attendance is one of the key factors of bone mineralization in adolescents. Our study showed that the role of calcium sources intake was diminished when acknowledging physical activity data, however dietary knowledge remained a significant predictor. Enhancing dietary knowledge and promoting physical activity are key targets for improving bone health.</p>","PeriodicalId":19486,"journal":{"name":"Nutrients","volume":"17 18","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":5.0,"publicationDate":"2025-09-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12472207/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145177173","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Dietary Inflammatory Index and Nutritional Status in Children with Inborn Errors of Metabolism on Protein-Restricted Diets.","authors":"Emine Aktaş, Betül Çiçek, Ilyas Okur, Asli İnci, Leyla Tümer","doi":"10.3390/nu17183010","DOIUrl":"10.3390/nu17183010","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p><b>Background</b>: The primary treatment for inborn errors of metabolism (IEM) involves restricted intake of natural protein. Inadequate diets can lead to an increased risk of inflammation and susceptibility to infections. The Dietary Inflammatory Index (DII) is used to estimate whether a diet has anti-inflammatory or pro-inflammatory properties. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between the inflammatory index score of natural protein-restricted diets used in medical nutrition therapy for IEM intoxication, the anthropometric measurements and nutritional status of affected children. <b>Method:</b> The study included 20 patients (5 organic acidemia, 5 urea cycle disorders, 10 phenylketonuria) and 20 healthy children. Patients followed a natural protein-restricted diet, while the healthy control group maintained their usual dietary habits. Dietary records were collected for both groups, and the DII and macro-micronutrient intakes were calculated. <b>Result:</b> DII scores were similar between the patient and control groups. Anthropometric measurements did not differ significantly between the groups. However, carbohydrate and fat intakes were higher in the patient group compared to the control group (<i>p</i> < 0.05). Additionally, comparative analyses revealed that vitamin B1, C and E, iron, and magnesium intakes were higher in the patient group than in the control group. <b>Conclusions:</b> Children on a natural protein-restricted diet showed growth patterns comparable to their healthy peers. This study demonstrated that nutritional deficiencies can be prevented in amino acid metabolism disorders treated with a natural protein-restricted diet by carefully controlling nutrition with vitamin and mineral-fortified formulas.</p>","PeriodicalId":19486,"journal":{"name":"Nutrients","volume":"17 18","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":5.0,"publicationDate":"2025-09-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12472835/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145176786","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Differential Associations of Vitamin D Metabolites with Adiposity and Muscle-Related Phenotypes in Korean Adults: Results from KNHANES 2022-2023.","authors":"Se-Hong Kim, Yuji Jeong, Seok-Won Son, Ha-Na Kim","doi":"10.3390/nu17183013","DOIUrl":"10.3390/nu17183013","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Body composition plays a crucial role in metabolic health, aging, and the development of various diseases. Vitamin D has been implicated in the regulation of muscle and adipose tissue function, but its relationship with body composition remains unclear.</p><p><strong>Objectives: </strong>This study aimed to investigate the association between serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25[OH]D) concentration, its subspecies, and body composition parameters and related phenotypes in Korean adults aged ≥20 years.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>This cross-sectional study included 2612 eligible participants from the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2022-2023, and data on body composition parameters and serum 25(OH)D levels were analyzed. Serum 25(OH)D levels and subspecies were determined using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. Body composition factors included anthropometric indices, muscle strength, and fat and muscle mass, which were assessed using bioelectrical impedance analysis.