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Nutrition and Aging - Featured Perspectives on Health and Metabolism

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A special issue of Nutrients (ISSN 2072-6643). This special issue belongs to the section "Nutrition and Metabolism".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (25 November 2022) | Viewed by 44105

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Prof. Dr. M. Cristina Polidori

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Ageing Clinical Research, Department II of Internal Medicine, Center for Molecular Medicine Cologne, University Hospital Cologne, Faculty of Medicine, University of Cologne, 50931 Cologne, Germany
Interests: ageing medicine; geriatrics; personalized medicine; oxidative eu/distress; nutritional cognitive neuroscience
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Prof. Dr. Cornel Sieber

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Guest Editor

1. Institute for Biomedicine of Aging, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen Nürnberg, Erlangen, Germany
2. Department of Medicine, Kantonsspital Winterthur, 8401 Winterthur, Switzerland
Interests: ageing medicine; geriatrics; nutrition

Dr. Anna Maria Meyer

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Guest Editor

Ageing Clinical Research, Department II of Internal Medicine and Center for Molecular Medicine Cologne, University of Cologne, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Cologne, 50931 Cologne, Germany
Interests: ageing medicine; geriatrics; personalized medicine; geriatric resources; geriatric syndromes; acute care

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

In general, the aging process and, in particular, human biological aging are complex and multifactorial phenomena. The aging process leads to a decrease in physical performance and significant functional losses, which, in further course, can lead to frailty and age-associated syndromes. Diet and lifestyle greatly influence the pace of aging, as well as disease manifestation.

In this Special Issue, “Nutrition and Aging - Featured Perspectives on Health and Metabolism”, we will present the current research approaches in nutrition research, which aim to better understand both the pathophysiology of nutrition-related diseases, their consequences and therapies. There will be a particular focus on nutrition in older people, in interaction with health and health-related factors, as well as metabolism.
The association of lifestyle and nutrition with health or diseases, as well as dietary regimens in advanced age, role of micronutrients, influence of the nutritional status on therapeutic success, and relevance of teaching and counselling for a healthier society, are highly welcome topics for this issue. We will also accept narrative reviews and systematic/meta-analyses.

We are looking forward to your contributions!

Prof. Dr. M. Cristina Polidori
Prof. Dr. Cornel Sieber
Dr. Anna Maria Meyer
Guest Editors

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

nutrition surveys
adiposity
sarcopenia
nutrition and chronic diseases

Published Papers (11 papers)

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Research

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10 pages, 1109 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Does Aging Affect Vitamin C Status Relative to Intake? Findings from NHANES 2017–2018

by Anitra C. Carr and Jens Lykkesfeldt

Nutrients 2023, 15(4), 892; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu15040892 - 10 Feb 2023

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1986

Abstract

The aging population is growing and fueling a global increase in chronic diseases and healthcare expenditure. In this study, we examine vitamin C dose–concentration relationships based on data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 2017–2018 to identify a possible age-dependent change in intake vs. concentration relationship among non-supplemented individuals (n = 2828). The vitamin C intake was similar between the younger (18–36 years), middle (37–58 years) and older (59–80+ years) age groups; however, circulating vitamin C concentrations were significantly lower in the middle and older age groups (p < 0.001). For intakes above 75 mg/day, no significant difference in the intake vs. serum concentration relationship was identified between younger and older individuals. However, for intakes below 75 mg/day, we found significantly lower serum concentrations relative to intake for the older compared to younger individuals, despite smoking being more prevalent in the younger compared to older adults (p < 0.001). This effect persisted among non-smokers and was further exacerbated by smoking in older people. Collectively, the present study suggests that healthy aging in non-institutionalized individuals does not increase requirements for vitamin C. In contrast, the lower serum concentrations relative to intake observed in older individuals at intakes < 75 mg/day may suggest that older individuals are more sensitive to a low vitamin C intake, perhaps due to the increased impact of long-term smoking and increased chronic disease prevalence in older adults. This finding may have implications for future intake guidelines in countries with low RDAs and for WHO/FAO, but requires further investigation. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nutrition and Aging - Featured Perspectives on Health and Metabolism)

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11 pages, 880 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Proteomic Mediators of Overall Cardiovascular Health on All-Cause Mortality

by Toshiko Tanaka, Sameera A. Talegawkar, Yichen Jin, Julián Candia, Giovanna Fantoni, Stefania Bandinelli and Luigi Ferrucci

