Search for Articles:
Title / Keyword
Author / Affiliation / Email
Journal
Article Type
 
 
Advanced Search
 
Section
Special Issue
Volume
Issue
Number
Page
 
10.2
5.8
Journals
Nutrients
Special Issues
Nutritional Interventions and Dietary Supplements in Chronic Diseases: Mechanisms and...
nutrients-logo
Submit to Special Issue Submit Abstract to Special Issue Review for Nutrients Propose a Special Issue

Journal Menu

► Journal Menu

Journal Browser

► Journal Browser
share announcement

Nutritional Interventions and Dietary Supplements in Chronic Diseases: Mechanisms and Therapeutic Potential

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

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 25 September 2026 | Viewed by 7760

Editor

Dr. Weimin Guo

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine, 670 Albany Street, Boston, MA 02118, USA
Interests: nutrition; aging; immunology; obesity; cognitive impairment; atherosclerosis; cancer
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Chronic diseases—including cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, cancer, and neurodegenerative disorders—remain leading causes of morbidity and mortality worldwide. Nutritional interventions and dietary supplements are increasingly recognized for their role in preventing disease onset, modulating disease progression, and enhancing therapeutic outcomes.

This Special Issue, “Nutritional Interventions and Dietary Supplements in Chronic Diseases: Mechanisms and Therapeutic Potential”, aims to highlight the impact of nutrients, bioactive compounds, and functional foods on the prevention and management of chronic conditions. Particular emphasis is placed on elucidating the underlying molecular and cellular mechanisms—including metabolic regulation, immune modulation, oxidative stress response, and epigenetic modification—that mediate their effects.

Despite growing interest and widespread application, critical questions remain regarding the efficacy, safety, and context-dependent actions of nutritional strategies across diverse populations and disease states. We invite high-quality contributions that advance molecular and mechanistic understanding while also addressing clinical and public health relevance.

We welcome original research articles, systematic reviews, meta-analyses, and comprehensive reviews from the fields of molecular nutrition, clinical nutrition, and public health. Submissions may include experimental, clinical, or epidemiological studies involving both healthy individuals and those affected by chronic diseases.

Dr. Weimin Guo
Guest Editor

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-anonymized 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

  • nutritional intervention
  • dietary supplements
  • bioactive compounds and functional foods
  • micronutrients and phytochemicals
  • molecular mechanisms of action
  • nutritional signaling pathways
  • gut microbiota and probiotics
  • nutritional genomics and epigenetics
  • experimental nutrition models
  • clinical nutrition and chronic disease
  • systematic reviews and meta-analyses

Benefits of Publishing in a Special Issue

  • Ease of navigation: Grouping papers by topic helps scholars navigate broad scope journals more efficiently.
  • Greater discoverability: Special Issues support the reach and impact of scientific research. Articles in Special Issues are more discoverable and cited more frequently.
  • Expansion of research network: Special Issues facilitate connections among authors, fostering scientific collaborations.
  • External promotion: Articles in Special Issues are often promoted through the journal's social media, increasing their visibility.
  • Reprint: MDPI Books provides the opportunity to republish successful Special Issues in book format, both online and in print.

Further information on MDPI's Special Issue policies can be found here.

Published Papers (3 papers)

Download All Papers
Order results
Result details
Show export options expand_more Show export options expand_less
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:

Research

Jump to: Review, Other

22 pages, 288 KB  
Article
National and Sub-National Delivery of Balanced Energy and Protein (BEP) Supplements to Pregnant and Lactating Women in LMICs: Lessons from Multi-Country Implementation Case Studies
by Mihaela C. Kissell, Kaosar Afsana, Sufia Askari, Rimu Byadya, Ranadip Chowdhury, Parul Christian, Saskia de Pee, Lieven Huybregts, Fyezah Jehan, Tsering P. Lama, Anne C. Lee, Elisabeth T. Mukendi, Nafissa Osman, Isabel Potani, Lisa Rogers, Vani Sethi and Martin N. Mwangi
Nutrients 2026, 18(9), 1471; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu18091471 - 5 May 2026
Viewed by 945
Abstract
The World Health Organization recommends the use of balanced energy protein (BEP) supplements during pregnancy in settings with a ≥ 20% prevalence of underweight women of reproductive age to reduce the risk of adverse health outcomes. Several countries are implementing BEP supplementation in varied [...] Read more.
The World Health Organization recommends the use of balanced energy protein (BEP) supplements during pregnancy in settings with a ≥ 20% prevalence of underweight women of reproductive age to reduce the risk of adverse health outcomes. Several countries are implementing BEP supplementation in varied formats. However, the implementation and monitoring of outcomes remain poor across countries. This qualitative study explores the experiences, opportunities, and challenges related to implementing national and sub-national BEP supplementation programs in nine countries (12 countries originally invited) to inform best practices. Methods: Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 15 personnel involved in its implementation in Haiti, India, Malawi, Mexico, Nigeria, Pakistan, Rwanda, Senegal, and Sri Lanka between October 2024 and March 2025. The interviewees in each country were predominantly implementation experts but also government officials involved in the provision of BEP supplementation. The transcripts were analyzed thematically, focusing on acceptability, adoption, appropriateness, cost, feasibility, and sustainability of outcomes. Results: In non-humanitarian settings (five countries), BEP supplementation was commonly integrated into the governmental health system or social protection programs. However, humanitarian contexts (four countries) often relied on partner-led (e.g., UN organizations) implementation. Clear operational protocols, including behavioral change communication strategies, facilitated the implementation. Community-based organization partnerships strengthened adherence; however, implementation costs, stock shortages, and geographic inequities in coverage varied and were limiting factors in scale-up, primarily in humanitarian contexts. Conclusion: In sum, two distinct implementation pathways emerged: government-led models characterized by policy integration, national ownership, and more stable systems, and humanitarian or donor-led models shaped by crisis response, external dependency, and non-committal challenges. Successful implementation of BEP supplements depends on the presence of effective policies, context-adapted design, integration into health systems, consistent funding, and effective monitoring. There is a need for implementation research to generate evidence on best practices when implementing BEP supplementation programs. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nutritional Interventions and Dietary Supplements in Chronic Diseases: Mechanisms and Therapeutic Potential)

