A metabolomics approach to the identification of biomarkers of sugar-sweetened beverage intake.
BACKGROUND
The association between sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs) and health risks remains controversial. To clarify proposed links, reliable and accurate dietary assessment methods of food intakes are essential.


OBJECTIVE
The aim of this present work was to use a metabolomics approach to identify a panel of urinary biomarkers indicative of SSB consumption from a national food consumption survey and subsequently validate this panel in an acute intervention study.


METHODS
Heat map analysis was performed to identify correlations between ¹H nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectral regions and SSB intakes in participants of the National Adult Nutrition Survey (n = 565). Metabolites were identified and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis was performed to assess sensitivity and specificity of biomarkers. The panel of biomarkers was validated in an acute study (n = 10). A fasting first-void urine sample and postprandial samples (2, 4, 6 h) were collected after SSB consumption. After NMR spectroscopic profiling of the urine samples, multivariate data analysis was applied.


RESULTS
A panel of 4 biomarkers-formate, citrulline, taurine, and isocitrate-were identified as markers of SSB intake. This panel of biomarkers had an area under the curve of 0.8 for ROC analysis and a sensitivity and specificity of 0.7 and 0.8, respectively. All 4 biomarkers were identified in the SSB sample. After acute consumption of an SSB drink, all 4 metabolites increased in the urine.


CONCLUSIONS
The present metabolomics-based strategy proved to be successful in the identification of SSB biomarkers. Future work will ascertain how to translate this panel of markers for use in nutrition epidemiology.
From the Institute of Food and Health, University College Dublin, Dublin, Republic of Ireland (HG, BAM, APN, MJG, and LB), and the School of Food and Nutritional Sciences, University College Cork, Cork, Republic of Ireland (JW and AF).
Helena
H
Gibbons
From the Institute of Food and Health, University College Dublin, Dublin, Republic of Ireland (HG, BAM, APN, MJG, and LB), and the School of Food and Nutritional Sciences, University College Cork, Cork, Republic of Ireland (JW and AF).
Breige A
BA
McNulty
From the Institute of Food and Health, University College Dublin, Dublin, Republic of Ireland (HG, BAM, APN, MJG, and LB), and the School of Food and Nutritional Sciences, University College Cork, Cork, Republic of Ireland (JW and AF).
Anne P
AP
Nugent
From the Institute of Food and Health, University College Dublin, Dublin, Republic of Ireland (HG, BAM, APN, MJG, and LB), and the School of Food and Nutritional Sciences, University College Cork, Cork, Republic of Ireland (JW and AF).
Janette
J
Walton
From the Institute of Food and Health, University College Dublin, Dublin, Republic of Ireland (HG, BAM, APN, MJG, and LB), and the School of Food and Nutritional Sciences, University College Cork, Cork, Republic of Ireland (JW and AF).
Albert
A
Flynn
From the Institute of Food and Health, University College Dublin, Dublin, Republic of Ireland (HG, BAM, APN, MJG, and LB), and the School of Food and Nutritional Sciences, University College Cork, Cork, Republic of Ireland (JW and AF).
Michael J
MJ
Gibney
From the Institute of Food and Health, University College Dublin, Dublin, Republic of Ireland (HG, BAM, APN, MJG, and LB), and the School of Food and Nutritional Sciences, University College Cork, Cork, Republic of Ireland (JW and AF).
Lorraine
L
Brennan
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001628:Beverages / Q000032:analysis; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000378:metabolism / Q000652:urine; D002956:Citrulline / Q000378:metabolism / Q000652:urine*; D015331:Cohort Studies; D004034:Diet Surveys; D019422:Dietary Sucrose / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000378:metabolism; D016002:Discriminant Analysis; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005561:Formates / Q000378:metabolism / Q000652:urine*; D006801:Humans; D007494:Ireland; D007523:Isocitrates / Q000378:metabolism / Q000652:urine*; D009682:Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D019518:Postprandial Period; D025341:Principal Component Analysis; D013654:Taurine / Q000378:metabolism / Q000652:urine*; D015854:Up-Regulation; D055815:Young Adult
D015415:Biomarkers; D019422:Dietary Sucrose; D005561:Formates; D007523:Isocitrates; C030544:formic acid; D013654:Taurine; D002956:Citrulline; C034219:isocitric acid
acute intervention study; dietary biomarkers; metabolomics; panel of biomarkers; sugar-sweetened beverages