Nutrients 2023, 15(3), 781; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu15030781 - 03 Feb 2023

Viewed by 1953

Abstract

Measures of cardiovascular health (CVH) assessed by a combination of behavioral and biological factors has shown protective associations with all-cause mortality. The mechanisms underlying these associations have not been fully elucidated. In this study, we characterized the plasma proteomics profile of CVH and tested whether specific proteins mediated the associations between CVH and all-cause mortality in participants of the InCHIANTI study. Of the 1301 proteins tested, 92 proteins were associated with CVH (22 positively, 70 negatively). Proteins most strongly associated with CVH included leptin (LEP), fatty acid binding protein 3 (FABP3), Angiopoietin-2 (ANGPT2), and growth-differential factor 15 (GDF15). Of the 92 CVH-associated proteins, 33 proteins significantly mediated the associations between CVH and all-cause mortality, with percent mediation ranging from 5 to 30%. The most significant mediating proteins were GDF15 and insulin-like growth factor 2 (IGFBP2). Proteins associated with better CVH were enriched for proteins that reflect the suppression of the complement coagulation and GH/IGF pathways. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nutrition and Aging - Featured Perspectives on Health and Metabolism)

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16 pages, 1853 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Improvement of Dietary Habits among German Medical Students by Attending a Nationwide Online Lecture Series on Nutrition and Planetary Health (“Eat This!”)

by Anna Helbach, Moritz Dumm, Katharina Moll, Tim Böttrich, Can Gero Leineweber, Wiebke Mueller, Jan Matthes and Maria Cristina Polidori

Nutrients 2023, 15(3), 580; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu15030580 - 22 Jan 2023

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2870

Abstract

Nutrition is a major influential factor in optimizing human health and environmental sustainability. Medical students often do not follow national dietary guideline recommendations. Raising awareness of a healthy lifestyle is important as physicians with healthy lifestyle behaviors are more likely to counsel on nutrition. Our study aims to evaluate a Germany-wide online lecture series on nutritional medicine, “Eat This!”. Before and after the course, 520 medical students who participated and 64 who did not participate in the course (comparison group) filled out an online survey. To assess the students’ dietary habits, a validated FFQ was used. According to this questionnaire, only 31% of the lecture participants consumed enough fruits and 24% consumed enough vegetables, while almost half of the students exceeded the recommended maximum amount of crisps and sweets. After attending the lecture series, guideline adherence with respect to fruits and vegetables showed a significant increase, as did awareness of healthy nutrition and percentage of students with low-risk lifestyle habits. Our results show that low-threshold approaches, such as “Eat This!”, can positively influence the dietary behaviors and lifestyle habits of medical students. This can help future doctors fulfill their role in the fight against the global burden of non-communicable diseases. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nutrition and Aging - Featured Perspectives on Health and Metabolism)

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10 pages, 1969 KiB

Open AccessArticle

RAGE-Dependent Effect of Exogenous Methylglyoxal Intake on Lung Biomechanics in Mice

by Samiya Al-Robaiy, Alexander Navarrete Santos and Andreas Simm

Nutrients 2023, 15(1), 23; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu15010023 - 21 Dec 2022

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1759

Abstract

Methylglyoxal (MG) is a known highly reactive dicarbonyl and precursor to free radicals and advanced glycation end-products (AGEs). It is discussed to be involved in tissue aging and in the pathogenesis of different degenerative diseases. The effect of long-term oral administration of MG, simulating dietary MG intake, on the lung biomechanics of wild type (WT) and receptor for advanced glycation end-products knockout (RAGE-KO) mice was studied using an ex vivo ventilation system starting at the age of 6 months and after feeding for 6 and 12 months with MG. Our results showed that MG was taken up in the circulation and efficiently excreted with urine. The amount of free urinary MG measured after 12 months of feeding was lowered. After 12 months feeding, a significant airway resistance increase accompanied by a decrease of the maximal inspiratory airflow was observed in WT animals. No effect of MG in lung function of RAGE-KO mice could be detected. Despite the evidence that MG entered the systemic circulation, no MG-derived AGE accumulation was detected in the lung lysates in dependency on MG-feeding. Our data indicate that the short-term feeding of MG has little effect in vivo. Only after long-term treatment was MG secretion reduced, leading to tissue impairment. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nutrition and Aging - Featured Perspectives on Health and Metabolism)

