Exercise and nutrition as epigenetic regulators of gene expression: an exploratory scoping review with bibliometric analysis.
Level 1 - systematic review of randomized trials
Systematic scoping review of predominantly randomized controlled trials (13 of 17 included studies).
PubMed 41883413 · doi:10.3389/fnut.2026.1773920
What was done
This scoping review and bibliometric analysis followed the Arksey and O'Malley framework. Five databases (PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus, EMBASE, and MEDLINE) were searched from inception to October 5, 2025, for studies evaluating combined exercise and nutrition interventions in relation to epigenetic contexts and health outcomes. Bibliometric visualization and strategic coordinate modeling were performed using CiteSpace, VOSviewer, and the R bibliometrix package.
What was found
Seventeen studies involving 1,568 participants were identified, with 13 studies (76.5%) being randomized controlled trials. Interventions were associated with tissue-specific changes in DNA methylation, histone modifications, and non-coding RNAs, alongside reported improvements in metabolic health, muscular adaptability, inflammatory processes, and aging-associated markers. Bibliometric analysis highlighted exercise, inflammation, and DNA methylation as central themes, while tissue-specific responses and epigenetic clocks emerged as newer focal areas. The abstract reports no pooled quantitative effect sizes.
Why it matters
This review maps the current state of lifestyle epigenetics, showing that combined exercise and nutrition interventions alter multiple epigenetic mechanisms while providing conceptual framing for future hypothesis-driven clinical trials.
Limits
The included evidence base is small (17 studies) and heterogeneous in design. Epigenetic assessments were not standardized, observations were restricted to specific tissues without cross-tissue generalization, and no quantitative meta-analysis was performed.
Cited by
- supports Exercise, diet, sunlight exposure, circadian rhythms, sleep, and stress levels impact gene expression and the epigenetic profile.