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Nutrients
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Functional Foods in the Prevention and Treatment of Metabolic Disorders
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Functional Foods in the Prevention and Treatment of Metabolic Disorders

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

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 15 May 2026 | Viewed by 2334

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Sabina Lachowicz-Wiśniewska

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
1. Department of Food and Nutrition, University of Kalisz, W. Bogusławskiego 4 Square, 62-800 Kalisz, Poland
2. Department of Production Engineering, Wroclaw University of Economics and Business, Komandorska 118/120, 53‑345 Wrocław, Poland
Interests: nutraceuticals and functional foods; medicinal plants; bioactive compounds; HPLC; LC-MS; nutrition; antioxidant agent; prebiotics; probiotics; symbiotics; bioavailability in vitro
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Ewa Raczkowska

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor Assistant
Department of Human Nutrition, Faculty of Biotechnology and Food Science, Wrocław University of Environmental and Life Sciences, Chełmońskiego 37, 51-630 Wrocław, Poland
Interests: human nutrition; diet; dietary patterns; metabolic health; functional foods; metabolic diseases

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

In the face of the global rise in metabolic disorders—such as obesity, type 2 diabetes, insulin resistance, and metabolic syndrome—there is growing interest in the role of functional foods as part of prevention and adjunctive therapy. This Special Issue focuses on current research into bioactive food constituents with beneficial metabolic effects, including polyphenolic compounds, dietary fiber, unsaturated fatty acids, probiotics, and prebiotics. We invite submissions reporting in vitro and in vivo studies, clinical interventions, and literature reviews, highlighting the potential of functional foods as tools to support metabolic health.

The aim of this issue is to promote an interdisciplinary approach and encourage further research on the efficacy and safety of functional food use in the context of metabolic disorders. We welcome submissions of both original research and literature reviews on these topics, and we warmly encourage authors to submit their manuscripts to this Special Issue.

Dr. Sabina Lachowicz-Wiśniewska
Guest Editor

Dr. Ewa Raczkowska
Guest Editor Assistant

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 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

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

  • functional foods
  • metabolic disorders
  • type 2 diabetes mellitus
  • obesity
  • insulin resistance
  • polyphenolic compounds
  • probiotics
  • postbiotics
  • gut microbiota
  • glucose metabolism
  • dietary prevention

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Published Papers (2 papers)

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Research

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25 pages, 5079 KB  
Article
Saussurea involucrata Cultures for High-Altitude Illness: Enhancing Hypoxia Tolerance and Protecting Against Acute/Chronic Hypoxic Injury
by Jinyu Zhao, Yutong Li, Fan Wang, Kangjie Jia, Ge Lou, Huihui Shao, Mingji Jin, Zhonggao Gao, Xianfu Wu and Shuangqing Wang
Nutrients 2026, 18(4), 556; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu18040556 - 7 Feb 2026
Viewed by 693
Abstract
Objective: To systematically evaluate the potential of Saussurea involucrata cultures (SICs) against high-altitude illness under hypobaric hypoxia and establish a progressive experimental evidence chain covering acute hypoxia tolerance enhancement and acute/chronic hypoxic injury protection. Methods: A tiered experimental strategy was employed. Key [...] Read more.
Objective: To systematically evaluate the potential of Saussurea involucrata cultures (SICs) against high-altitude illness under hypobaric hypoxia and establish a progressive experimental evidence chain covering acute hypoxia tolerance enhancement and acute/chronic hypoxic injury protection. Methods: A tiered experimental strategy was employed. Key findings were derived from primary rat models of acute (5500 m, 8 h) and chronic intermittent (5500 m, 8 h/d, 4–8 weeks) hypobaric hypoxia. A mouse acute tolerance model (10,000 m lethality, closed-system endurance) provided supplementary verification. Comprehensive analyses included survival, hemorheology, multi-organ function, and core mechanistic indicators of endothelial function and oxidative stress. Diamox, Rhodiola, and Compound Danshen Dripping Pills served as positive controls. Normoxic/hypoxic blank groups served as negative controls. Results: SICs significantly enhanced acute hypoxia tolerance in mice. In the rat models, SICs demonstrated dose-dependent and selective regulation of the endothelial–oxidative stress/hemorheology axis. Specifically, it downregulated endothelin-1, upregulated nitric oxide, enhanced total antioxidant capacity, and improved chronic hypoxia-induced blood hyperviscosity. Medium doses showed consistent optimal efficacy. SICs had limited effects on macroscopic organ remodeling. Conclusions: The core protective effect of SICs lies in enhancing hypoxic tolerance and selectively modulating the interconnected pathways of endothelial function, oxidative stress, and microcirculatory health. This mechanistic profile supports its potential as a preventive or early adjuvant intervention for high-altitude illness, providing a systematic preclinical foundation for translational development. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Functional Foods in the Prevention and Treatment of Metabolic Disorders)
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Review

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23 pages, 1031 KB  
Review
Fermented Foods and the Gut–Liver Axis: Modulation of MASLD Through Gut Microbiota
by Agnieszka Wesołek-Leszczyńska, Dawid Rosiejka, Kalina Bogdańska and Paweł Bogdański
Nutrients 2026, 18(3), 542; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu18030542 - 6 Feb 2026
Viewed by 1197
Abstract
Background/Objectives: Metabolic Dysfunction-Associated Steatotic Liver Disease (MASLD) is a prevalent condition defined by hepatic fat accumulation, inflammation, and metabolic dysregulation. Current evidence demonstrates that gut microbiota and their metabolites are associated with MASLD pathogenesis. Fermented foods, rich in live microbes and bioactive [...] Read more.
Background/Objectives: Metabolic Dysfunction-Associated Steatotic Liver Disease (MASLD) is a prevalent condition defined by hepatic fat accumulation, inflammation, and metabolic dysregulation. Current evidence demonstrates that gut microbiota and their metabolites are associated with MASLD pathogenesis. Fermented foods, rich in live microbes and bioactive compounds, actively modulate the gut–liver axis and influence disease progression. This narrative review provides a comprehensive summary of current evidence on the impact of fermented foods on gut microbiota, intestinal barrier function, and gut–liver interactions, and demonstrates their potential role in preventing or mitigating MASLD. Methods: A comprehensive literature search of preclinical and clinical studies was conducted. Specifically, the review focused on fermented-food interventions, modulation of gut microbiota, metabolite production, and effects on hepatic metabolism and inflammation. Results: This review found that fermented foods provide probiotics, prebiotics, short-chain fatty acid (SCFAs), and bioactive compounds that enhance microbial diversity, improve intestinal barrier integrity, reduce endotoxemia, and modulate bile acid and lipid metabolism. Evidence from animal and human studies indicates that fermented food consumption can attenuate hepatic steatosis, inflammation, and metabolic dysregulation, with variability depending on individual microbiome composition. Conclusions: Altogether, these findings suggest that fermented foods represent a promising adjunctive dietary strategy for MASLD by modulating the gut–liver axis and supporting metabolic and hepatic health. Personalized approaches and further long-term clinical trials are required to optimize interventions and establish evidence-based recommendations. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Functional Foods in the Prevention and Treatment of Metabolic Disorders)
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