503415 - NUTRITION BIOCHEMISTRY

courses

ID:

503415

Duration (hours):

24

CFU:

SSD:

BIOCHIMICA

Year:

2025

Date/time interval

Primo Semestre (29/09/2025 - 23/01/2026)

Course Objectives

The aim of the teaching is to integrate the notions learnt in the General Biochemistry course by dealing with further aspects of the biochemical-nutritional properties of the macro- and micronutrients contained in food at the basis of human nutrition. Through the course, the student will acquire tools for understanding the functional and modulatory value of metabolism exerted by nutrients and their specific role in biochemical mechanisms considering the ways in which the various organs (brain, liver, muscle tissue and adipose tissue) dispose of these nutrients. The acquired knowledge will lead students to the ability to critically understand the molecular mechanisms by which nutrients and the state of nutrition regulate metabolic homeostasis and the state of health. Particular attention will be paid to the correlations between nutrition and exercise from a biochemical point of view, including the synergistic aspects they exert on the body's state of well-being. Students will also acquire the knowledge to understand the basis of some metabolic diseases and their correlation with nutrition.

Course Prerequisites

Knowledge of structural and metabolic biochemistry from the teaching given in the general biochemistry course in the second year is required, with particular reference to the chemistry of fatty acids, sugars and amino acid derivatives.

Teaching Methods

The course comprises 24 hours of lectures, all delivered by the course lecturer. Classroom lectures are provided with the support of power point slides. PDF of slides and other material presented during the lectures will be uploaded on the KIRO platform. The teacher is available to discuss the course topics and to provide any clarifications by appointment. For students with special needs, who cannot attend teaching activities in person and who have applied for Inclusive Teaching Modalities, suitable teaching materials will be available for fruitful self-study. If required, tutoring or supplementary teaching activities, remote or face to face meetings may be provided to support their self-learning.

Assessment Methods

The course involves oral examination in any of the established examination dates. The exam will be based on at least three different topics covered during the course (both lectures and practice). During the assessment students must show that they have learnt and understood the topics of the course, that they have achieved good communication skills with appropriate scientific terminology. Appropriate examination modalities are foreseen for students who fall into the categories of Specific Learning Disorders (SLDs) and Special Educational Needs (SEN).

Texts

Ugo Leuzzi , Ersilia Bellocco , Davide Barreca, Biochimica della nutrizione, Zanichelli

Absorption, distribution and principles of macronutrient utilisation (carbohydrates, lipids and proteins). Metabolic specialisation of organs and tissues: metabolic characteristics of liver, muscle, adipose tissue, brain. Metabolic effects of macronutrients and their implications on health. Biochemical pathways of nutritional sensors and regulation of food intake and body mass. Principles of metabolic biochemistry in sport. Energy metabolism, metabolic regulation and nutritional strategies in short-term and long-term exercise. Biochemical bases associated with certain defects in glucose, lipid and amino acid metabolism. Correlation between nutrition and metabolism in certain pathological conditions. Biochemical-nutritional aspects of non-protein nitrogen compounds such as glutathione, taurine, creatine, carnitine, S-adenosylhomocysteine and S-adenosylmethionine, neurotransmitters. Biosynthesis and biochemical functions Biological role of vitamins with emphasis on fat-soluble vitamins and the metabolisms in which they are involved: Vitamin D and calcium homeostasis; Vitamin K and coagulation; Vitamin A, cell differentiation and phototransduction; Vitamin E and antioxidant activity Alcoholic beverages: absorption, distribution, metabolism of ethanol (alcohol dehydrogenase, aldehyde dehydrogenase, microsomal system) and its effects on the body and nutritional status Coffee, tea, and cocoa: effects of caffeine Food toxicity: Xenobiotics and metabolism. Detoxification mechanisms (Cytochrome P450 and flavin monooxygenases) Oxidative stress: reactive oxygen species and endogenous / exogenous anti-oxidant systems