The relationship between diet and damage caused by inflammation – Integrative Practitioner

Written by Erin Yeh

While inflammation serves as an important signal for immune cell response, too much of it can lead to tissue damage or even death. When immune cells reach the affected area, they release proteins called pro-inflammatory cytokines. These cytokines are what lead to disease and death. It’s a delicate process aimed at finding the balance between creating enough inflammation to get rid of the invader and producing too much of it.

To understand how the body regulates cytokine levels, researchers at the Salk Institute conducted a study in mice by stimulating systemic inflammation with… Yersinia Pseudodisorder (Yptb) The cause of the disease (Cell metabolismDigital ID: 10.1016/j.cmet.2025.12.011). The team found a kidney-mediated role for nutrients in regulating cytokine responses during infection.

Methionine and kidney function

The team infected mice with… YptbThe mice quickly showed signs of decreased appetite, indicating a change in metabolism. Circulating amino acids are altered in mice, with a marked decrease in methionine (Met) during infection. The researchers wanted to test the functional role of Met before and after injury, and they fed mice a control diet, deficient or rich in Met, for 14 days before injury. Food intake and nutritional conditions were unchanged. The results showed that mice fed a Met-deficient diet subsequently lost weight Yptb infection, and mice in the Met-enriched diet group gained weight compared to the control group. In other words, mice that had Met added to their diet were protected from… YptbAs well as emaciation, loss of appetite, and a defect in the blood-brain barrier. It is worth noting that the mice were all male.

The research team also measured Yptb levels in the organs, and they made a major discovery about the kidneys. The kidneys promoted cooperation between host and pathogens and mitigated the costs of immune responses by reducing systemic inflammation via renal filtration of pro-inflammatory cytokines. In other studies, there has been evidence that the kidneys remove cytokines from the blood. In this study, the team extends these findings by showing that the kidney regulates systemic inflammation by promoting the clearance of circulating proinflammatory cytokines during infection. Increased urination has been associated with higher glomerular filtration rate and increased cytokine reabsorption by the kidney, suggesting that increased excretion reflects enhanced filtration rather than impaired reabsorption, damage, or kidney failure.

In addition, the team tested whether Met could help in other conditions. They discovered that Met can help treat sepsis and multi-organ damage caused by Escherichia coli. By examining decreased levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines and increased urination of these cytokines, they found that Met supplementation protected mice from Escherichia coli. The researchers also induced kidney injury using adenine, leading to sterile inflammation and progressive kidney failure. The result was that Met delayed mortality and showed less renal morbidity.

The main unanswered question is, how does increased kidney function relate to kidney growth? Studies have shown that changes in blood flow and increases in filtration by individual nephrons often occur before kidney development. Conversely, kidney growth results in increased volume of nephrons, increased glomerular surface area, and increased blood flow, which enhances the kidney’s filtering ability. More research is needed to determine how increased filtration and kidney growth during infection are related, and whether Met enhances other kidney functions that support survival during infection.

Dietary supplements are used as medicine

Met is essential for growth and development, but Met restriction also mimics the benefits of calorie restriction, including improved health and lifespan. As such, it has gained traction as a form of nutritional intervention. None of the studies supporting the benefits of Met restriction have mentioned how it might affect physiological stressors such as infection. More research needs to be done to fully explore how Met works, as well as whether other amino acids have similar or complementary mechanisms.

However, the results are promising for using nutritional supplements as a form of medicine. Instead of taking a medication that may have unpleasant side effects, being able to take supplements after a meal can make a big difference.