Overview
Biochemical mechanisms in nutrition concern the molecular and metabolic processes through which dietary components exert their effects on the body, bridging what is eaten and how it influences physiological function and health. Nutrients and bioactive food constituents, including macronutrients, vitamins, minerals, and phytochemicals, participate in biochemical pathways as substrates, cofactors, and regulators: they are digested, absorbed, and metabolised, serve as building blocks and energy sources, act as cofactors for enzymes, and modulate cellular signalling, oxidative balance, and the expression of genes. Through these mechanisms diet shapes intermediary metabolism, lipid and glucose handling, antioxidant defences, inflammation, and processes linked to ageing, such as oxidative damage and telomere maintenance. The field examines how specific dietary factors, from fatty acids and proteins to micronutrients and plant-derived compounds, influence biomarkers of metabolic and nutritional status and contribute to or protect against disease, including metabolic and cardiovascular disorders. It also considers the interaction between diet and the gut microbiota, which transforms food components and generates metabolites with systemic effects. Methodologically the area draws on biochemistry, molecular biology, and metabolic and nutritional assessment to trace causal pathways from intake to outcome. By elucidating these mechanisms, nutritional biochemistry provides the rationale for dietary recommendations and interventions, explaining at a molecular level why particular foods and nutrients affect health, prevention, and disease management.
Research published in this journal
11 peer-reviewed articles, ranked by relevance. Each links to its DOI.
How this research is being cited
The 11 articles above have been cited 24 times in the scholarly literature. Citation data via OpenAlex and Crossref, updated Jun 2026.
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2026 · International Immunopharmacology
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2023 · African Journal of Food, Agriculture, Nutrition and Development
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2023 · JMIR Formative Research
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2023 · Springer eBooks
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2023 · JMIR Formative Research
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2023 · African Journal of Food Agriculture Nutrition and Development
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2021 · Nutrition
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2021 · Nutrition
A sample of recent works citing this journal's research on Biochemical Mechanisms in Nutrition, linking to each citing work.