Metabolism News and Research

Latest Metabolism News and Research

Certain prenatal medications linked to increased risk of autism

A landmark study led by researchers at the University of Nebraska Medical Center (UNMC) and published in Molecular Psychiatry has identified a significant association between prenatal prescription of commonly utilized medications and the risk of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in children.

20 Apr 2026

Eating oranges daily may shift lipid patterns in fatty liver disease

A 4-week trial on 'Navelina' oranges shows potential effects on lipid metabolism in fatty liver disease, revealing intriguing but non-significant patterns.

20 Apr 2026

New study highlights fructose’s unique role in metabolic disease

A new report, published today in Nature Metabolism, is shedding light on the distinct and underappreciated role of fructose in driving disease, separate from its role as a simple source of calories.

17 Apr 2026

Obesity, GLP-1s, and metabolic care

An interview with Professor Thomas Forst, Chief Medical Officer, hVIVO

From hVIVO 17 Apr 2026

New roadmap links liver cancer biology to immunotherapy and precision medicine

A new review from the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai and the Hospital Clínic de Barcelona provides one of the clearest roadmaps to date for understanding and treating liver cancer, one of the deadliest cancers worldwide.

17 Apr 2026

Researchers use tiny glass capillaries to sample living cancer cell parts

A new analytical method could improve how cancer treatments are designed - by allowing scientists to track, for the first time, exactly where inside a living cell a drug accumulates. Researchers from the University of Surrey and King's College London developed the method, which detects trace amounts of metal inside individual living cells and their internal compartments without the need to kill the cells first

17 Apr 2026

Why AI is becoming a powerful tool in cancer drug discovery

This Perspective reviews how AI is moving drug discovery from long, costly experimental pipelines toward earlier clinical translation, with an AI-designed TNIK inhibitor trial serving as an important proof-of-feasibility reference point. It argues that precision oncology could benefit from AI-driven integration of multi-omics, federated learning, and adaptive trial design, but only if validation, fairness, interpretability, and regulatory alignment improve.

16 Apr 2026

Scientists discover how the immune system signals the brain to avoid germs

Researchers from the University of Bonn and University Hospital Bonn uncover vital mechanism for survival

16 Apr 2026

Researchers discover a molecular signature to flag dysfunctional aging cells

UCLA researchers have identified a rogue population of immune cells that quietly accumulates in aging tissues and in the livers of people with fatty liver disease. Clearing these cells, they found, dramatically reduced inflammation and reversed liver damage in mice - even while the animals remained on an unhealthy diet.

16 Apr 2026

Higher stress and BMI tied to earlier puberty in girls

New research links stress, BMI, and hormone patterns to pubertal timing, revealing implications for long-term health and early intervention strategies.

16 Apr 2026

Mitochondrial activity keeps dendritic cells ready to fight disease

Researchers at the Centro Nacional de Investigaciones Cardiovasculares Carlos III (CNIC) show that active mitochondria maintain dendritic cells, the immune system's sentinels, in a "ready-to-respond" state, linking cellular metabolism to gene regulation and T-cell activation.

15 Apr 2026

Semaglutide improves liver function independently of weight loss

Researchers at Toronto's Sinai Health have found that semaglutide – the active ingredient in popular weight loss drugs that mimic the gut hormone GLP-1 – acts directly on a subset of liver cells to improve organ function and does so independently of weight loss.

15 Apr 2026

Study identifies new genes linked to severe pregnancy sickness

The USC research team that recently identified the hormone-encoding gene GDF15 as a key driver of pregnancy sickness has identified 9 additional genes linked to its most severe form, hyperemesis gravidarum (HG).

14 Apr 2026

Beetroot supplement raises nitric oxide markers in triathletes after one week

A randomized cross-over pilot study in 10 amateur male triathletes found that a beetroot-based multi-ingredient nitrate supplement increased nitric oxide-related and redox biomarkers over 7 days without evidence of lipid oxidative damage. The supplement was generally well tolerated, but the study did not measure whether these biochemical changes improved performance or recovery.

13 Apr 2026

Parents’ intake of sugar substitutes may influence offspring gut biology, study finds

A mouse study in Frontiers in Nutrition found that parental sucralose and stevia intake altered gut microbiota, short-chain fatty acids, and gene expression across generations, with sucralose showing the stronger and more persistent effects. The changes were transmitted to offspring not directly exposed to the sweeteners, although several effects were attenuated by the F2 generation.

13 Apr 2026

Steroid hormones, BMI and stress influence puberty timing in girls

Higher levels of key steroid hormones-combined with elevated stress and body mass index (BMI)-are associated with earlier onset of puberty in girls, according to a new study at Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health.

13 Apr 2026

Targeting senescent fat cells provides new hope for ovarian cancer

Ovarian cancer is the most lethal malignancy of the female reproductive system. Due to its insidious early symptoms and the absence of specific screening modalities, approximately 70% of patients are diagnosed at an advanced stage.

13 Apr 2026

Obesity health risks differ significantly between men and women

New research being presented at this year's European Congress on Obesity (ECO) in Istanbul, Turkey (12-15 May), reveals distinct patterns of heart, metabolic, and inflammatory health risks between men and women living with obesity, providing an insight into how clinicians may be able to tailor management approaches.

13 Apr 2026

Researchers map how menstrual cycle phases affect athletic performance

In a repeated-measures study of 18 eumenorrheic female athletes, half-squat strength was highest in the late follicular phase and around ovulation, while handgrip strength peaked in the late luteal phase. Psychological measures also shifted across the cycle, with lower vigor and higher fatigue and depression scores in the late luteal phase, supporting more individualized training monitoring.

12 Apr 2026

Maternal signals help synchronize babies’ circadian rhythms before birth

Humans and most other organisms have internal biological clocks that track the daily cycle of sunrise and sunset. These clocks help time our sleep, metabolism and other essential body functions over the course of a day, creating daily patterns called circadian rhythms.

11 Apr 2026