Metabolites News and Research

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The diet-Alzheimer’s connection is more complicated than “eat this, avoid that”

A mini-review finds that dietary patterns may influence Alzheimer’s disease through interconnected pathways involving neuroinflammation, insulin resistance, oxidative stress, blood-brain barrier dysfunction, homocysteine, and the gut-brain axis. The authors argue that genetics, sex, age, physical activity, and socioeconomic context may modify these relationships, supporting more individualized approaches to nutrition research and dementia prevention.

25 Aug 2026

Higher BPA exposure tracked with higher estrogen and progesterone in women

Researchers found that higher urinary concentrations of BPA and several phthalate metabolites were associated with higher serum estrogen and progesterone levels in 90 premenopausal women from Iran. The cross-sectional study also identified positive associations for combined chemical exposures, although the authors cautioned that the mixture findings are exploratory and cannot establish causality.

24 Aug 2026

Review uncovers how tryptophan metabolism affects female reproductive health

In recent years, issues concerning female reproductive health have become a global challenge that cannot be ignored.

24 Aug 2026

New framework standardizes selenosugar research and selenium metabolism studies

Selenosugars are the major urinary metabolites responsible for the physiological excretion of selenium. Understanding selenium metabolism relies on accurately detecting and identifying selenosugars.

20 Aug 2026

Sprinters and non-athletes had similar gut diversity, but one key difference emerged

College sprint athletes showed a distinct gut microbial community structure, including higher abundance of Segatella copri and Bifidobacterium adolescentis, compared with non-athletic students. Their microbiomes also showed predicted enrichment of carbohydrate and amino acid metabolism pathways, while exploratory analyses linked several dietary factors with the signature bacteria.

20 Aug 2026

More coffee, higher testosterone? This study found a more complicated picture

Higher habitual coffee intake was associated with a leaner body composition, lower circulating branched-chain amino acids, and distinct cardiometabolic patterns in 2,264 middle-aged Finnish adults. Hormonal associations differed by sex, with broader testosterone- and SHBG-related patterns in men and more limited SHBG-related changes in women.

20 Aug 2026

New study links chronic stress to immunotherapy resistance in tumors

Immunotherapy has transformed cancer treatment, yet many tumors remain stubbornly resistant to its effects.

18 Aug 2026

Cocoa looks promising for mood, but the brain benefits come with a catch

A review of clinical and preclinical studies suggests cocoa polyphenols may support mood, neuroplasticity, cerebral blood flow, and gut-brain signaling through pathways involving BDNF/CREB, inflammation, and oxidative stress.

17 Aug 2026

Sprint exercise sends a very different molecular signal through the body

Sprint-interval exercise triggers a much larger and faster shift in circulating proteins and metabolites than moderate-intensity exercise, revealing distinct patterns of predicted communication between organs. The findings suggest that exercise intensity shapes systemic molecular signaling, with skeletal muscle and adipose tissue emerging as potential source and target tissues linked to cardiometabolic health.

16 Aug 2026

Three minutes of sprinting dramatically reshape molecular contents of the bloodstream

Three minutes of sprinting can do something that 90 minutes of moderate exercise apparently cannot: dramatically reshape the molecular contents of the bloodstream.

14 Aug 2026

New study challenges long-held view of common bacterial resident of the lungs

Our bodies are teeming with more than 35 trillion bacteria, coexisting in microbiomes inside our guts, mouths, lungs, skin and urogenital tract.

13 Aug 2026

Finnish study links habitual coffee consumption to healthier body metabolism

Coffee is one of the world's most widely consumed beverages, and previous research has linked its consumption to a lower risk of conditions such as type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease.

13 Aug 2026

Bacterial extracellular vesicles show potential for cancer diagnosis and treatment

Bacteria shed membrane-enclosed tiny particles filled with proteins, lipids, DNA, RNA and metabolites. These particles, commonly known as bacterial extracellular vesicles (BEVs), are now being explored as possible tools for cancer diagnosis and treatment.

13 Aug 2026

How much do nuts matter for blood pressure? This study points to about a handful a day

A meta-analysis of eight prospective studies involving 143,380 participants found that higher nut consumption was associated with a lower risk of developing hypertension. Each 28 g/day increment was associated with a 20% lower relative risk in the linear analysis, while the modeled association appeared to level off at around one handful per day.

12 Aug 2026

Why pulses could play a bigger role in healthy and sustainable diets

A narrative review finds that pulses may support gut and metabolic health through their fiber, protein, phytochemicals, and interactions with the gut microbiota, while offering a lower environmental footprint than many animal protein sources. Human evidence is strongest for selected cardiometabolic outcomes, while many microbiome and fermentation-related benefits remain supported mainly by animal and laboratory studies.

9 Aug 2026

Thinning cancer cells' sugar coating could expose tumors to immune attack

Like spies evading detection through being masters of disguise, many cancer cells are adorned with a copious coat of sugar-derived molecules that throws the proverbial hounds of our immune systems off the scent.

7 Aug 2026

Researchers discover smart molecular glue that activates inside oxidative cancer cells

Investigators at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute have developed a platform for systematically discovering molecular glues that could become protein degradation drug candidates.

7 Aug 2026

Hidden microbes inside tumors reshape cancer immunity and treatment

A growing body of evidence is reshaping how cancer is understood, placing the spotlight on intra-tumoral microbiota as powerful yet previously overlooked players within the tumor microenvironment.

6 Aug 2026

Microbiome-based therapy may increase peanut allergy tolerance in adults

Some 33 million Americans have severe food allergies. Now, researchers at Boston Children's Hospital may have found a promising solution.

5 Aug 2026

Perilla oil may curb platelet reactivity and inflammatory signaling in smokers

An eight-week randomized trial found that daily perilla oil increased plasma and red-cell ALA, plasma EPA, and platelet closure time in healthy smokers. Perilla oil also reduced TNF-α and TBX21 gene expression, but it did not improve broader coagulation, lipid, endothelial, or postprandial markers.

3 Aug 2026