Role of Nutraceuticals in Metabolic Disorders: Mechanisms and Benefits

A special issue of Metabolites (ISSN 2218-1989). This special issue belongs to the section "Nutrition and Metabolism".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 October 2025 | Viewed by 1004

Special Issue Editor


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Guest Editor
Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE 68198, USA
Interests: cancer biology; therapeutics; molecular biology and metabolites

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Metabolic disorders include a range of ailments that provide a substantial challenge to worldwide healthcare systems, encompassing major diseases, such as obesity, type 2 diabetes, dyslipidemia, and hypertension. These disorders not only significantly contribute to the rates of illness and death worldwide but they also have extensive socioeconomic consequences that restrict the quality of life for millions of people around the world. Modifications to one's diet and level of physical activity are thus not only suggested but also absolutely necessary in the prevention and treatment of these diseases. It has been shown that therapies based on lifestyle, such as maintaining a healthy balanced diet and engaging in regular physical exercise, may greatly lessen the burden of metabolic diseases by treating not just their symptoms but also the underlying causes of these conditions. In view of the fact that conventional treatments have only been somewhat successful in the treatment of complicated metabolic diseases, nutraceutical interventions have become more popular as viable alternatives. Nutraceuticals (such as polyphenols and resveratrol) and antioxidants (such as vitamins C and E) have been shown to decrease oxidative stress in metabolic disorders. Nutraceuticals and other similar products represent the future of utilizing natural substances derived from plants and animals to maximize the productivity of natural resources and promote sustainability within the circular economy. This is particularly important for countries with abundant raw materials, as their utilization must be cost-effective. It is crucial to reiterate the significance of innovative therapeutic approaches and accurate medication formulations. Hence, it is crucial to encourage research endeavors that focus on enhancing the bioavailability of nutraceuticals and tailoring therapies to individual genetic and metabolic factors.
Preference is given to manuscripts that promote inter- and/or transdisciplinary research by applying innovative conceptual thoughts to theoretical models, existing methodologies, and strategy applications. In addition, innovations pertaining to the Sustainable Development Goals and potential impacts of nutraceuticals on metabolism pathways are of specific importance, as long as they highlight general or distinct efforts and identify current gaps in the health impacts of various diseases, such as diabetes, obesity, etc., as well as strategies for addressing them. We welcome articles based on original research, systematic reviews, or methodological advances.

The scope of this research extends beyond the specific areas stated below:

Topic 1: Metabolic syndrome: an analysis of global epidemiology.
Topic 2: Functional foods as potential new therapeutic aims.
Theme 3: Nutraceuticals: their present use and future prospects.
Theme 4: Investigating the role of nutraceuticals in metabolic disorders and their mechanisms of action.
Theme 5: Evolution of pharmacological practices based on nutraceuticals on metabolic disorders. 

Dr. Susmita Barman
Guest Editor

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Keywords

  • nutraceuticals
  • functional foods
  • metabolic syndrome

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Published Papers (1 paper)

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Research

22 pages, 3716 KB  
Article
Precision Probiotics Regulate Blood Glucose, Cholesterol, Body Fat Percentage, and Weight Under Eight-Week High-Fat Diet
by Jinhua Chi, Jeffrey S. Patterson, Lingjun Li, Nicole Lalime, Daniella Hawley, Kyle Joohyung Kim, Li Liu, Julia Yue Cui, Dorothy D. Sears, Paniz Jasbi and Haiwei Gu
Metabolites 2025, 15(10), 642; https://doi.org/10.3390/metabo15100642 - 25 Sep 2025
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Abstract
Background/Objectives: Poor glycemic control is reaching an epidemic prevalence globally. It is associated with significantly morbid health concerns including retinopathy, neuropathy, nephropathy, cancer, and cardiovascular disease. Probiotics have shown promise in reducing health complications associated with poor blood glucose control. We tested [...] Read more.
Background/Objectives: Poor glycemic control is reaching an epidemic prevalence globally. It is associated with significantly morbid health concerns including retinopathy, neuropathy, nephropathy, cancer, and cardiovascular disease. Probiotics have shown promise in reducing health complications associated with poor blood glucose control. We tested a novel approach to designing a precision probiotic cocktail for improving blood glucose homeostasis. Methods: We tested the in vitro glucose consumption rate of twelve mouse microbiome bacterial strains and selected three with the greatest glucose consumption for the probiotic cocktail. The in vivo metabolic impact of ingesting the selected probiotic cocktail was evaluated in twelve C57BL/6J male mice fed a high-fat diet for eight weeks. Results: Compared to a control group, the probiotic group (L. rhamnosus, L. reuteri, and L. salivarius) exhibited significantly lower blood glucose levels, body weight, and body fat percentage. Moreover, the probiotic cocktail also demonstrated the ability to reduce serum insulin, total cholesterol, very-low-density lipoprotein/low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and total cholesterol to high-density lipoprotein ratio. For further mechanistic investigation, untargeted metabolomics analyses uncovered overall downregulations in energy substrates and producing pathways like gluconeogenesis, acylcarnitine synthesis, glycolysis, the mitochondrial electron transport chain, the TCA cycle, and the building blocks for ATP formation. Partial least squares-discriminant analyses also confirmed clear group differences in metabolic activity. 16S rRNA sequencing from extracted gut microbiota also showed significant increases in Faith’s phylogenetic diversity, Lachnospiraceae bacterium 609-strain, and the genus Muribaculaceae as well as group β-diversity differences after probiotic intake. Conclusions: As such, we successfully developed a blend of three probiotics to effectively reduce blood glucose levels in male mice, which could further mitigate adverse health effects in the host. Full article
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