Citation:
Lodge, John K., Symposium 2: Modern approaches to nutritional research challenges: Targeted and
non-targeted approaches for metabolite profiling in nutritional research, Proceedings of the Nutrition Society 2011, Volume 69, Pages 95–102
Abstract:
The present report discusses targeted and non-targeted approaches to monitor
single nutrients and global metabolite profiles in nutritional research. Non-
targeted approaches such as metabolomics allow for the global description of
metabolites in a biological sample and combine an analytical platform with
multivariate data analysis to visualise patterns between sample groups. In
nutritional research metabolomics has generated much interest as it has the
potential to identify changes to metabolic pathways induced by diet or single
nutrients, to explore relationships between diet and disease and to discover
biomarkers of diet and disease. Although still in its infancy, a number of
studies applying this technology have been performed; for example, the first
study in 2003 investigated isoflavone metabolism in females, while the most
recent study has demonstrated changes to various metabolic pathways during a
glucose tolerance test. As a relatively new technology metabolomics is faced
with a number of limitations and challenges including the standardisation of
study design and methodology and the need for careful consideration of data
analysis, interpretation and identification. Targeted approaches are used to
monitor single or multiple nutrient and/or metabolite status to obtain
information on concentration, absorption, distribution, metabolism and
elimination. Such applications are currently widespread in nutritional research
and one example, using stable isotopes to monitor nutrient status, is discussed
in more detail. These applications represent innovative approaches in
nutritional research to investigate the role of both single nutrients and diet
in health and disease.
