Blood and Urine Metabolic Biomarkers Monitor Short-term Dietary Changes
By LabMedica International staff writers Posted on 04 Nov 2019 |
![Image: Researchers have identified several chemical signatures, detectable in blood and urine, that can accurately measure dietary intake (Photo courtesy of Medical Xpress). Image: Researchers have identified several chemical signatures, detectable in blood and urine, that can accurately measure dietary intake (Photo courtesy of Medical Xpress).](https://globetechcdn.com/mobile_labmedica/images/stories/articles/article_images/2019-11-04/GMS-180C.jpg)
Image: Researchers have identified several chemical signatures, detectable in blood and urine, that can accurately measure dietary intake (Photo courtesy of Medical Xpress).
Metabolites found in plasma and urine samples may serve as responsive biomarkers reflecting short-term changes in the habitual diet.
Unhealthy eating patterns have been linked to the increase in obesity and related chronic diseases such as diabetes worldwide. However, existing methods of assessing dietary intake in nutritional epidemiology rely on food frequency questionnaires or dietary records that are prone to bias and selective reporting.
To improve this situation, investigators at McMaster University (Hamilton, ON, Canada) sought to identify metabolites in readily accessible blood or urine samples that would reflect short-term changes in dietary intake. Measurement of those markers would be used to compare the foods provided to study participants to what they reported they had eaten.
Over the course of this study, metabolic phenotyping was performed on 42 healthy participants from the Diet and Gene Intervention (DIGEST) pilot study, a parallel two-arm randomized clinical trial that provided complete diets to all participants. Matching single-spot urine and fasting plasma specimens were collected at baseline, and then following two weeks of either a Prudent or Western diet with a weight-maintaining menu plan designed by a dietician. The Prudent diet was rich in fruits, vegetables, lean meats, and whole grains. The Western diet was rich in trans fats, processed foods, red meat, and sweetened beverages. Targeted and nontargeted metabolite profiling was conducted for two weeks using three complementary analytical platforms.
A modest reduction in systolic and diastolic blood pressure, and total cholesterol was reported for participants following the Prudent diet after two weeks as compared to the Western diet; however, dietary adherence relied on participant self-reporting, and food preparation methods were not standardized.
Overall, 3-methylhistidine and proline betaine concentrations increased in both plasma and urine samples after participants were assigned a Prudent diet with a corresponding decrease in the Western diet group. Similarly, creatinine-normalized urinary imidazole propionate, hydroxypipecolic acid, dihydroxybenzoic acid, and enterolactone glucuronide, as well as plasma ketoleucine and ketovaline increased with a Prudent diet after adjustments for age, sex, and BMI. In contrast, plasma myristic acid, linoelaidic acid, linoleic acid, alpha-linoleic acid, pentadecanoic acid, alanine, proline, carnitine, and deoxycarnitine, as well as urinary acesulfame K increased among participants following a Western diet. Most metabolites were also correlated to changes in the average intake of specific nutrients from self-reported diet records reflecting good adherence to assigned food provisions.
"We were able to detect short-term changes in dietary patterns which could be measured objectively," said senior author Dr. Philip Britz-McKibbin, professor of chemistry and chemical biology at McMaster University. "And it did not take long for these significant changes to become apparent. This has been a major issue in nutritional research and may be one of the main reasons for the lack of real progress in nutritional sciences and chronic disease prevention."
The dietary biomarker study was published in the October 9, 2019, online edition of the journal Nutrients.
Related Links:
McMaster University
Unhealthy eating patterns have been linked to the increase in obesity and related chronic diseases such as diabetes worldwide. However, existing methods of assessing dietary intake in nutritional epidemiology rely on food frequency questionnaires or dietary records that are prone to bias and selective reporting.
To improve this situation, investigators at McMaster University (Hamilton, ON, Canada) sought to identify metabolites in readily accessible blood or urine samples that would reflect short-term changes in dietary intake. Measurement of those markers would be used to compare the foods provided to study participants to what they reported they had eaten.
