Although probiotics are considered a possible treatment for alcoholic liver disease (ALD), their effectiveness in enhancing liver function in patients with ALD is still unclear.

The objective of this review was to explore whether the association between meat consumption and cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk differs by sex in prospective cohort studies. Several cohort studies have investigated the relationship between red meat (RM) and processed meat (PM) consumption and cardiovascular health, but sex-specific outcomes are often not clearly reported or discussed. We searched PubMed, Embase, Scopus, and Google Scholar for prospective cohort studies published between January 1, 2000 and August 2, 2025, reporting sex-specific associations between RM and PM consumption and cardiovascular disease risk. Fourteen cohort studies met the inclusion criteria. Of these, 12 evaluated RM, including unprocessed RM (URM): 2 of 12 studies (17%) reported increased CVD risk in both sexes, 3 of 12 (25%) in men only, 2 of 12 (17%) in women only, 4 of 12 (33%) found no increased risk or reported inverse associations, and 1 of 12 (8%) reported an inverse association only. Processed meat (PM) showed more consistent harm: 6 of 9 studies (67%) in men and 6 of 9 studies (67%) in women reported higher risk, with 4 of 9 (44%) showing increases in both sexes. Poultry was largely neutral: 1 of 5 cohorts (20%) reported a modest increase in men, while all other sex-specific analyses were null. Consistently, PM consumption has been associated with an increased risk of CVD in both sexes, although studies differ on whether men or women are more affected. The URM results are heterogeneous: some cohorts show associations only in men, others only in women, and many report no significant effect. The findings for increased risk of CVD being associated with poultry consumption appear to be largely neutral. Future prospective studies should systematically provide results stratified by sex in order to enable more personalized dietary recommendations.

Skeletal muscle diseases represent a diverse group of conditions, often characterized by muscle weakness, atrophy, and functional impairment. These disorders continue to impose a significant burden on global health, affecting millions of individuals worldwide. As the prevalence of muscle-related diseases rises, it becomes increasingly important to understand the complex biological mechanisms that underlie these conditions to develop effective, targeted therapeutic strategies. Vitamin A, traditionally recognized for its vital roles in vision, immune function, skin health, and cell proliferation, has recently garnered attention for its potential involvement in skeletal muscle biology. Emerging evidence suggests that vitamin A, through its active metabolite all-trans retinoic acid (ATRA), plays a crucial role in regulating various aspects of muscle physiology. This review aims to explore the intricate mechanisms by which vitamin A modulates skeletal muscle health, focusing on its impact on key processes such as muscle cell proliferation and differentiation, repair and regeneration, antioxidant defense mechanisms, and energy metabolism. Furthermore, we examine the potential therapeutic implications of vitamin A in treating various skeletal muscle diseases, providing new insights for both research and clinical treatment of these skeletal muscle diseases.

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a major clinical kidney disease associated with numerous adverse events, such as heart failure and premature mortality. Dietary modifications are prioritized in the management of CKD due to the long-term effects of this disease.

The prevalence of metabolic dysfunction-associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD) has increased, and it is emerging as a global health problem. Exercise is the primary treatment, but the ideal prescription remains unclear.

Dipeptidyl peptidase-4 inhibitors (DPP-4i) serve as an incretin-based hypoglycemic class for the treatment of type 2 diabetes (T2D). DPP-4i have been reported to produce a pleiotropic effect on lipid profiles in addition to regulation of glucose homeostasis.

Hip fracture is an important cause of hospitalization, with high morbidity and mortality. Evidence suggests that vegetarians and vegans have lower bone mineral density, and plant-based diets are gaining popularity. However, the impact of these diets on the occurrence of hip fracture risk remains unclear.

Evidence suggests a link between diet and Parkinson's disease (PD).