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9 pages, 274 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Metabolic Score for Insulin Resistance (METS-IR) and Circulating Cytokines in Older Persons: The Role of Gender and Body Mass Index

by Virginia Boccardi, Francesca Mancinetti, Marta Baroni, Roberta Cecchetti, Patrizia Bastiani, Carmelinda Ruggiero and Patrizia Mecocci

Nutrients 2022, 14(15), 3228; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu14153228 - 07 Aug 2022

Cited by 7 | Viewed by 11286

Abstract

Background: Inflammation, along with aging processes, contributes to the development of insulin resistance (IR), but the roles of different inflammatory and other cytokines in this process remain unclear. Thus, we aimed to analyze the association between several plasma cytokines with IR as evaluated by the metabolic score for insulin resistance, METS-IR. Methods: We measured the plasma concentrations of thirty cytokines from a cohort of older persons and analyzed their role as independent factors for IR. We used regression analyses adjusted for known IR-associated factors (including age, gender, cholesterol levels, and BMI) to find the determinants of IR. Results: The study evaluated 132 subjects, mostly women (82F/50M), slightly overweight, and with a mean age of 78.5 ± 6.5 years. In the overall population, IL-15 significantly and negatively correlates with METS-IR (r = −0.183, p = 0.036). A regression model showed that the association between IL-15 and METS-IR was significantly modulated by gender and BMI (R²: 0.831). Only in women, EGF, Eotaxin and MCP-1 significantly correlated with METS-IR even after controlling by age (EGF, r = 0.250 p = 0.025; Eotaxin, r = 0.276 p = 0.13; MCP-1, r = 0.237, p = 0.033). Furthermore, regression models showed that these molecules were associated with METS-IR and were strongly mediated by BMI. Conclusions: Our results indicate the association between cytokines and IR has to be interpreted in a gender-specific manner. In women, EGF, Eotaxin, and MCP-1 circulating levels are associated with METS-IR being BMI a significant mediator. Understanding the role of gender in the relationship between cytokines and IR will help to define individualized preventive and treatment interventions to reduce the risk of age-related metabolic disorders. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nutrition and Aging - Featured Perspectives on Health and Metabolism)

14 pages, 493 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Longitudinal Association of Lifestyle with Cognitive Health and Dementia Risk: Findings from the HELIAD Study

by Eirini Mamalaki, Sokratis Charisis, Costas A. Anastasiou, Eva Ntanasi, Kyriaki Georgiadi, Vassilis Balomenos, Mary H. Kosmidis, Efthimios Dardiotis, Georgios Hadjigeorgiou, Paraskevi Sakka, Nikolaos Scarmeas and Mary Yannakoulia

Nutrients 2022, 14(14), 2818; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu14142818 - 08 Jul 2022

Cited by 8 | Viewed by 2385

Abstract

The aim of the current study was to investigate whether a Total Lifestyle Index (TLI), including adherence to the Mediterranean diet, sleep duration, physical activity and engagement in activities of daily living, is associated with cognitive health over time and dementia risk, in a representative cohort of older people. A total of 1018 non-demented community-dwelling older adults ≥65 years old (60% women) from the HELIAD study were included. A comprehensive neurological and neuropsychological assessment was conducted at baseline and at the 3-year follow-up evaluating cognitive functioning, and a dementia diagnosis was set. Diet, physical activity, sleep duration and engagement in activities of daily living were assessed using standard, validated questionnaires at baseline. Sixty-one participants developed dementia at follow-up; participants who developed dementia were older and had fewer years of education compared with participants with normal cognition. With the exception of sleep duration, participants with normal cognition at follow-up scored higher in the individual lifestyle factors compared to those who developed dementia. Regarding TLI, values were lower for participants with dementia compared with those with normal cognition. Each additional unit of the TLI was associated with 0.5% of a standard deviation less decline per year of the Global Cognition score, whereas for each additional unit of the TLI, the risk for dementia was reduced by 0.2% per year (p < 0.05). Our results suggest that greater adherence to a healthy lifestyle pattern is associated with a slower decline of cognitive function and reduced dementia risk. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nutrition and Aging - Featured Perspectives on Health and Metabolism)