Over the course of this study, metabolic phenotyping was performed on 42 healthy participants from the Diet and Gene Intervention (DIGEST) pilot study, a parallel two-arm randomized clinical trial that provided complete diets to all participants. Matching single-spot urine and fasting plasma specimens were collected at baseline, and then following two weeks of either a Prudent or Western diet with a weight-maintaining menu plan designed by a dietician. The Prudent diet was rich in fruits, vegetables, lean meats, and whole grains. The Western diet was rich in trans fats, processed foods, red meat, and sweetened beverages. Targeted and nontargeted metabolite profiling was conducted for two weeks using three complementary analytical platforms.
A modest reduction in systolic and diastolic blood pressure, and total cholesterol was reported for participants following the Prudent diet after two weeks as compared to the Western diet; however, dietary adherence relied on participant self-reporting, and food preparation methods were not standardized.
Overall, 3-methylhistidine and proline betaine concentrations increased in both plasma and urine samples after participants were assigned a Prudent diet with a corresponding decrease in the Western diet group. Similarly, creatinine-normalized urinary imidazole propionate, hydroxypipecolic acid, dihydroxybenzoic acid, and enterolactone glucuronide, as well as plasma ketoleucine and ketovaline increased with a Prudent diet after adjustments for age, sex, and BMI. In contrast, plasma myristic acid, linoelaidic acid, linoleic acid, alpha-linoleic acid, pentadecanoic acid, alanine, proline, carnitine, and deoxycarnitine, as well as urinary acesulfame K increased among participants following a Western diet. Most metabolites were also correlated to changes in the average intake of specific nutrients from self-reported diet records reflecting good adherence to assigned food provisions.
"We were able to detect short-term changes in dietary patterns which could be measured objectively," said senior author Dr. Philip Britz-McKibbin, professor of chemistry and chemical biology at McMaster University. "And it did not take long for these significant changes to become apparent. This has been a major issue in nutritional research and may be one of the main reasons for the lack of real progress in nutritional sciences and chronic disease prevention."
The dietary biomarker study was published in the October 9, 2019, online edition of the journal Nutrients.
Related Links:
McMaster University
Latest Molecular Diagnostics News
- Advanced Liquid Biopsy Technology Detects Cancer Earlier Than Conventional Methods
- Blood-Based Test Outperforms Ultrasound in Early Liver Cancer Detection
- Four-In-One Molecular Test Detects and Differentiates Among Most Prevalent Respiratory Viruses in 20 Minutes
- First-Line PSA Testing More Cost-Effective Than First-Line MRI for Prostate Cancer Screening
- Proteomics Platform Identifies Proteins in Blood to Give Cancer Warning 7 Years before Diagnosis
- AI Technology-Based Blood Test Identifies Lung Cancer Earlier
- Ultra-Sensitive Blood Test Predicts Breast Cancer Recurrence Months or Even Years before Relapse
- Prenatal Testing Offers Window for Finding Mother’s Cancer Risk
- New Molecular Test Detects More Cervical Cancer Cases
- New Panel Quickly and Accurately Identifies 16 Common Gastrointestinal Pathogens
- New DNA Testing Method Offers Faster and More Accurate Pathogen Identification
- Precise Cancer Detection Method as Quick and Easy as Blood Test
- DNA Spit Test More Accurate At Identifying Future Prostate Cancer Risk
- Novel Method Combining Nano Informatics and AI Paves Way for Cancer Blood Tests
- Groundbreaking Molecular Diagnostic Kit to Provide Lyme Disease Detection in Minutes
- New Assay Detects Heart Failure Biomarker in Less than 11 Minutes
Channels
Clinical Chemistry