Malnutrition and helminth infections are known to be associated conditions. Malnutrition, which refers to excesses, deficiencies, or imbalances in intake of energy and/or nutrients, affects millions of people worldwide and is the most common cause of immunodeficiency in the world. In helminth-infected individuals, malnutrition has been associated with an augmented morbidity rate, a higher parasitic load, and prolonged infections, and may also contribute to increased mortality. Helminth infections affect millions of people worldwide, particularly in non-industrialized countries, leading to chronic infections. This review focuses on the bidirectional relationships between macronutrient malnutrition and helminth infections. Relevant scientific articles published until May 2024 were retrieved from PubMed and Google Scholar. The data extracted were parameters of immunology, hematology, parasitology, disease, and nutrition. Malnutrition leads to alterations in the immune responses to helminth infections, including innate responses (Heligmosomoides polygyrus, hookworms, Trichinella spp., Trichuris spp.), T-cell-mediated responses (Ascaris spp., H. polygyrus, Trichuris spp.), and antibody responses (Ascaris spp., H. polygyrus, Schistosoma spp., Trichinella spp., Trichuris spp.), frequently resulting in increased parasite load and worm fecundity. However, in some cases malnutrition may have negative effects on the life cycle of helminths, including reductions in worm weight, egg production, worm size, and parasite fecundity. Malnutrition has a notorious influence on both host and parasite. The consequences for the host would be related to the severity and type of malnutrition condition, and the helminth involved.

Lipedema, a chronic condition primarily affecting women, is characterized by abnormal subcutaneous fat accumulation and swelling in the extremities (while sparing the hands, feet, and trunk). This disease is associated with genetic predisposition, hormonal imbalances, impaired lymphatic function, and vascular dysfunction. Lipedema does not directly cause weight gain, but excess weight can worsen symptoms and accelerate disease progression. Bariatric surgery is considered a treatment option for body weight management and reduction of subcutaneous fat; however, reported studies have indicated that this treatment cannot reduce localized fat accumulation or fat cell hypertrophy or alleviate pain symptoms. Although no proven dietary treatment currently exists, nutrition plays a key role in managing lipedema. Certain dietary approaches such as ketogenic, low-carbohydrate, and modified Mediterranean diets have been explored for weight management and inflammation reduction in lipedema, with studies showing positive effects on body composition and pain. However, according to the current literature no evidence-based nutritional treatments or nutritional supplements are effective in this patient group. Nutritional therapy in lipedema is complicated by frequent comorbidities; therefore, precision nutritional therapy should be planned by evaluating the causes and consequences of the disease. In this review, we evaluated reported studies of current evidence-based clinical nutritional approaches to lipedema treatment.

The application of dietary quality indices (DQIs) is limited by inconsistent methods and suboptimal reporting, but the effect of index composition heterogeneity on the strength of disease associations is not clear. A scoping review was carried out to identify evidence on the most common disease-related DQIs and assess the heterogeneity of their application and its possible implications. We systematically identified umbrella reviews, systematic reviews, and primary studies that investigated the association of DQIs with all-cause mortality, risk of or mortality from cardiovascular diseases, type 2 diabetes, and cancer among adults. Compositions of the prioritized DQIs were explored in primary studies and the degree of deviance from the original DQI versions was quantified. A meta-regression was conducted to investigate the association between the degree of score modification and disease risk estimates. From 175 eligible primary studies, 51 DQIs were identified and retrieved from 20 systematic reviews included in 2 umbrella reviews. The most common indices were the Mediterranean diet (MedDiet scores), Alternative Healthy Eating Index (AHEI), Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH), Healthy Eating Index (HEI), and Dietary Inflammatory Index (DII). Higher diet quality reflected by these indices was associated with beneficial health outcomes in 17 meta-analyses. Heterogeneity of MedDiet scores was not considered, because it has been addressed in previous reviews. Substantial heterogeneity was identified in the remaining DQI applications. Among studies that reported composition details, AHEI-2010 and DII were modified in almost all studies, and DASH and HEI-2015 in half of the studies. The underlying reasons were mainly related to population- and study-specific characteristics. DQI modifications did not appear to substantially influence the direction or strength of associations with mortality and disease risk. However, heterogeneity of index composition and its suboptimal reporting limit the reproducibility and comparability of results from studies on DQIs and health outcomes, and standard applications are preferred.

Non-oil-seed pulses offer a plant-based source of dietary protein and further nutritionally valuable nutrients such as essential micronutrients and dietary fiber, making them a key component of sustainable diets emphasizing plant protein. They are also a relevant dietary source of carbohydrates with a low glycemic index.

