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Review
. 2019 Oct 30;11(11):2602.
doi: 10.3390/nu11112602.

Chrononutrition and Polyphenols: Roles and Diseases

Anna Arola-Arnal  1 , Álvaro Cruz-Carrión  2 , Cristina Torres-Fuentes  3 , Javier Ávila-Román  4 , Gerard Aragonès  5 , Miquel Mulero  6 , Francisca Isabel Bravo  7 , Begoña Muguerza  8 , Lluís Arola  9   10 , Manuel Suárez  11
Affiliations
Review

Chrononutrition and Polyphenols: Roles and Diseases

Anna Arola-Arnal et al. Nutrients. .

Abstract

Biological rhythms can influence the activity of bioactive compounds, and at the same time, the intake of these compounds can modulate biological rhythms. In this context, chrononutrition has appeared as a research field centered on the study of the interactions among biological rhythms, nutrition, and metabolism. This review summarizes the role of phenolic compounds in the modulation of biological rhythms, focusing on their effects in the treatment or prevention of chronic diseases. Heterotrophs are able to sense chemical cues mediated by phytochemicals such as phenolic compounds, promoting their adaptation to environmental conditions. This is called xenohormesis. Hence, the consumption of fruits and vegetables rich in phenolic compounds exerts several health benefits, mainly attributed to the product of their metabolism. However, the profile of phenolic compounds present in plants differs among species and is highly variable depending on agricultural and technological factors. In this sense, the seasonal consumption of polyphenol-rich fruits could induce important changes in the regulation of physiology and metabolism due to the particular phenolic profile that the fruits contain. This fact highlights the need for studies that evaluate the impact of these specific phenolic profiles on health to establish more accurate dietary recommendations.

Keywords: biological rhythms; chrononutrition; diseases; health benefits; metabolic syndrome; nutrition; polyphenols.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Molecular mechanisms of biological rhythms. The circadian locomotor output cycles kaput/brain and muscle ARNT-like protein 1 (CLOCK/BMAL1) heterodimer is the central clock in all cells and stimulates the transcriptional activity of the period (Per) and cryptochrome (Cry) genes, whose heterodimer acts as a negative feedback loop of Clock/Bmal1 transcriptional expression. The two feedback loops of Rorα and Rev-erbα expression are regulated by CLOCK/BMAL1.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Effect of light on biological rhythms. Light regulates biological rhythms through the activation of the suprachiasmatic nucleus, which actives superior cervical ganglia, which triggers different signaling pathways in the body, such as pathways that modulate thermoregulation, metabolism, motion, activity, and hormone secretion. In the dark period, the pineal gland synthesizes melatonin, which inhibits the action of the suprachiasmatic nucleus.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Interaction between gene regulation of biological rhythms, seasonal variation of plant polyphenols composition, and health seasonal effects.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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