Dietary Polyphenols as Regulators of Protein Deposition and Muscle Health: Mechanisms, Interactions, and Functional Applications
5 affiliations
- 1Institute of Animal Nutrition Sichuan Agricultural University Chengdu Sichuan P. R. China
- 2College of Horticulture Sichuan Agricultural University Chengdu Sichuan P. R. China
- 3Sichuan Provincial Key Laboratory of Tea Resources Utilization and Quality Assessment Chengdu Sichuan P. R. China
- 4Institute of Subtropical Agriculture Chinese Academy of Sciences Changsha P. R. China
- 5Nutrition, Eumetabolism and Health Group Girona Biomedical Research Institute (IDIBGI‐CERCA) Salt Girona Spain
Abstract
Polyphenols are a class of natural compounds widely found in plants, attracting significant attention due to their antioxidant, anti‐inflammatory, and metabolic regulatory properties. In recent years, the role of polyphenols in regulating protein metabolism and deposition has gained considerable interest within the scientific community. This paper systematically reviews the mechanisms through which polyphenols influence protein synthesis, degradation, digestion, absorption, deposition, and muscle health. It highlights their regulation of protein synthesis via pathways such as mTOR/AMPK and PI3K/Akt signaling and their role in protein degradation through the ubiquitin‐proteasome system and the autophagy‐lysosomal system. Polyphenols also have significant effects on protein regulation and muscle health, such as promoting protein synthesis in skeletal muscle to support post‐exercise recovery and preventing muscle atrophy, regulating lipid metabolism, and aiding fat reduction in adipose tissue. The synergistic interaction of polyphenols with metabolic pathways involving amino acids, fats, and carbohydrates further enhances their comprehensive regulatory effect on protein metabolism. This paper also discusses the application prospects of polyphenols in animal husbandry and human health, including their potential value as feed additives and nutritional supplements. Future research should focus on elucidating the mechanisms of polyphenols across different species, food matrices, and processing conditions to facilitate their practical application in food science, animal nutrition, and human health.
Related
- Long Non-Coding RNAs: Key Regulators of Economic Traits in Livestock From Mechanisms to Breeding Applications.
- Microbial Biostimulants for Drought Resilience in Plants: Mechanisms, Plant–Microbiome Interactions, and Sustainable Agricultural Applications
- Interactions Between Mycorrhizal Fungi and Mycorrhiza Helper Bacteria: Mechanisms, Ecological Functions, and Potential Applications in Sustainable Agriculture and Ecological Restoration
- Editorial: Novel insights in insect immunity: regulators, signaling, and mechanisms
- Multi-omics analysis of the regulatory mechanisms of hybridization on intramuscular fat deposition and flavor formation in rabbits
BibTeX
@article{liu2026dietary,
title = {{Dietary Polyphenols as Regulators of Protein Deposition and Muscle Health: Mechanisms, Interactions, and Functional Applications}},
author = {Chen Liu and Mengyi Ren and Xin Lai and Ke Gu and Liqiang Tan and Aimin Wu and Daiwen Chen},
journal = {Food science \& nutrition},
year = {2026},
month = nov,
doi = {10.1002/fsn3.72487},
url = {https://europepmc.org/article/PMC/PMC13724988},
note = {CC BY},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Dietary Polyphenols as Regulators of Protein Deposition and Muscle Health: Mechanisms, Interactions, and Functional Applications
AU - Chen Liu
AU - Mengyi Ren
AU - Xin Lai
AU - Ke Gu
AU - Liqiang Tan
AU - Aimin Wu
AU - Daiwen Chen
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/11/01
JO - Food science & nutrition
DO - 10.1002/fsn3.72487
UR - https://europepmc.org/article/PMC/PMC13724988
AB - Polyphenols are a class of natural compounds widely found in plants, attracting significant attention due to their antioxidant, anti‐inflammatory, and metabolic regulatory properties. In recent years, the role of polyphenols in regulating protein metabolism and deposition has gained considerable interest within the scientific community. This paper systematically reviews the mechanisms through which polyphenols influence protein synthesis, degradation, digestion, absorption, deposition, and muscle health. It highlights their regulation of protein synthesis via pathways such as mTOR/AMPK and PI3K/Akt signaling and their role in protein degradation through the ubiquitin‐proteasome system and the autophagy‐lysosomal system. Polyphenols also have significant effects on protein regulation and muscle health, such as promoting protein synthesis in skeletal muscle to support post‐exercise recovery and preventing muscle atrophy, regulating lipid metabolism, and aiding fat reduction in adipose tissue. The synergistic interaction of polyphenols with metabolic pathways involving amino acids, fats, and carbohydrates further enhances their comprehensive regulatory effect on protein metabolism. This paper also discusses the application prospects of polyphenols in animal husbandry and human health, including their potential value as feed additives and nutritional supplements. Future research should focus on elucidating the mechanisms of polyphenols across different species, food matrices, and processing conditions to facilitate their practical application in food science, animal nutrition, and human health.
SN - 2048-7177
ER -