Metabolism News and Research

Latest Metabolism News and Research

Shatavari may affect more than hormones, and the gut could help explain why

A review in Nutrients examined how bioactive compounds in Asparagus racemosus (Shatavari) may influence cognitive health through the microbiota-gut-brain axis, estrogen-related signaling, neuroinflammation, oxidative stress, and neurotransmitter regulation. Evidence from computational, cellular, animal, and limited human studies suggests several plausible biological pathways, but key questions remain about bioavailability, brain exposure, dosing, and clinical efficacy.

16 Sep 2026

Fermented dairy was linked to lower mortality, but the pattern shifted at higher intakes

Analysis of 37,366 US adults found that fermented dairy consumption was associated with lower all-cause and cardiovascular mortality, with consumers showing adjusted hazards 18% and 20% lower, respectively, than non-consumers. Dose-response analyses indicated that the inverse association was concentrated at intakes below about 150 grams per day, while the observational study could not establish causality.

16 Sep 2026

Study: Multiple dietary patterns linked to slower biological aging

A study by DZNE finds that healthy eating is associated with slower biological aging-and that there is more than one way to eat healthily.

16 Sep 2026

Exercise usually helps the brain. During a 15-day fast, the story was different

In a 28-day controlled study of 22 healthy adults, 15 days of complete fasting produced a glucose-to-ketone metabolic shift and selectively affected attention and implicit learning while time perception remained relatively stable. Moderate-intensity exercise during early fasting was associated with poorer performance on some learning measures, while fasting also increased sleepiness and reduced calmness at some time points.

15 Sep 2026

Male contraception has barely changed in a century. What comes next?

A review traces more than 5,000 years of male contraception, from early penile sheaths and the development of modern condoms and vasectomy to today's search for reversible alternatives. Researchers are now testing hormonal gels, non-hormonal compounds and vas-occlusive technologies, although these approaches remain at different stages of preclinical and clinical development.

15 Sep 2026

Cannabis-derived nanovesicles showed early antitumor potential in mice

Researchers developed a Cannabis sativa hairy root culture system that produced stable plant-derived nanovesicles capable of promoting dendritic cell maturation and activating T-cell responses through TLR2- and TLR4-associated signaling. Oral administration also restored selected immune responses in immunosuppressed mice and suppressed tumor growth in an E.G7 lymphoma model, providing preliminary evidence for their immunomodulatory and antitumor potential.

15 Sep 2026

What children eat may leave a measurable signature in their blood

Researchers analyzed 236 blood metabolites in 421 children to examine metabolic signatures associated with three dietary patterns characterized by core foods, animal protein sources, or poor-quality fats and sugars. The results identified distinct, biologically plausible metabolite patterns across dietary exposures, although most individual associations did not survive multiple-testing correction and require validation in independent cohorts.

15 Sep 2026

KAIST team uncovers how neurons deliver RNA to distant regions

Much like a courier reading an address on a package, neurons must deliver RNA to the precise locations where it is needed.

15 Sep 2026

Risk factors for cardiovascular-kidney-metabolic disease can be identified in young children

Risk factors for cardiovascular-kidney-metabolic disease, a health condition made up of heart disease, kidney disease, diabetes, and obesity, can be identified in children as young as 8, UTHealth Houston researchers discovered.

11 Sep 2026

Proteomic signatures reveal early signs of cardiovascular-kidney-metabolic disease in children

Researchers at Vanderbilt Health, UTHealth Houston and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill have identified early signs of cardiovascular-kidney-metabolic disease (CKMD) in children as young as 8 years old that potentially can be reversed with a new class of weight loss drugs used widely by adults

11 Sep 2026

Early studies hint that ketones may affect pathways linked to PTSD

An integrative review found that ketogenic therapy may influence metabolic, inflammatory, oxidative stress, and neurotransmitter pathways implicated in PTSD, with animal studies and small human studies reporting early signs of symptom improvement. Human evidence remains limited to very small cohorts, case reports, and pilot studies, and controlled trials have yet to establish clinical efficacy.

11 Sep 2026

Innovative device improves real-time monitoring of donated lungs

More than three-quarters of donated lungs offered for transplantation are not used, according to the UK's National Institute for Health and Care Excellence, contributing to a chronic shortage of organs for patients with end-stage lung disease.

10 Sep 2026

Rituximab alters T-cell metabolism in patients with nephrotic syndrome

Nephrotic syndrome is caused when the filtering system in the kidneys is damaged, allowing large amounts of protein to leak into the urine.

10 Sep 2026

Review highlights solute carriers as targets for central nervous system disorders

Solute carriers (SLCs) are specialized transport proteins that control the movement of nutrients, ions and neurotransmitters across cell membranes and are essential for brain metabolism and neuronal communication.

10 Sep 2026

Rentosertib shifts multiple proteomic aging clocks toward younger age profiles in IPF trial

Researchers applied six proteomic aging clocks to serum samples from a phase 2a trial of rentosertib in people with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis and found treatment-associated shifts toward younger predicted biological-age profiles, particularly with the 30 mg twice-daily regimen. Additional proteomic analyses linked treatment to changes in senescence, metabolism, growth-factor signaling, and fibrosis-related pathways, although the study could not determine whether these effects reflected genuine geroprotection rather than disease modification.

10 Sep 2026

Gut microbiome may reveal inflammation and future disease risk better than age

Gut microbiota composition explained more variation than chronological age in nearly all inflammatory cytokines and most physiological measures examined, with specific microbial profiles linked to markedly different patterns of inflammation across adulthood. People with the Bacteroides 2 enterotype showed an inflammaging-like profile decades earlier than other groups and had a higher risk of subsequent disease, while a high-diversity microbiota profile was associated with lower inflammation and reduced disease incidence.

9 Sep 2026

Study links methylglyoxal stress to immunotherapy resistance in triple-negative cancer

The metabolism of cancer cells may play a key role in their ability to evade the immune system. This is demonstrated by a new study conducted by researchers at the University of Liège, which reveals how methylglyoxal stress – a by-product of tumor metabolism – promotes immunosuppression and the formation of metastases, and may contribute to resistance to immunotherapy and the progression of triple-negative cancer.

9 Sep 2026

New AI model forecasts glucose changes in type 1 diabetes patients

Diabetes is one of the most common chronic diseases, affecting around 66 million adults in Europe - a figure projected to rise to more than 72 million by 2050.

9 Sep 2026

New approach repairs airway barrier defects in cystic fibrosis

A UNIGE team has succeeded in restoring the defective respiratory protective barrier in people with this rare genetic disease.

8 Sep 2026

Working shifts may change more than your sleep schedule

A cross-sectional analysis of 1,814 Japanese workers found that shift work was associated with lower raw seafood intake and shorter sleep patterns in both sexes, while female shift workers also consumed less milk and dairy products. Total energy intake was similar between work groups, but male shift workers were more likely to consider preference and convenience when choosing foods, highlighting potentially important differences in dietary quality and lifestyle rather than calorie intake.

8 Sep 2026