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>After multivariable adjustment, serum concentrations of total 25(OH)D and 25(OH)D₃ were inversely associated with waist circumference, body mass index, and fat mass and positively associated with handgrip strength and lean mass, whereas serum 25(OH)D₂ and 3-epi-25(OH)D₃ levels showed no such associations. Higher 25(OH)D₂ concentrations were positively associated with low muscle strength and the prevalence of sarcopenia. Through non-linear analyses, U-shaped correlations were identified between total 25(OH)D and 25(OH)D₃ levels with low muscle mass, respectively, while a J-shaped correlation was observed between 25(OH)D₂ level and low muscle mass.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Total 25(OH)D and 25(OH)D₃ levels were inversely associated with adiposity and positively associated with muscle strength and lean mass, whereas the 25(OH)D₂ level was linked to low muscle strength and sarcopenia. The U- and J-shaped associations with low muscle mass indicate the complex and differential roles of vitamin D subspecies, warranting further study.</p>","PeriodicalId":19486,"journal":{"name":"Nutrients","volume":"17 18","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":5.0,"publicationDate":"2025-09-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12472871/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145176795","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Exploring the Anti-Inflammatory Potential of a Mediterranean-Style Ketogenic Diet in Women with Lipedema.","authors":"Małgorzata Jeziorek, Angelika Chachaj, Andrzej Szuba, Dorota Różańska, Anna Prescha","doi":"10.3390/nu17183014","DOIUrl":"10.3390/nu17183014","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p><b>Background/Objectives:</b> Lipedema is a chronic adipose tissue disorder characterized by disproportionate fat accumulation and inflammation, predominantly affecting women. While recent evidence suggests a systemic pro-inflammatory state in lipedema, the role of diet in modulating inflammation remains underexplored. This study assessed the anti-inflammatory potential of a Mediterranean-style ketogenic diet and its effects after 7 months of adherence on systemic inflammation markers (CRP and IL-6) in women with lipedema (n = 24) and a control group with overweight/obesity (n = 24). <b>Methods:</b> The Dietary Inflammatory Index (DII) was used to characterize the inflammatory potential of the diet throughout the intervention. Dietary intake was analyzed pre- and post-intervention, and anthropometric, body composition, and biochemical parameters were measured. <b>Results:</b> Beyond its beneficial effects on body composition (significant reductions in body weight, fat, leg circumferences, and visceral fat), the intervention diet also demonstrated anti-inflammatory potential. In lipedema, baseline diet showed a pro-inflammatory DII profile (DII/day = 3.04), which was reduced by about 1.5 points after the intervention (<i>p</i> = 0.008). When expressed per 1000 kcal, the DII values were markedly lower for both baseline (DII = 0.22) and intervention diet (DII = ~0.01). Following the intervention diet, reduction in CRP (-0.39, <i>p</i> = 0.016) and IL-6 levels (-0.33, <i>p</i> = 0.034) in lipedema were observed. A significant positive association was observed between the intervention diet's DII and CRP (r = 0.55, <i>p</i> = 0.005), and between the baseline diet's DII and IL-6 (r = 0.50, <i>p</i> = 0.013) in lipedema group. <b>Conclusions:</b> These findings suggest that ketogenic diet rich in anti-inflammatory and antioxidant nutrients can reduce systemic inflammation in lipedema patients, independently of caloric restriction.</p>","PeriodicalId":19486,"journal":{"name":"Nutrients","volume":"17 18","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":5.0,"publicationDate":"2025-09-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12472235/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145177262","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"A 12-Week Randomized Controlled Trial of Nutrition and Exercise Education with Dietary Supplementation for Sarcopenia Prevention in Korean Baby Boomers.","authors":"Eun-Hee Jang, Seungmin Lee","doi":"10.3390/nu17183008","DOIUrl":"10.3390/nu17183008","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p><b>Background/Objectives</b>: Sarcopenia is a major public health concern, and early preventive strategies in midlife are increasingly emphasized. The goal of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of a 12-week lifestyle intervention that included nutrition education, exercise education, and dietary supplementation in Korean baby boomers. <b>Methods</b>: This single-blind, randomized controlled trial included 42 Korean baby boomers born between 1955 and 1963. Participants were randomly assigned to one of three groups: (1) nutrition and exercise education plus dietary supplementation (DiExSp), (2) nutrition and exercise education only (DiEx), or (3) control. The intervention was delivered online, and the DiExSp group additionally received a daily supplement containing protein, vitamins, and