view channel![Image: The new ADLM guidance will help healthcare professionals navigate respiratory virus testing in a post-COVID world (Photo courtesy of 123RF) Image: The new ADLM guidance will help healthcare professionals navigate respiratory virus testing in a post-COVID world (Photo courtesy of 123RF)](https://globetechcdn.com/mobile_labmedica/images/stories/articles/article_images/2024-05-27/98234491_m_normal_none.jpg)
New ADLM Guidance Provides Expert Recommendations on Clinical Testing For Respiratory Viral Infections
Respiratory tract infections, predominantly caused by viral pathogens, are a common reason for healthcare visits. Accurate and swift diagnosis of these infections is essential for optimal patient management.... Read more![Image: The 3D printed miniature ionizer is a key component of a mass spectrometer (Photo courtesy of MIT) Image: The 3D printed miniature ionizer is a key component of a mass spectrometer (Photo courtesy of MIT)](https://globetechcdn.com/mobile_labmedica/images/stories/articles/article_images/2024-04-10/MIT-Printed-Ion-01-press_0.jpg)
3D Printed Point-Of-Care Mass Spectrometer Outperforms State-Of-The-Art Models
Mass spectrometry is a precise technique for identifying the chemical components of a sample and has significant potential for monitoring chronic illness health states, such as measuring hormone levels... Read more![Image: Reaching speeds up to 6,000 RPM, this centrifuge forms the basis for a new type of inexpensive, POC biomedical test (Photo courtesy of Duke University) Image: Reaching speeds up to 6,000 RPM, this centrifuge forms the basis for a new type of inexpensive, POC biomedical test (Photo courtesy of Duke University)](https://globetechcdn.com/mobile_labmedica/images/stories/articles/article_images/2024-03-14/Spinning-Glowing (1).jpg)
POC Biomedical Test Spins Water Droplet Using Sound Waves for Cancer Detection
Exosomes, tiny cellular bioparticles carrying a specific set of proteins, lipids, and genetic materials, play a crucial role in cell communication and hold promise for non-invasive diagnostics.... Read more![Image: The new versatile assay has the ability to measure both total and bioavailable cortisol from serum (Photo courtesy of Aarhus University) Image: The new versatile assay has the ability to measure both total and bioavailable cortisol from serum (Photo courtesy of Aarhus University)](https://globetechcdn.com/mobile_labmedica/images/stories/articles/article_images/2024-03-04/ac3c04435_0004.jpg)
Highly Reliable Cell-Based Assay Enables Accurate Diagnosis of Endocrine Diseases
The conventional methods for measuring free cortisol, the body's stress hormone, from blood or saliva are quite demanding and require sample processing. The most common method, therefore, involves collecting... Read moreHematology
view channel![Image: The CAPILLARYS 3 DBS devices have received U.S. FDA 510(k) clearance (Photo courtesy of Sebia) Image: The CAPILLARYS 3 DBS devices have received U.S. FDA 510(k) clearance (Photo courtesy of Sebia)](https://globetechcdn.com/mobile_labmedica/images/stories/articles/article_images/2024-04-09/C3_DBS_Website.2.jpg)
Next Generation Instrument Screens for Hemoglobin Disorders in Newborns
Hemoglobinopathies, the most widespread inherited conditions globally, affect about 7% of the population as carriers, with 2.7% of newborns being born with these conditions. The spectrum of clinical manifestations... Read more![Image: The Procleix ArboPlex Assay has received the CE mark (Photo courtesy of Grifols) Image: The Procleix ArboPlex Assay has received the CE mark (Photo courtesy of Grifols)](https://globetechcdn.com/mobile_labmedica/images/stories/articles/article_images/2024-04-08/donor-testing-1.jpg)
First 4-in-1 Nucleic Acid Test for Arbovirus Screening to Reduce Risk of Transfusion-Transmitted Infections
