Biological aging is a primary driver of chronic diseases, such as cancer, diabetes, and neurodegenerative disorders. Phytochemicals (e.g., polyphenols, terpenoids, alkaloid), abundant in plant-based diets, are emerging as plant bioactive compounds that modulate metabolic pathways to combat aging. These compounds influence the processes of nutrient absorption, utilization, and metabolism. Crucially, they regulate redox homeostasis, mitochondrial energetics, energy metabolism, and gut-microbiota interactions, all of which are core pillars of nutritional metabolism. Despite their dietary significance, the molecular mechanisms linking phytochemical-driven nutrient metabolism to aging attenuation require deeper exploration.

This Research Topic aims to identify dietary phytochemicals with a proven efficacy in delaying biological aging through the regulation of nutrient metabolism. We are looking for original research that clarifies how these compounds modulate nutrient-sensing pathways (e.g., AMPK, mTOR) and mitochondrial bioenergetics to maintain cellular energy metabolism, preserve redox homeostasis via endogenous antioxidant systems, and reshape gut microbiota composition and the gut-organ axis to improve nutrient bioavailability and metabolic health. Emphasis is placed on human nutritional relevance, requiring that studies using cell or animal models directly link findings to human nutrient metabolism and dietary interventions.

Areas to be covered in this Research Topic may include, but are not limited to:

● Phytochemicals modulate aging-related signaling pathways in cell studies and animal model, as a representation of human nutrition metabolism.

● The impact of phytochemicals on mitochondrial function in combating aging and related diseases.

● Phytochemicals target the gut microbiome or the "gut-X" axis to combat aging.

● The impact of phytochemicals on age-related markers in clinical trials.

Are you interested in contributing a manuscript to this Research Topic?

Phytochemicals: Molecular Mechanisms for Anti-Aging and Aging-Related Diseases