minerals. Primary outcomes included dietary intake, body composition, physical function, and fasting blood biomarkers. Nonparametric tests and effect size calculations were performed using SAS version 9.4. <b>Results</b>: A total of 31 participants completed the study. The results showed significant increases in protein and micronutrient intake (<i>p</i> < 0.05), with large effect sizes in the DiExSp group. Handgrip strength showed improvement in both the DiExSp and DiEx groups (DiExSp: <i>p</i> = 0.027, <i>r</i> = 0.63; DiEx: <i>p</i> = 0.020, <i>r</i> = 0.73), while no changes were observed in other physical parameters. HbA1c levels showed a significant decrease in the DiExSp group compared to the control (<i>p</i> < 0.05, ε² = 0.01). No significant differences were observed for other biomarkers. <b>Conclusions</b>: A 12-week intervention combining dietary supplementation with education resulted in improved dietary intake, muscle strength, and glycemic control. However, most effects were confined to within-group changes. Between-group differences were minimal, and effect sizes were small. These findings provide preliminary evidence that lifestyle intervention strategies may contribute to sarcopenia prevention in midlife adults.</p>","PeriodicalId":19486,"journal":{"name":"Nutrients","volume":"17 18","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":5.0,"publicationDate":"2025-09-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12472921/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145177118","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Time-Restricted Eating Without Exercise Enhances Anaerobic Power and Reduces Body Weight: A Randomized Crossover Trial in Untrained Adults.","authors":"Zifu Yu, Takeshi Ueda","doi":"10.3390/nu17183011","DOIUrl":"10.3390/nu17183011","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p><b>Background</b>: Time-restricted eating (TRE), a dietary strategy that confines daily food intake to specific time windows, has been shown in animal models to enhance physical performance even without exercise training. However, evidence in humans under non-exercise conditions remains limited. <b>Objective</b>: This study aimed to investigate the effects of early TRE (eTRE; 08:00-14:00) and delayed TRE (dTRE; 12:00-18:00) on body weight, aerobic endurance, and anaerobic power in untrained adults. <b>Methods</b>: In a randomized crossover trial, 28 healthy university students (mean age 23.47 ± 2.87 years; 16 women) completed two 4-week interventions, eTRE and dTRE, separated by a 2-week washout. Participants did not engage in any structured exercise during the intervention period. Body weight, aerobic endurance (cycling time to exhaustion at a fixed workload), and anaerobic power (peak power output during sprint cycling) were assessed after each phase. <b>Results</b>: Body weight significantly decreased after eTRE (-1.56 kg; 95% CI [-2.07, -1.05]; <i>p</i> < 0.001; Cohen's dz = 1.17) and dTRE (-0.61 kg; 95% CI [-1.12, -0.10]; <i>p</i> = 0.022; Cohen's dz = 0.55), with a greater reduction observed in eTRE compared to dTRE (-0.95 kg; 95% CI [-1.74, -0.16]; <i>p</i> = 0.020). Aerobic endurance showed no significant change across phases (all <i>p</i> > 0.05). Anaerobic power significantly improved after both eTRE (+21.25 W; 95% CI [12.03, 30.47]; <i>p</i> < 0.001; Cohen's dz = 1.10) and dTRE (+35.43 W; 95% CI [26.21, 44.65]; <i>p</i> < 0.001; Cohen's dz = 1.20), and the improvement was significantly greater in dTRE compared to eTRE (+14.18 W; 95% CI [1.79, 26.57]; <i>p</i> = 0.025; Cohen's dz = 0.54). <b>Conclusions</b>: Both early and delayed TRE independently led to weight loss and enhanced anaerobic power in the absence of an exercise intervention. eTRE was more effective for weight reduction, whereas dTRE produced greater improvements in anaerobic performance.</p>","PeriodicalId":19486,"journal":{"name":"Nutrients","volume":"17 18","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":5.0,"publicationDate":"2025-09-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12473138/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145177206","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Gut Microbiota and Food Allergy: A Review of Mechanisms and Microbiota-Targeted Interventions.","authors":"Roxana Cristina Mareș, Maria Oana Săsăran, Cristina Oana Mărginean","doi":"10.3390/nu17183009","DOIUrl":"10.3390/nu17183009","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p><b>Background</b>: Food allergies (FAs) have become a major public health concern worldwide, with rising prevalence particularly among children. Traditional genetic and allergen exposure models do not fully explain this increase, prompting growing interest in the role of the gut microbiota. Early-life microbial colonization is now