Search for Articles:
Title / Keyword
Author / Affiliation / Email
Journal
Article Type
 
 
Advanced Search
 
Section
Special Issue
Volume
Issue
Number
Page
 
9.1
5.0
Journals
Nutrients
Special Issues
The Role of Nutritional Interventions in the Prevention and Management...
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

The Role of Nutritional Interventions in the Prevention and Management of Osteoarthritis

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

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 25 June 2026 | Viewed by 2825

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Anna Scotto D'Abusco

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Biochemical Sciences “Alessandro Rossi Fanelli”, “Sapienza” University of Rome, Piazzale Aldo Moro, 5, 00185 Rome, Italy
Interests: bioactive natural compounds; herbal products; inflammatory processes; intracellular pathways; extracellular matrix components; N-acetyl-glucosamine; acetyl-carnitine; nanomaterials
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Alessia Mariano

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Biochemical Sciences “Alessandro Rossi Fanelli”, “Sapienza” University of Rome, Piazzale Aldo Moro, 5, 00185 Rome, Italy
Interests: osteoarthritis; inflammatory processes; extracellular matrix structure; chondrocytes; synoviocytes; osteoblasts; joint structure; miRNA; extreme environmental; nanoparticles; natural substances; intracellular pathways
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

In this Special Issue, we would like to focus on the effects of both diet and nutraceutical supplementation to prevent and/or manage Osteoarthritis. OA regards approximately 8-10% of the world population with ages between 60 and 64, but it can affect also younger people with heavy social–economic impact. The etiology of OA is multifactorial, and some lifestyles can be involved in the onset and progression of OA. In particular, overweight and obesity are important modifiable risk factors in the etiopathogenesis of OA. Thus, eating habits deserve to be explored both for their harmful and beneficial effects. Manuscripts regarding diets that can be detrimental to joint structure, such as saturated fats or high-sugar foods, or diets that can have disease-fighting power versus OA, such as the Mediterranean diet, are welcome. Moreover, manuscripts on plant or herbal extracts as well as on isolated components, both in bulk and nanoparticle forms, or synthetic molecules resembling natural ones are welcome too. Discussions on the appropriateness of certain foods rather than others are particularly welcome. This Special Issue aims to shed light on the role of diet and dietary components in regulating the metabolic processes involved in the development and progression of OA.

Dr. Anna Scotto D'Abusco
Dr. Alessia Mariano
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 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

  • osteoarthritis
  • saturated fat diet
  • Mediterranean diet
  • plant extract
  • herbal extract
  • isolated natural molecules
  • synthetic molecules
  • nanoparticles
  • inflammatory processes

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 (4 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

18 pages, 1501 KB  
Article
Effect of Prebiotic Supplementation With and Without Physiotherapy on Pain and Pain Sensitivity in People with Knee Osteoarthritis
by Afroditi Kouraki, Susan Franks, Amrita Vijay, Thomas Kurien, Moira A. Taylor, Stephanie L. Smith, Benjamin Smith, Anthony Kelly and Ana M. Valdes
Nutrients 2026, 18(5), 714; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu18050714 - 24 Feb 2026
Abstract
Background: Emerging evidence links the gut microbiome to chronic pain processing. Inulin, a prebiotic fibre, modulates the gut microbiome, while physiotherapy-supported exercise (PSE) improves pain and function. We evaluated the effects of inulin supplementation with and without PSE on knee osteoarthritis (OA) [...] Read more.
Background: Emerging evidence links the gut microbiome to chronic pain processing. Inulin, a prebiotic fibre, modulates the gut microbiome, while physiotherapy-supported exercise (PSE) improves pain and function. We evaluated the effects of inulin supplementation with and without PSE on knee osteoarthritis (OA) pain. Methods: In a 2 × 2 factorial RCT, 117 community-dwelling adults with knee OA received 6 weeks of: (A) 20 g/day inulin, (B) digital PSE (Joint Academy™), (C) inulin +PSE, or (D) 10 g/day maltodextrin. Primary outcome: pain (Numerical Rating Scale). Secondary: 30 s sit-to-stand (30-CST), timed up and go (TUG), grip strength, and quantitative sensory testing. Serum short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) and glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) were measured. The study was not powered to detect synergistic interaction. Results: A total of 117 participants (58.1% female; mean ± SD age = 67.5 ± 9.4 years; BMI = 29.5 ± 5.3 kg/m2; NRS = 3.96 ± 2.67) completed the trial. Pain improved with inulin (baseline-adjusted between-group mean difference (Δ) = −1.11 [95%CI −2.18, −0.04], p = 0.045) and PSE (Δ = −1.55 [95%CI −2.52, −0.58], p = 0.002) compared to placebo, with no synergistic effect. PSE improved TUG (p = 0.02) and 30-CST (p = 0.0004), while inulin improved grip strength (p = 0.002), pressure pain thresholds (p = 0.009) and temporal summation (p = 0.025) compared to placebo and had significantly lower dropout rates (3.6%) compared with PSE (21% p < 0.01). Only inulin increased SCFA butyrate (p = 0.0248) and GLP-1 (p = 0.0109), and higher GLP-1 was associated with improved grip strength, suggesting a gut–muscle link. Conclusions: Inulin and PSE each produced meaningful pain reductions. Only inulin improved pain sensitivity and grip strength, the latter paralleled by increased GLP-1, and had much higher rates of retention compared to PSE. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Role of Nutritional Interventions in the Prevention and Management of Osteoarthritis)
►▼ Show Figures

