Recent Advances in the Application of Metabolomics for Nutrition and Health

Abstract

Metabolomics is the study of small molecules called metabolites in biological samples. Application of metabolomics to nutrition research has expanded in recent years, with emerging literature supporting multiple applications. Key examples include applications of metabolomics in the identification and development of objective biomarkers of dietary intake, in developing personalized nutrition strategies, and in large-scale epidemiology studies to understand the link between diet and health. In this review, we provide an overview of the current applications and identify key challenges that need to be addressed for the further development of the field. Successful development of metabolomics for nutrition research has the potential to improve dietary assessment, help deliver personalized nutrition, and enhance our understanding of the link between diet and health.

Quantifying the human diet in the crosstalk between nutrition and health by multi-targeted metabolomics of food and microbiota-derived metabolites

“…in recent years investigating the interaction between diet, genes, and microbiota in obesity and related disorders, as well as developing precision nutrition recommendations [3,4]. However, recent research emphasizes the need for novel tools for accurate measurement of food-derived metabolites to gain deeper insights into the association between nutrition and health in nutritional epidemiology, particularly in a quantitative manner to allow for crosscohort comparisons [5][6][7].…”

“…Due to water reabsorption in the kidney, the concentration of food metabolites is usually higher in urine than in other biological samples, clearly reflecting the ADME (Absorption, Distribution, Metabolism, and Excretion) process [1]. For this reason, and because large volumes can be collected using noninvasive procedures, urine is normally the preferred biofluid in nutrimetabolomics for studying the metabolism and transformation of food components [1,5]. On the other hand, plasma/serum samples are more likely to provide deeper insights into the bioavailability of nutrients and diet × health interactions, since blood is a rich source of metabolically active compounds that are in transit from one organ to another, whereas the major function of urine is only to dispose of unwanted compounds in the body [9].…”

Investigating metabolism by mass spectrometry: From steady state to dynamic view

“…In recent years, steady‐state metabolomic found its application in multiple disciplines. Given the close relationship between physiological and/or pharmacological external cues and the impact on the systemic metabolic profile, this experimental approach has been extensively used in nutrition, 72,73 agricultural, 74,75 dairy, 76,77 toxicology, 78,79 preclinical, and clinical studies. In life sciences, targeted metabolomics has been mainly employed for the characterization of known metabolites and pathways (i.e., amino acids, glycolysis, Krebs cycle, and pentose phosphate pathway) in in vitro, ex vivo, and in vivo experimental settings 6,80–90 .…”

High‐Coverage Metabolome Analysis Reveals Significant Diet Effects of Autoclaved and Irradiated Feed on Mouse Fecal and Urine Metabolomics

“…Rodent model, in combination with metabolome profiling of biospecimens, is increasingly used to study the relations of nutrition and health, including the roles of gut microbiota. [ 1–5 ] To ensure reproducibility and reduce variability, rodent feed is sterilized to eliminate the introduction of potentially pathogenic microorganisms that might result in clinical disease or subclinical infections that could affect physiologic responses. [ 6–10 ] Autoclave and irradiation are two main sterilization techniques available for rodent feed, and both methods can alter its chemical composition.…”

“…There are a growing number of reported studies in applying metabolomics to study nutritional effects of food and other diets on human health. [ 3,5,16,17 ] Among different biospecimens, urine and feces are particularly useful for investigating host and microbiome interactions. Both germ‐free and conventional mice or rats have been used for metabolomics.…”