recognized as a critical determinant of immune development, with disruptions in microbial balance implicated in allergic sensitization. <b>Objective</b>: This review aims to synthesize recent human studies investigating the relationship between gut microbiota composition and food allergies, with an emphasis on underlying mechanisms and the potential of microbiota-targeted interventions. <b>Methods</b>: A literature search was conducted, including eligible studies concerning gut microbiota and food allergy. A total of 31 studies met the inclusion criteria. <b>Results</b>: The findings indicate that early-life factors, including delivery mode, feeding practices, antibiotic exposure, and environmental microbial diversity, have a significant influence on gut microbial colonization. Allergic children consistently exhibit reduced microbial diversity and lower levels of beneficial taxa such as <i>Bifidobacteria</i>, <i>Faecalibacteria</i>, and <i>Clostridia</i>. Microbial dysbiosis is associated with enhanced type 2 immune responses, reduced regulatory T cell activity, and altered profiles of short-chain fatty acids. Dietary modulation through prebiotics, probiotics, and synbiotics has shown potential in restoring microbial balance and promoting immune tolerance, although with varying degrees of efficacy depending on the strains, formulas, and timing of intervention. <b>Conclusions</b>: The gut microbiota plays a central role in the pathogenesis and potential prevention of food allergies. Microbiota-targeted dietary strategies, particularly in early life, offer promising avenues for promoting immune tolerance.</p>","PeriodicalId":19486,"journal":{"name":"Nutrients","volume":"17 18","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":5.0,"publicationDate":"2025-09-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12472630/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145177215","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Ultra-Processed Food Consumption and Systemic Inflammatory Biomarkers: A Scoping Review.","authors":"Jacopo Ciaffi, Luana Mancarella, Claudio Ripamonti, Veronica Brusi, Federica Pignatti, Lucia Lisi, Francesco Ursini","doi":"10.3390/nu17183012","DOIUrl":"10.3390/nu17183012","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background/objectives: </strong>The consumption of ultra-processed foods (UPF) has increased worldwide and has been hypothesized to contribute to chronic diseases, including conditions characterized by inflammatory dysregulation. We conducted a scoping review to map the human evidence on the relationship between UPF consumption and systemic inflammatory biomarkers.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>We developed a search strategy combining terms for UPF with terms for circulating inflammatory biomarkers, including C-reactive protein (CRP/hs-CRP), interleukin-6 (IL-6), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin-1β (IL-1β), interleukin-8 (IL-8), monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1), plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1), and leptin. Findings were synthesized separately for children/adolescents and adults.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>A total of 24 studies were included. CRP/hs-CRP was assessed in 21; IL-6 in 9; TNF-α in 8; IL-1β in 5; leptin in 5; MCP-1 in 5; PAI-1 in 5; and IL-8 in 2. In children/adolescents, CRP/hs-CRP tended to be higher with greater UPF intake in large cohorts and in preterm infants, whereas smaller or clinically selected samples did not show an association. For other biomarkers, IL-6 generally did not vary with UPF, TNF-α and IL-1β showed no association across studies, and the two IL-8 analyses yielded mixed results. In adults, 11/17 analyses reported higher CRP/hs-CRP levels with greater UPF intake, 5/17 reported no association, and 1/17 reported an association limited to women. IL-6 was predominantly higher with greater UPF intake; TNF-α likewise tended to be higher with UPF across several settings; IL-1β showed no association; MCP-1 and PAI-1 provided limited, inconsistent signals; leptin results were mixed.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Higher UPF consumption is frequently associated with elevated systemic inflammatory biomarkers-most consistently CRP/hs-CRP-across adults and selected pediatric contexts. Signals for IL-6 and TNF-α appear in specific populations, whereas IL-1β, MCP-1, PAI-1, and leptin show inconsistent patterns.</p>","PeriodicalId":19486,"journal":{"name":"Nutrients","volume":"17 18","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":5.0,"publicationDate":"2025-09-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12472508/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145177256","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}