Arboviruses represent an emerging global health threat, exacerbated by climate change and increased international travel that is facilitating their spread across new regions. Chikungunya, dengue, West... Read more![Image: The low-cost portable device rapidly identifies chemotherapy patients at risk of sepsis (Photo courtesy of 52North Health) Image: The low-cost portable device rapidly identifies chemotherapy patients at risk of sepsis (Photo courtesy of 52North Health)](https://globetechcdn.com/mobile_labmedica/images/stories/articles/article_images/2024-03-20/news-7.jpg)
POC Finger-Prick Blood Test Determines Risk of Neutropenic Sepsis in Patients Undergoing Chemotherapy
Neutropenia, a decrease in neutrophils (a type of white blood cell crucial for fighting infections), is a frequent side effect of certain cancer treatments. This condition elevates the risk of infections,... Read more![Image: The Gazelle Hb Variant Test (Photo courtesy of Hemex Health) Image: The Gazelle Hb Variant Test (Photo courtesy of Hemex Health)](https://globetechcdn.com/mobile_labmedica/images/stories/articles/article_images/2024-02-08/inserting-hb-variant-cartridge.jpg)
First Affordable and Rapid Test for Beta Thalassemia Demonstrates 99% Diagnostic Accuracy
Hemoglobin disorders rank as some of the most prevalent monogenic diseases globally. Among various hemoglobin disorders, beta thalassemia, a hereditary blood disorder, affects about 1.5% of the world's... Read moreImmunology
view channel![Image: The AI tool predicts whether someone’s cancer will respond to immune checkpoint inhibitors (Photo courtesy of National Cancer Institute) Image: The AI tool predicts whether someone’s cancer will respond to immune checkpoint inhibitors (Photo courtesy of National Cancer Institute)](https://globetechcdn.com/mobile_labmedica/images/stories/articles/article_images/2024-06-05/Surgical oncology 43 (1).jpg)
AI Tool Predicts Cancer Patients’ Response to Immunotherapy
Immune checkpoint inhibitors are a form of immunotherapy drug that enables immune cells to target and destroy cancer cells. At present, the Food and Drug Administration has approved two predictive biomarkers... Read more![Image: Initially aimed at children with high-risk cancers, ZERO now includes all young cancer patients in Australia (Photo courtesy of Zero Childhood Cancer) Image: Initially aimed at children with high-risk cancers, ZERO now includes all young cancer patients in Australia (Photo courtesy of Zero Childhood Cancer)](https://globetechcdn.com/mobile_labmedica/images/stories/articles/article_images/2024-06-03/906uv0fs34hr.jpg)
Molecular Profiling Improves Diagnosis for Children with High Risk Cancers
Cancer remains the leading cause of disease-related death among children in most developed nations, and approximately one-fourth of these patients are diagnosed with aggressive, high-risk, or relapsed... Read moreMicrobiology
view channel![Image: The PA-100 AST System for rapid AMR detection has won the “Longitude Prize on AMR” (Photo courtesy of Sysmex Astrego) Image: The PA-100 AST System for rapid AMR detection has won the “Longitude Prize on AMR” (Photo courtesy of Sysmex Astrego)](https://globetechcdn.com/mobile_labmedica/images/stories/articles/article_images/2024-06-17/PA-100-diskette-device_1.jpg)
Rapid UTI Test Cuts Detection Time from 3 days to 45 Minutes
Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR), also known as antibiotic resistance or superbugs, is a silent but growing pandemic where bacteria have become resistant to lifesaving antibiotics due to decades of overuse and misuse.... Read more![Image: The POC PCR test shortens time for STI test results (Photo courtesy of Visby Medical) Image: The POC PCR test shortens time for STI test results (Photo courtesy of Visby Medical)](https://globetechcdn.com/mobile_labmedica/images/stories/articles/article_images/2024-06-05/device-front.jpg)
POC STI Test Shortens Time from ED Arrival to Test Results