In this review we sought to map the body of published literature on the role of oral probiotics, prebiotics, and synbiotics in maintaining and optimizing skin health and function and preventing and managing skin conditions throughout the life course. Globally, the burden of skin diseases is considerable. Diet is a modifiable risk factor for many dermatological conditions, and one mechanism by which nutrition influences skin health is through the gut microbiome. Oral probiotics, prebiotics, and synbiotics have the potential to improve skin health, delay skin aging, and successfully treat dermatological diseases. We developed a scoping review protocol in accordance with the Johanna Briggs Institute methodology. Six online databases were systematically searched for peer-reviewed literature, and non-peer-reviewed sources were also considered. All records were screened independently by 2 reviewers using predefined eligibility criteria. A total of 516 studies were included in the scoping review, comprising 73 systematic reviews. Most studies investigated probiotics (n = 401). Infants (0-12 months old) and adults (18-60 years old) were the age groups most frequently receiving supplementation with probiotics (42% [n = 114] and 41% [n = 112] of human studies, respectively), whereas only 15% of studies (n = 41) comprised adults participants older than 60 years. Of the skin diseases investigated, atopic dermatitis was the most extensively researched (n = 330 studies), followed by psoriasis (n = 24), and acne (n = 23). Skin health and function in healthy populations is a growing area of research; outcomes related to wrinkling, elasticity, aging, or UV irradiation response accounted for 54 studies. Consistencies in the evidence base found in our investigation underscore the need for an umbrella review on oral probiotics, prebiotics, and synbiotics and atopic dermatitis, as well as a systematic review on skin aging. Preliminary evidence for roles in managing rosacea, alopecia, and melasma suggests additional research avenues. Future studies should consider participant diets, probiotic strain and dose reporting, and inclusivity of populations and languages.

Anemia affects about a third of the world population, and in regions like West Africa it is estimated that about half the women of reproductive age are affected by anemia. Despite bold commitments made as part of the 2012 World Health Assembly targets, little progress has been observed over the last decade. This review sought to map the evidence on the etiologic factors of anemia among pregnant and nonpregnant women of reproductive age in West Africa and to identify implications for targeted prevention strategies. English-language studies (January 1, 2000-November 30, 2024) were systematically searched in the Web of Science Core Collection, Medline, and PubMed using keywords related to anemia outcomes, etiologic factors, West African countries, and women of reproductive age. The searches were guided by an adapted conceptual framework focusing on the immediate determinants of anemia. Titles, abstracts, and full texts were screened for studies conducted in West Africa among women aged 15-49 years (pregnant or nonpregnant) that assessed anemia and at least 1 causal factor. Of 729 papers (post-duplicate removal) identified in the search, 84 were included in the final review. The articles were categorized by risk factor, prevalence, and associations with anemia. The study characteristics were tabulated and the 2010-2019 trends were benchmarked against World Health Assembly 2025 targets using WHO data. Evidence gaps and intervention implications were qualitatively assessed, including through geographic and population subgroup analyses. Effective prevention of anemia in the region would require widening the scope of interventions beyond nutrition to include those delivered in the health, environment, agriculture, social protection, and water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) sectors. More comprehensive investigations are needed to understand the role of each factor and their overlap to support the design of more effective interventions. Without a renewed and holistic approach to anemia prevention and control, the global targets are unlikely to be met in this region.

Chlorogenic acid (CGA) is a natural polyphenol compound found in coffee, fruits, and vegetables. During digestion, a large proportion of dietary CGA is not absorbed and reaches the colon, where it interacts with the gut microflora. CGA can regulate the gut microflora to increase its diversity and proportion of beneficial microflora; reduce harmful microflora; induce changes in gut microflora-derived metabolites, such as short-chain fatty acids, indole compounds, and hydroxycinnamic acid; and indirectly regulate host immunity, gut barrier function, and metabolic homeostasis. It can be degraded into colonic metabolites, such as caffeic and quinic acids, which accumulate in the body and modulate a number of biological activities. Herein, we review the interactions of CGA with the gut microbiota. The progression of chronic diseases and health disorders is closely linked to imbalances in the gut microbiota. Therefore, we focus on the role of the gut microbiota as a mediator to enhance the therapeutic potential of CGA in various chronic diseases and health disorders, including nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, obesity, intestinal diseases, diabetes mellitus, nephropathy, cognitive impairment, and depression-like behavior.

