The anti-obesity effects of polyphenols: a comprehensive review of molecular mechanisms and signal pathways in regulating adipocytes

Front Nutr. 2024 Oct 30:11:1393575. doi: 10.3389/fnut.2024.1393575. eCollection 2024.

Abstract

Excess weight gain is a growing concern worldwide, fueled by increased consumption of calorie-dense foods and more sedentary lifestyles. Obesity in China is also becoming increasingly problematic, developing into a major public health concern. Obesity not only increases the risk of associated disease but also imposes a burden on health care systems, and it is thus imperative that an effective intervention approach be identified. Recent studies have demonstrated that the polyphenol-rich Mediterranean diet has considerable potential in this regard. Polyphenols can inhibit the production of adipocytes and reduce adverse reactions, such as inflammation, insulin resistance, and gut microflora imbalance. In this review, we examine four polyphenols (curcumin, ellagic acid, ferulic acid, and quercetin) in terms of their potential as interventions targeting obesity. The mechanisms that help promote adipocyte browning, increase thermogenic factors, increase thermogenesis, and regulate adipocyte differentiation are summarized, and key signaling pathways, including PPARγ, C/EBP-, and others, are reviewed.

Keywords: adipose tissue; antioxidant effect; gut microbiota; inflammatory reaction; obesity; polyphenol; signal pathways.

Publication types

  • Review

Grants and funding

The author(s) declare that financial support was received for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article. The research was supported by the grants from Zhejiang Provincial Program for Medicine and Health (2023KY411), Key Laboratory of Precision Medicine for Atherosclerotic Diseases of Zhejiang Province, China (2022E10026), Social Development Science and Technology Foundation of Taizhou (21ywb115), and Social Development Science and Technology Foundation of Wenling (2021S00197).