In a 2024 sexually transmitted infections (STIs) surveillance report by the World Health Organization (WHO), over 2.5 million cases were recorded, alongside a rise in the inappropriate use of antibiotics... Read more![Image: The T-SPOT.TB test is now paired with the Auto-Pure 2400 liquid handling platform for accurate TB testing (Photo courtesy of Shutterstock) Image: The T-SPOT.TB test is now paired with the Auto-Pure 2400 liquid handling platform for accurate TB testing (Photo courtesy of Shutterstock)](https://globetechcdn.com/mobile_labmedica/images/stories/articles/article_images/2024-05-08/shutterstock_1065839396.jpg)
Integrated Solution Ushers New Era of Automated Tuberculosis Testing
Tuberculosis (TB) is responsible for 1.3 million deaths every year, positioning it as one of the top killers globally due to a single infectious agent. In 2022, around 10.6 million people were diagnosed... Read more![Image: The ASTar System has received US FDA 510(k) clearance (Photo courtesy of Q-linea AB) Image: The ASTar System has received US FDA 510(k) clearance (Photo courtesy of Q-linea AB)](https://globetechcdn.com/mobile_labmedica/images/stories/articles/article_images/2024-05-07/ASTar_ft-1-700x494.jpg)
Automated Sepsis Test System Enables Rapid Diagnosis for Patients with Severe Bloodstream Infections
Sepsis affects up to 50 million people globally each year, with bacteraemia, formerly known as blood poisoning, being a major cause. In the United States alone, approximately two million individuals are... Read morePathology
view channel![Image: The Hairpin Duplex Enhanced Fidelity Sequencing (HiDEF-seq) could reveal the causes of mutations (Photo courtesy of Shutterstock) Image: The Hairpin Duplex Enhanced Fidelity Sequencing (HiDEF-seq) could reveal the causes of mutations (Photo courtesy of Shutterstock)](https://globetechcdn.com/mobile_labmedica/images/stories/articles/article_images/2024-06-14/shutterstock_447424987.jpg)
New Technique Reveals Earliest Signs of Genetic Mutations
Mutations are alterations in the molecular "letters" that constitute the DNA code, which serves as the blueprint for all living cells. While some of these changes may be inconsequential, others can lead... Read more![Image: Diff-Quik stained smear from lung FNAB (Photo courtesy of Guoping Cai, Darin Dolezal, Ivana Kholová) Image: Diff-Quik stained smear from lung FNAB (Photo courtesy of Guoping Cai, Darin Dolezal, Ivana Kholová)](https://globetechcdn.com/mobile_labmedica/images/stories/articles/article_images/2024-06-13/Low-Res_jctp-23-68-g005.jpg)
New WHO Reporting System for Lung Cytopathology to Enhance Diagnostic Accuracy
Lung cancer continues to be the most common cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide and ranks as the second most frequently diagnosed cancer in both men and women. The role of lung cytopathology, which... Read more![Image: Three of 46 histomorphological phenotype clusters in small block tiles identified by AI from images of cancerous lung tissue (Photo courtesy of Dr. N. Coudray/NYU Grossman School of Medicine) Image: Three of 46 histomorphological phenotype clusters in small block tiles identified by AI from images of cancerous lung tissue (Photo courtesy of Dr. N. Coudray/NYU Grossman School of Medicine)](https://globetechcdn.com/mobile_labmedica/images/stories/articles/article_images/2024-06-12/inline_Untitled-3.jpg)
Self-Taught AI Tool Diagnoses and Predicts Severity of Common Lung Cancer
A computer program powered by artificial intelligence (AI) and trained on nearly half a million tissue images can effectively diagnose cases of adenocarcinoma, the most prevalent type of lung cancer.... Read more![Image: The new AI-powered statistics method has the potential to improve tissue and disease research (Photo courtesy of 123RF) Image: The new AI-powered statistics method has the potential to improve tissue and disease research (Photo courtesy of 123RF)](https://globetechcdn.com/mobile_labmedica/images/stories/articles/article_images/2024-06-11/17907939_m_normal_none_1.jpg)
