Alexandre Folch

(1) Background: The microbiota-host cross-talk has been previously investigated, while its role in health is not yet clear. This study aimed to unravel the network of microbial-host interactions and correlate it with cardiometabolic risk factors. (2) Methods: A total of 47 adults with overweight/obesity and metabolic syndrome from the METADIET study were included in this cross-sectional analysis. Microbiota composition (151 genera) was assessed by 16S rRNA sequencing, fecal (m = 203) and plasma (m = 373) metabolites were profiled. An unsupervised sparse generalized canonical correlation analysis was used to construct a network of microbiota-metabolite interactions. A multi-omics score was derived for each cluster of the network and associated with cardiometabolic risk factors. (3) Results: Five multi-omics clusters were identified. Thirty-one fecal metabolites formed these clusters and were correlated with plasma sphingomyelins, lysophospholipids and medium to long-chain acylcarnitines. Seven genera from Ruminococcaceae and a member from the Desulfovibrionaceae family were correlated with fecal and plasma metabolites. Positive correlations were found between the multi-omics scores from two clusters with cholesterol and triglycerides levels. (4) Conclusions: We identified a correlated network between specific microbial genera and fecal/plasma metabolites in an adult population with metabolic syndrome, suggesting an interplay between gut microbiota and host lipid metabolism on cardiometabolic health.

New dietary approaches for the prevention of cognitive impairment are being investigated. However, evidence from dietary interventions is mainly from food and nutrient supplement interventions, with inconsistent results and high heterogeneity between trials. We conducted a comprehensive systematic search of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) published in MEDLINE-PubMed, from January 2018 to July 2021, investigating the impact of dietary counseling, as well as food-based and dietary supplement interventions on cognitive function in adults with or without cognitive impairment. Based on the search strategy, 197 eligible publications were used for data abstraction. Finally, 61 articles were included in the analysis. There was reasonable evidence that dietary patterns, as well as food and dietary supplements improved cognitive domains or measures of brain integrity. The Mediterranean diet showed promising results, whereas the role of the DASH diet was not clear. Healthy food consumption improved cognitive function, although the quality of these studies was relatively low. The role of dietary supplements was mixed, with strong evidence of the benefits of polyphenols and combinations of nutrients, but with low evidence for PUFAs, vitamin D, specific protein, amino acids, and other types of supplements. Further well-designed RCTs are needed to guide the development of dietary approaches for the prevention of cognitive impairment.