Folate compounds are crucial for DNA and RNA synthesis, homocysteine regulation, and epigenetic methylation. However, significant differences exist between 5-methyltetrahydrofolate (5-MTHF) and folinic acid (CHO-THF) -and synthetic folic acid (sFA). Understanding their absorption, bioavailability, and clinical effects is essential, especially for women planning pregnancy, pregnant women, and patients with MTHFR or DHFR polymorphisms, autism spectrum disorders, or other folate-related conditions. A comparative analysis of clinical and biochemical studies was conducted to evaluate the efficacy, safety, and optimal dosing of these folate forms. 5-MTHF and CHO-THF demonstrated key advantages over sFA, including avoidance of unmetabolized folic acid accumulation, reduced risk of masking vitamin B12 deficiency, and improved metabolic support in individuals with genetic variants or folate receptor dysfunction. Both forms also show enhanced activity in high-dose therapies for patients with autoantibodies to folate receptors or transport defects. 5-MTHF efficiently crosses the blood-brain barrier, supports fetal and neonatal brain development, and has shown potential in improving cognitive function and depressive symptoms. CHO-THF exhibits promise in managing autism spectrum disorders by modulating neurotransmission and neurometabolic pathways. Despite these advantages, sFA remains the only folate form with proven efficacy in large randomized clinical trials for preventing neural tube defects (NTDs) and continues to play a key role in public health strategies. Use of sFA at doses above 1000 µg/day requires monitoring to avoid masking B12 deficiency. For personalized or high-risk cases, 5-MTHF and CHO-THF should be the preferred options, ideally combined with vitamin B12 supplementation.

Assessment of physical recovery in individuals with anorexia nervosa (AN) has traditionally relied on weight and body mass index (BMI), yet these measures lack the nuance needed to reflect physical recovery. Bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA) offers a promising, non-invasive method for tracking physiological changes during nutritional rehabilitation. This narrative review evaluates the use of BIA in assessing body composition changes in female patients with AN during nutritional rehabilitation. Peer-reviewed studies published between 2019 and 2024 reporting BIA-derived body composition data in females with AN were identified. Studies included hospitalized and outpatient patient populations across various stages of illness and recovery. Data on baseline and follow-up measurements were compared and evaluated. Four studies met the inclusion criteria. All 4 studies reported significant improvements in weight and BMI in the participants. Bioelectrical impedance analysis detected subtle physiological changes not captured by weight and BMI alone. Increases in fat mass (FM) and fat-free mass (FFM) and improvements in phase angle (PhA) were reported during weight restoration interventions. Preliminary evidence suggests that BIA is reliable for monitoring body composition during AN treatment. However, small sample sizes and heterogeneous study populations warrant cautious application of the findings. Larger, more inclusive studies are needed to support broad clinical use of BIA in AN recovery.

Taurine, a sulfur-containing amino acid vital for cardiovascular health, is suggested as a promising intervention for reducing cardiometabolic disease risk.

Recent evidence is discussed that underlies the necessity for broader practice changes regarding vitamin K (VK) supplementation to protect all breastfed infants from the preventable deficiency of this essential micronutrient. Vitamin K deficiency bleeding (VKDB) is characterized by bleeding disorders due to insufficient activity of VK-dependent coagulation factors. Bleeding can range from mild to severe, including life-threatening intracranial hemorrhages. It is widely accepted that to prevent early VKDB, VK prophylaxis should be administered to all newborn infants at birth, typically as an intramuscular (IM) injection or, in some cases, oral supplementation. Both IM and oral administration of VK at birth effectively prevent early VKDB but do not completely protect infants from late VKDB, especially if they are breastfed. Various regimens of both parenteral and oral prophylaxis have been implemented, but insufficient evidence supports any single clinical approach. There is substantial variability in recommendations for VK prophylaxis strategies. Recent, prospective, observational clinical studies of term and preterm infants have revealed that, despite IM administration of VK at birth, exclusively breastfed infants exhibit VK insufficiency after hospital discharge. This insufficiency is particularly pronounced in preterm infants fed breast milk, some of whom demonstrate significantly lower serum VK levels, elevated proteins induced by VK absence or antagonist-II (PIVKA-II) concentrations, and a higher percentage of under-γ-carboxylated osteocalcin compared with those receiving formula feeding. Similarly, term infants breastfed without continued VK supplementation have significantly higher PIVKA-II concentrations than those receiving a daily supplement of 150 μg of VK. This underscores the importance of ongoing VK prophylaxis during the first 3 months of life to effectively prevent late-onset VKDB.

Excessive salt intake is a well-established, modifiable risk factor for hypertension and cardiovascular disease. Although reducing salt consumption lowers blood pressure (BP), the quantitative association across intake levels, subgroup differences, and the influence of salt-intake assessment methods remain uncertain.