Graphical abstract

17 pages, 1058 KB  
Article
Dietary Patterns Are Associated with Blood Cell Profiles and the Molecular Composition of Platelet-Rich Plasma
by Hadrian Platzer, Alena Bork, Simone Gantz, Baraa Khamees, Maciej J. K. Simon, Sébastien Hagmann, Yannic Bangert and Babak Moradi
Nutrients 2026, 18(1), 163; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu18010163 - 3 Jan 2026
Viewed by 721
Abstract
Background/Objectives: Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) is increasingly used in musculoskeletal medicine. Variability in PRP composition, driven by preparation- and donor-related factors, is considered a major contributor to inconsistent clinical outcomes. This study investigated whether habitual dietary patterns are associated with the cellular and molecular [...] Read more.
Background/Objectives: Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) is increasingly used in musculoskeletal medicine. Variability in PRP composition, driven by preparation- and donor-related factors, is considered a major contributor to inconsistent clinical outcomes. This study investigated whether habitual dietary patterns are associated with the cellular and molecular composition of leukocyte-poor PRP (LP-PRP). Methods: In this cross-sectional study, 75 healthy adults (25 vegans, 25 vegetarians, and 25 omnivores) who adhered to their dietary patterns for ≥6 months were enrolled. LP-PRP was prepared by a standardized protocol. Cell profiles were quantified in whole blood and LP-PRP; LP-PRP proteins (IL-6, IGF-1, HGF, and PDGF-BB) were measured by ELISA. Group differences, correlations, and multivariable regressions were performed. Results: Whole blood differed by diet with respect to total leukocytes, lymphocytes, and basophils, while platelet and erythrocyte counts did not. In LP-PRP, platelet enrichment ratios and leukocyte counts were comparable across diets. IL-6 in LP-PRP was lower in vegans vs. omnivores (p = 0.017); the Animal-Based Diet Score correlated positively with LP-PRP IL-6 and remained independently associated in regression (β = 0.35, p = 0.004). While IGF-1, HGF, and PDGF-BB did not differ between dietary groups, intake-based analyses revealed associations between specific dietary components and LP-PRP proteins; notably, the fruit and vegetable intake correlated inversely with PDGF-BB, and platelet–growth factor coupling was most pronounced among omnivores. Conclusions: Dietary patterns were associated with selected molecular components of LP-PRP—most consistently IL-6—while cell counts remain largely unchanged. However, interventional studies are needed to establish causality and determine whether dietary modification can influence clinical outcomes. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Role of Nutritional Interventions in the Prevention and Management of Osteoarthritis)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