Review

Jump to: Research, Other

32 pages, 1121 KB  
Review
Bioactive Phytochemicals in Experimental Models of Multiple Sclerosis: Mechanisms, Efficacy, and Translational Potential
by Weimin Guo, Simin Nikbin Meydani and Dayong Wu
Nutrients 2026, 18(2), 278; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu18020278 - 15 Jan 2026
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1487
Abstract
Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic autoimmune disorder of the central nervous system marked by inflammatory demyelination and progressive neurodegeneration. Although current immunomodulatory therapies can reduce relapse rates, they are often associated with limited long-term efficacy and adverse effects, highlighting the need for [...] Read more.
Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic autoimmune disorder of the central nervous system marked by inflammatory demyelination and progressive neurodegeneration. Although current immunomodulatory therapies can reduce relapse rates, they are often associated with limited long-term efficacy and adverse effects, highlighting the need for safer and more comprehensive complementary approaches. Dietary bioactive phytochemicals—notably, the polyphenols epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG), curcumin, and resveratrol—have demonstrated potential to modulate the immune and inflammatory pathways implicated in MS pathogenesis. In addition to their immunomodulatory roles, emerging evidence suggests that these compounds also exert neuroprotective effects independent of immune modulation, including antioxidant activity, mitochondrial stabilization, and enhancement of neurotrophic signaling. Furthermore, recent studies identify the gut microbiota as a central mediator of MS pathophysiology and of how dietary phytochemicals are metabolized and exert their effects. This review examines experimental data evaluating the therapeutic potential of selected bioactive phytochemicals in MS, focusing on their mechanisms of action—including both immune-dependent and immune-independent neuroprotective effects—and interactions with the gut microbiota. Current limitations in translating findings from animal models to clinical settings are also discussed, and future directions for research in this evolving area are highlighted. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nutritional Interventions and Dietary Supplements in Chronic Diseases: Mechanisms and Therapeutic Potential)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

Other

Jump to: Research, Review

26 pages, 677 KB  
Systematic Review
Systematic Review of the Effects of Plant-Based Foods on Metabolic Outcomes in Adults with MASLD and Comorbidities Such as Obesity, Metabolic Syndrome, and Type 2 Diabetes
by Joanna Michalina Jurek, Katarzyna Zablocka-Slowinska, Joanna Pieczynska, Helena Clavero Mestres and Teresa Auguet
Nutrients 2025, 17(18), 3020; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu17183020 - 22 Sep 2025
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 4301
Abstract
Background: Metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) has become one of the most prevalent liver diseases, affecting up to 40% of adults and strongly associated with obesity and metabolic dysfunction. Despite the lack of approved pharmacological treatments, dietary interventions with plant-based foods, [...] Read more.
Background: Metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) has become one of the most prevalent liver diseases, affecting up to 40% of adults and strongly associated with obesity and metabolic dysfunction. Despite the lack of approved pharmacological treatments, dietary interventions with plant-based foods, including the Mediterranean diet (MED), rich in numerous bioactive compounds may offer benefits for metabolic health and hepatic function. However, the role of individual plant foods in MASLD management remains unclear. Objectives: This review investigates the effects of specific plant-based foods, consumed as part of the MED and Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASHs) diet, on metabolic outcomes, including hepatic function, in MASLD patients alone or in combination with comorbidities such as obesity, metabolic syndrome, and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Methods: A systematic search was registered and conducted across nine databases to identify randomized controlled trials (RCTs) carried out in adults with MASLD and published between January 2020 and May 2025, following PRISMA guidelines. Results: Plant-based interventions including oranges, whole-grain products (WGPs), high-fiber buns (HFBs), beetroot juice (BJ), garlic, ginger, flaxseed, spirulina, rapeseed oil, sour tea, and green coffee extract (GCE) demonstrated mixed effects on metabolic and hepatic outcomes. GCE, flaxseed, and rapeseed oil improved anthropometric measures, while sour tea and ginger supported blood pressure control. WGPs, GCE, flaxseed, rapeseed oil, spirulina, ginger, and garlic were beneficial for glycemic regulation, whereas WGPs, HFBs, BJ, golden flaxseed, rapeseed oil, and garlic improved lipid profiles. Liver enzymes improved following consumption of WGPs, BJ, sour tea, flaxseed oil, and garlic, and hepatic steatosis was reduced after intake of oranges, WGPs, HFBs, BJ, flaxseed powder, rapeseed oil, and garlic powder. Conversely, a solely fruit-rich diet (FRD) had negative effects across all outcomes. Conclusions: Plant-based foods improved metabolic outcomes, with WGPs, HFBs, beetroot, oranges, sour tea, flaxseed oil, and garlic providing specific benefits for liver health. Further research is needed to validate these effects and ensure their safety in MASLD management. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nutritional Interventions and Dietary Supplements in Chronic Diseases: Mechanisms and Therapeutic Potential)
►▼ Show Figures

Graphical abstract

Show export options expand_more Show export options expand_less
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:
 
Displaying articles 1-3
Back to TopTop