Novel AI-Powered Method for Tissue Analysis Improves Understanding of Disease Pathology
Scientists at Brown University (Providence, RI, USA) and the University of Michigan (Ann Arbor, MI, USA) have created a groundbreaking computational technique to examine complex tissue data, potentially... Read moreTechnology
view channel![Image: Illustration of the microneedle patch (Photo courtesy of Karolinska Institutet) Image: Illustration of the microneedle patch (Photo courtesy of Karolinska Institutet)](https://globetechcdn.com/mobile_labmedica/images/stories/articles/article_images/2024-06-05/plaster_custom20240529112158.jpg)
Microneedle Patch Detects Skin Cancer Early
Wearable bioelectronics has emerged as a significant innovation in healthcare, especially in the field of biosensing, providing a new method to monitor individual health for both diagnostic and therapeutic purposes.... Read more![Image: The nanopore optofluidic chip used in the new diagnostic system (Photo courtesy of UC Santa Cruz) Image: The nanopore optofluidic chip used in the new diagnostic system (Photo courtesy of UC Santa Cruz)](https://globetechcdn.com/mobile_labmedica/images/stories/articles/article_images/2024-04-09/new-diagnostic-tool-ac.jpg)
New Diagnostic System Achieves PCR Testing Accuracy
While PCR tests are the gold standard of accuracy for virology testing, they come with limitations such as complexity, the need for skilled lab operators, and longer result times. They also require complex... Read moreIndustry
view channel![Image: For 46 years, Roche and Hitachi have collaborated to deliver innovative diagnostic solutions (Photo courtesy of Roche) Image: For 46 years, Roche and Hitachi have collaborated to deliver innovative diagnostic solutions (Photo courtesy of Roche)](https://globetechcdn.com/mobile_labmedica/images/stories/articles/article_images/2024-05-28/download.jpg)
Roche and Hitachi High-Tech Extend 46-Year Partnership for Breakthroughs in Diagnostic Testing
Roche (Basel, Switzerland) and Hitachi High-Tech (Tokyo, Japan) have renewed their collaboration agreement, committing to a further 10 years of partnership. This extension brings together their long-standing... Read more![Image: Scientists will evaluate new blood-based biomarkers using highly sensitive technology (Photo courtesy of 123RF) Image: Scientists will evaluate new blood-based biomarkers using highly sensitive technology (Photo courtesy of 123RF)](https://globetechcdn.com/mobile_labmedica/images/stories/articles/article_images/2024-05-13/103048801_m_normal_none.jpg)
Danaher and Johns Hopkins University Collaborate to Improve Neurological Diagnosis
Unlike severe traumatic brain injury (TBI), mild TBI often does not show clear correlations with abnormalities detected through head computed tomography (CT) scans. Consequently, there is a pressing need... Read more![Image: Beckman Coulter is now an authorized distributor of the MeMed Key immunoassay system and MeMed BV assay (Photo courtesy of Beckman Coulter) Image: Beckman Coulter is now an authorized distributor of the MeMed Key immunoassay system and MeMed BV assay (Photo courtesy of Beckman Coulter)](https://globetechcdn.com/mobile_labmedica/images/stories/articles/article_images/2024-05-09/PR_partnership_with_Beckman_Coulter_v1_2.jpg)
Beckman Coulter and MeMed Expand Host Immune Response Diagnostics Partnership
Beckman Coulter Diagnostics (Brea, CA, USA) and MeMed BV (Haifa, Israel) have expanded their host immune response diagnostics partnership. Beckman Coulter is now an authorized distributor of the MeMed... Read more![Image: Thermo Fisher will distribute Bio-Techne products across Europe (Photo courtesy of 123RF) Image: Thermo Fisher will distribute Bio-Techne products across Europe (Photo courtesy of 123RF)](https://globetechcdn.com/mobile_labmedica/images/stories/articles/article_images/2024-05-01/130140677_m_normal_none (1)_1.jpg)