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Review

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18 pages, 2511 KiB

Open AccessEditor’s ChoiceReview

Disentangling the Complexity of Nutrition, Frailty and Gut Microbial Pathways during Aging: A Focus on Hippuric Acid

by Andrea Ticinesi, Angela Guerra, Antonio Nouvenne, Tiziana Meschi and Stefania Maggi

Nutrients 2023, 15(5), 1138; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu15051138 - 24 Feb 2023

Cited by 11 | Viewed by 3476

Abstract

Hippuric acid (HA) is a metabolite resulting from the hepatic glycine conjugation of benzoic acid (BA) or from the gut bacterial metabolism of phenylalanine. BA is generally produced by gut microbial metabolic pathways after the ingestion of foods of vegetal origin rich in polyphenolic compounds, namely, chlorogenic acids or epicatechins. It can also be present in foods, either naturally or artificially added as a preservative. The plasma and urine HA levels have been used in nutritional research for estimating the habitual fruit and vegetable intake, especially in children and in patients with metabolic diseases. HA has also been proposed as a biomarker of aging, since its levels in the plasma and urine can be influenced by the presence of several age-related conditions, including frailty, sarcopenia and cognitive impairment. Subjects with physical frailty generally exhibit reduced plasma and urine levels of HA, despite the fact that HA excretion tends to increase with aging. Conversely, subjects with chronic kidney disease exhibit reduced HA clearance, with HA retention that may exert toxic effects on the circulation, brain and kidneys. With regard to older patients with frailty and multimorbidity, interpreting the HA levels in the plasma and urine may result particularly challenging because HA is at the crossroads between diet, gut microbiota, liver and kidney function. Although these considerations may not make HA the ideal biomarker of aging trajectories, the study of its metabolism and clearance in older subjects may provide valuable information for disentangling the complex interaction between diet, gut microbiota, frailty and multimorbidity. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nutrition and Aging - Featured Perspectives on Health and Metabolism)

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11 pages, 610 KiB

Open AccessEditor’s ChoiceReview

Does Aging Have an Impact on Vitamin C Status and Requirements? A Scoping Review of Comparative Studies of Aging and Institutionalisation

by Anitra C. Carr and Masuma Zawari

Nutrients 2023, 15(4), 915; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu15040915 - 11 Feb 2023

Cited by 8 | Viewed by 2158

Abstract

The global healthcare burden of an aging population continues to increase, with nearly a quarter of the total global burden of disease attributable to people aged ≥60 years. Older people are at greater risk of micronutrient deficiencies, including immune-supportive vitamin C, which is both a contributor to and a consequence of acute and chronic illnesses. However, whether healthy aging, per se, is associated with depleted vitamin C status and increased requirements for the vitamin is less certain. A systematic scoping review was carried out to assess comparative studies that reported the vitamin C status and prevalence of deficiency in older versus younger people and in older people relative to residential status. Furthermore, vitamin C requirements were assessed through comparative studies reporting vitamin C status and pharmacokinetics in older people relative to younger people. Overall, there was limited evidence to suggest that healthy aging, per se, is related to lower vitamin C status or higher requirements for the vitamin. However, institutionalised elderly had lower vitamin C status and enhanced vitamin C requirements, primarily as a result of low intakes and/or chronic illnesses, which were not being met by hospital or residential diets. Because institutionalised elderly are vulnerable to malnutrition and micronutrient deficiencies, it is imperative that appropriate nutritional interventions are instigated to provide optimal micronutrient intake to support healthy aging. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nutrition and Aging - Featured Perspectives on Health and Metabolism)

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23 pages, 1124 KiB

Open AccessReview

Combined Supplementation of Coenzyme Q₁₀ and Other Nutrients in Specific Medical Conditions

by Torsak Tippairote, Geir Bjørklund, Amin Gasmi, Yuliya Semenova, Massimiliano Peana, Salvatore Chirumbolo and Tony Hangan

Nutrients 2022, 14(20), 4383; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu14204383 - 19 Oct 2022

