Physiology of Human Nutrition

The research interests within the PHuN () group are focused primarily on human health in relation to nutrition and metabolism. More specifically, we are interested in the physiological and functional effects of nutritive and nonnutritive dietary components on metabolic aberrations, in particular related to cardiovascular disease (CVD) and brain health. For that purpose, well-controlled dietary intervention studies are carried out with healthy human volunteers and specific study populations (e.g. NASH patients, elderly, insulin-resistant or obese subjects).

Our studies are designed to look at physiological and functional effects, and to unravel the biochemical and molecular mechanisms underlying these effects. While using state-of-the-art (non-invasive) techniques, a strong focus is on components that affect vascular function, as well as lipid / (chole)sterol / glucose-insulin metabolism in the periphery - focusing in particular on the vasculature, liver and intestines - and the brain. Furthermore, gut-brain and brain-periphery interactions are explored.

For this, the Metabolic Research Unit Maastricht (MRUM) infrastructure together with the MRI scanning facilities at the Department of Radiology and at Scannexus, are used. When possible, biopsies are sampled from target tissues, such as intestines or liver, before and after interventions. This is done in close collaboration with clinical groups in the academic hospital Maastricht. The ultimate aim of the studies described is to provide evidence-based information supporting the development of foods, dietary guidelines or health claims and to contribute to understand human health. A typical example is our contribution to the position of plant sterol and stanol enriched foods in (inter)national guidelines to lower CVD risk and their sustained presence as functional food in the supermarket.

Besides human studies, in vitro studies are carried out with primary and immortal cells to further explore underlying mechanisms of the effects observed in human studies. Also cell-oriented experiments deliver knowledge to fundament new human studies by, for instance, a screen for efficacy of potential nutrients on specific activities. Whenever possible, other metabolic effects (e.g. low-grade systemic inflammation, compromised immune responses, insulin-resistance) are studied, frequently in close collaboration with other groups.

A non-complete overview of typical examples of research themes are:

• The effects of different dietary fatty acids on CVD risk markers
• The effects of plant sterol and stanol esters on cholesterol metabolism and CVD risk markers
• The effects of lifestyle interventions on peripheral and brain vascular function, and on cognitive performance
• The effects of lifestyle interventions on liver health
• The effects of lifestyle interventions on gut-brain interactions and weight maintenance in obese children and adults.