- Dietary bioactive compounds, including polyphenols, probiotics and fatty acids, attenuate ALD via antioxidative, anti-inflammatory and gut microbiota-modulating mechanisms.
- Advanced delivery systems, processing technologies and functional food design enhance stability, bioavailability and targeted efficacy of bioactive compounds against ALD.
- Translational promise lies in precision nutrition, next-generation probiotics, intelligent delivery and AI-driven formulation, yet challenges include inter-individual variability, safety and regulatory hurdles.
Sci China Life Sci. 2026 Oct 12. doi: 10.1007/s11427-025-3383-9. Online ahead of print.
ABSTRACT
Alcoholic liver disease (ALD), resulting from chronic and excessive alcohol consumption, remains a major global public health burden. However, its underlying mechanisms are incompletely elucidated, and there are no specific biomarkers or effective pharmacological therapies currently available. Clinically, ALD diagnosis largely relies on patients’ self-reported drinking history and nonspecific biochemical or imaging findings, which limits accurate detection and targeted treatment. Consequently, there is an urgent need for safe, accessible, and effective preventive strategies to alleviate ALD progression. Recent studies have demonstrated that dietary regulation and food-derived bioactive compounds-such as polyphenols, probiotics, and fatty acids-can effectively attenuate alcohol-induced oxidative stress, inflammation, and gut-liver axis dysfunction. This review systematically summarizes recent advances (2020-2025) in the study of dietary bioactive compounds with protective roles against ALD, focusing on their molecular mechanisms, including antioxidative, anti-inflammatory, and microbiota-modulating effects. Furthermore, the paper highlights biotechnological innovations in enhancing the efficacy of bioactive compounds, such as advanced delivery systems, processing technologies, and functional food design, which improve the stability, bioavailability, and targeted efficacy of these compounds. Accumulating evidence supports the translational potential of nutrition-based interventions in preventing and managing ALD. However, significant challenges remain, including inter-individual variability, safety validation, and regulatory acceptance. Looking forward, precision nutrition, next-generation probiotics (NGPs), intelligent delivery systems, AI-driven formulation design, and sustainable food sources are expected to drive innovation in ALD prevention. Overall, this review aims to provide a timely and comprehensive overview of emerging nutrition-based strategies, offering valuable insights for developing scientific, practical, and health-promoting nutritional interventions against ALD.
PMID:42886439 | DOI:10.1007/s11427-025-3383-9
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