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 5435

Abstract

Coenzyme Q₁₀ (CoQ₁₀) is a compound with a crucial role in mitochondrial bioenergetics and membrane antioxidant protection. Despite the ubiquitous endogenous biosynthesis, specific medical conditions are associated with low circulating CoQ₁₀ levels. However, previous studies of oral CoQ₁₀ supplementation yielded inconsistent outcomes. In this article, we reviewed previous CoQ₁₀ trials, either single or in combination with other nutrients, and stratified the study participants according to their metabolic statuses and medical conditions. The CoQ₁₀ supplementation trials in elders reported many favorable outcomes. However, the single intervention was less promising when the host metabolic statuses were worsening with the likelihood of multiple nutrient insufficiencies, as in patients with an established diagnosis of metabolic or immune-related disorders. On the contrary, the mixed CoQ₁₀ supplementation with other interacting nutrients created more promising impacts in hosts with compromised nutrient reserves. Furthermore, the results of either single or combined intervention will be less promising in far-advanced conditions with established damage, such as neurodegenerative disorders or cancers. With the limited high-level evidence studies on each host metabolic category, we could only conclude that the considerations of whether to take supplementation varied by the individuals’ metabolic status and their nutrient reserves. Further studies are warranted. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nutrition and Aging - Featured Perspectives on Health and Metabolism)

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Other

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21 pages, 1328 KiB

Open AccessEditor’s ChoiceSystematic Review

Whole Dietary Patterns, Cognitive Decline and Cognitive Disorders: A Systematic Review of Prospective and Intervention Studies

by Rebecca F. Townsend, Danielle Logan, Roisin F. O’Neill, Federica Prinelli, Jayne V. Woodside and Claire T. McEvoy

Nutrients 2023, 15(2), 333; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu15020333 - 09 Jan 2023

Cited by 9 | Viewed by 3471

Abstract

Dementia prevalence is a global public health concern. Adherence towards a healthy dietary pattern (DP) may reduce the risk of cognitive decline and dementia. This narrative systematic review aimed to synthesise prospective and intervention study data to evaluate the impact of a-posteriori and a-priori derived DPs on cognitive ageing, from cognitive decline to incident dementia. Ninety-three studies were included: 83 prospective studies and 10 randomised controlled trials (RCT). Most prospective studies (77%) examined a-priori DPs, with the Mediterranean diet examined most frequently. A total of 52% of prospective and 50% of RCTs reported a protective relationship between ‘healthy’ DPs and global cognitive decline. Overall, 59% of prospective studies reported positive associations between healthy DPs and risk of cognitive disorder. Incident cognitive disorder was examined by only one intervention study (subgroup analysis) which reported a beneficial effect of a low-fat diet on risk of probable dementia in women. Unhealthy DPs were examined less frequently (n = 17; 21%), with 41% of these studies reporting associations between adherence and poorer cognitive outcomes. Overall, there were mixed results for healthy and unhealthy DPs on cognition, likely due to between-study heterogeneity. Standardisation of diet exposure and cognitive outcome measurement would help to reduce this. Future research would benefit from investigating effects of culturally appropriate DPs on individual cognitive domains and incident cognitive disorders in diverse and high-risk populations. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nutrition and Aging - Featured Perspectives on Health and Metabolism)

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7 pages, 228 KiB

Open AccessCommentary

Nutrition, Food and Diet in Health and Longevity: We Eat What We Are

by Suresh I. S. Rattan and Gurcharan Kaur

Nutrients 2022, 14(24), 5376; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu14245376 - 18 Dec 2022

Cited by 6 | Viewed by 5997

Abstract

Nutrition generally refers to the macro- and micro-nutrients essential for survival, but we do not simply eat nutrition. Instead, we eat animal- and plant-based foods without always being conscious of its nutritional value. Furthermore, various cultural factors influence and shape our taste, preferences, taboos and practices towards preparing and consuming food as a meal and diet. Biogerontological understanding of ageing has identified food as one of the three foundational pillars of health and survival. Here we address the issues of nutrition, food and diet by analyzing the biological importance of macro- and micro-nutrients including hormetins, discussing the health claims for various types of food, and by reviewing the general principles of healthy dietary patterns, including meal timing, caloric restriction, and intermittent fasting. We also present our views about the need for refining our approaches and strategies for future research on nutrition, food and diet by incorporating the molecular, physiological, cultural and personal aspects of this crucial pillar of health, healthy ageing and longevity. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nutrition and Aging - Featured Perspectives on Health and Metabolism)

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