19 pages, 2543 KB  
Article
Impact of Nutritional Status on Clinical Outcomes of Patients Undergoing PRGF Treatment for Knee Osteoarthritis—A Prospective Observational Study
by Paola De Luca, Giulio Grieco, Simona Landoni, Eugenio Caradonna, Valerio Pascale, Enrico Ragni and Laura de Girolamo
Nutrients 2025, 17(19), 3134; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu17193134 - 30 Sep 2025
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 921
Abstract
Background: Osteoarthritis (OA) is a major global health issue, increasing with aging and obesity. Current therapies mainly address symptoms without modifying disease progression. Platelet-rich growth factor (PRGF) therapy has potential regenerative effects through high cytokines and growth factors, but the outcomes of these [...] Read more.
Background: Osteoarthritis (OA) is a major global health issue, increasing with aging and obesity. Current therapies mainly address symptoms without modifying disease progression. Platelet-rich growth factor (PRGF) therapy has potential regenerative effects through high cytokines and growth factors, but the outcomes of these therapies remain heterogeneous. This study explores the relationship between patient nutritional status, PRGF characteristics, and clinical outcomes in knee OA treatment. Methods: Baseline anthropometric, metabolic, and nutritional assessments of 41 patients with knee OA who underwent PRGF treatment were conducted. Blood samples were analyzed for metabolic and inflammatory markers. PRGF composition was assessed by protein content and extracellular vesicle (EV) markers. KOOS and VAS pain scores were collected at 2, 6, and 12 months. Responders improved KOOS by ≥10 points. An elastic-net regularized logistic model allowed the identification of the predictors of treatment response. Results: KOOS and VAS scores improved significantly at all follow-ups. At 2 months, the PRGF of responder patients showed higher PRGF G-CSF levels; at 12 months, increased CD49e and HLA-ABC expression. Higher BMI correlated with increased IL-6, IL-1ra, and resistin in PRGF samples. Hypercholesterolemic patients displayed altered EV profiles, with elevated levels of CD8 but reduced CD49e, HLA-ABC, CD42a, and CD31. Multivariate analysis identified BMI, biceps fold, fat percentage, red blood cell, platelet, and neutrophil counts as predictors of early response. Conclusions: Metabolic and immunological factors influence PRGF composition and clinical efficacy in knee OA. Baseline body composition and hematological parameters as key predictors of response, highlighting the potential of personalized PRGF therapy. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Role of Nutritional Interventions in the Prevention and Management of Osteoarthritis)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

Review

Jump to: Research

22 pages, 367 KB  
Review
Nutritional Interventions in Osteoarthritis: Mechanisms, Clinical Evidence, and Translational Opportunities
by Milan Patel, Gabriela Betanzos, Marco Troka, Jay Modi, George Nageeb, Alan D. Kaye and Alaa Abd-Elsayed
Nutrients 2026, 18(2), 244; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu18020244 - 13 Jan 2026
Viewed by 792
Abstract
Osteoarthritis (OA) is a leading cause of chronic pain worldwide. This is driven by progressive cartilage degradation, inflammation, oxidative stress, and metabolic dysfunction. Current pharmacologic interventions mostly lead to symptomatic relief without actually affecting disease progression. Thus, there is a growing interest in [...] Read more.
Osteoarthritis (OA) is a leading cause of chronic pain worldwide. This is driven by progressive cartilage degradation, inflammation, oxidative stress, and metabolic dysfunction. Current pharmacologic interventions mostly lead to symptomatic relief without actually affecting disease progression. Thus, there is a growing interest in the development of new interventional methods. Our review seeks to synthesize preclinical, translational, and clinical evidence on the impact nutritional methods have on OA management. Whole-diet approaches, such as Mediterranean and plant-based, have been linked to reduced pain, increased physical function, and positive biomarker changes. Bioactive compounds, including curcumin, polyphenols, omega-3 fatty acids, and select herbal extracts, have shown anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and chondroprotective effects via NF-κB, Nrf2, AMPK, and SIRT1 pathways. This review particularly focuses on plant-derived substances. Emerging nanoparticle technology with regard to advanced delivery systems shows initial promise in nutraceutical pharmacokinetics and tissue targeting. Overall, nutritional interventions are adjunct interventions to OA management. Although these are not full treatment replacements, dietary modifications and targeted nutraceutical strategies with improved delivery systems may lead to more preventive, personalized, and holistic OA management and care. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Role of Nutritional Interventions in the Prevention and Management of Osteoarthritis)
Show export options expand_more Show export options expand_less
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:
 
Displaying articles 1-4
Back to TopTop