Background: Shift work, especially during nighttime hours, disrupts the circadian system and is linked to higher rates of metabolic, gastrointestinal, cardiovascular, and neurocognitive disorders. Emerging evidence suggests that gut microbiota may mediate these associations. This systematic review assessed whether shift work alters gut microbiota composition and explored potential health consequences. Methods: A systematic search was conducted in PubMed, Scopus, and ScienceDirect from inception to March 2025. Studies reporting gut microbiota alterations in adult shift workers were included. Two reviewers independently screened articles and extracted data. Risk of bias was assessed using the NIH Quality Assessment Tool and the ROBINS-E framework. Five studies met the eligibility criteria and were included in the final synthesis. Results: The selected studies comprised four observational investigations with small sample sizes and one Mendelian randomization study leveraging large-scale genetic datasets. Observational studies reported reduced α-diversity and increased relative abundance of pro-inflammatory genera—including Escherichia/Shigella, Blautia, and Dialister—in night shift workers. These microbiota alterations were associated with gastrointestinal complaints and indicators of cardiometabolic dysfunction. The Mendelian randomization study provided preliminary evidence supporting a causal relationship between circadian misalignment, gut dysbiosis, and increased cardiovascular risk. Conclusions: Shift work is associated with significant alterations in gut microbiota composition that may contribute to adverse health outcomes. However, current evidence is limited and heterogeneous, preventing firm causal conclusions. Further high-quality longitudinal and interventional research is needed to clarify underlying mechanisms and inform preventive strategies.

Non-communicable chronic diseases are on the rise globally, and diet plays a crucial role. Intermittent fasting (IF), particularly time-restricted eating (TRE), has emerged as a potential strategy to manage these conditions. Research suggests that TRE, combined with healthy diets like the Mediterranean diet, may benefit populations, including older adults. Seventeen adults over 60 years of age were randomly assigned to the TRE + MED group (n = 8), following a 12-h fast with the Mediterranean diet, or the MED-DIET group (n = 9), following the diet without fasting. Over three months, changes in anthropometric, biochemical, and quality of life measures were assessed. The TRE + MED group showed significant reductions in BMI (p = 0.040), waist circumference (p < 0.001), hip circumference (p = 0.025), waist-to-hip ratio (p = 0.023), and systolic blood pressure (SBP) (p = 0.020), along with changes in fasting glucose. In the MED-DIET group, only SBP decreased significantly (p = 0.022). Between-group comparisons showed greater improvements in waist circumference (p = 0.001) and waist-to-hip ratio (WHR; p = 0.036) in the TRE + MED group. Conversely, gamma-glutamyl transferase (GGT) levels improved more in the MED-DIET group (p = 0.020). However, in the between-group comparison, only the reduction in waist circumference, WHR, and GGT levels reached statistical significance. Both groups improved Mediterranean diet adherence, quality of life, and stool regularity, but only 20 % of the TRE + MED group was willing to continue fasting, compared to 100 % in the MED-DIET group. TRE combined with the Mediterranean diet offers superior health benefits compared to the Mediterranean diet alone. In addition, adhering to a consistent meal schedule and regulating meal timing appear to be more challenging for the studied population.

ObjetivoEste estudio examinó los factores determinantes de la aceptación de la vacuna contra la COVID-19 en Colombia, con especial énfasis en las respuestas de las personas tras experimentar posibles efectos secundarios.MétodosSe realizó un estudio transversal mediante un cuestionario anónimo en línea en Colombia entre enero y marzo de 2023. La encuesta ad hoc recopiló información sociodemográfica, antecedentes de COVID-19, estado de vacunación y efectos adversos. Se realizaron análisis descriptivos, pruebas de chi cuadrado y regresión logística multinomial (ORa, IC95%) (p <0.05).ResultadosEl 40.2% de los participantes expresó dudas o habría rechazado la vacunación si hubiera conocido previamente los posibles efectos secundarios. Las mujeres tuvieron una mayor probabilidad de presentar dudas o de rechazar la vacuna tras experimentar efectos adversos. Los participantes que presentaron efectos secundarios fueron más propensos a cuestionar su decisión de vacunarse. Las personas más jóvenes tuvieron menor probabilidad de desarrollar actitudes negativas tras experimentar efectos secundarios que los adultos mayores. Quienes habían recibido solo una dosis presentaron una mayor probabilidad de dudar o rechazar futuras vacunaciones, mientras que quienes habían recibido múltiples dosis presentaron una menor probabilidad de hacerlo. Los participantes que cursaron COVID-19 de manera asintomática tuvieron menor probabilidad de rechazar la vacunación tras conocer los posibles efectos secundarios, posiblemente porque confiaban más en su sistema inmunológico o tenían un mayor deseo de proteger a otros. ConclusionesLa vacilación hacia la vacunación se asoció con el sexo femenino, la presencia previa de efectos adversos y un menor número de dosis recibidas, mientras que la menor edad se asoció con una mayor aceptación. Estos hallazgos resaltan la necesidad de estrategias de comunicación del riesgo dirigidas a abordar las preocupaciones sobre la seguridad y a fortalecer la confianza en las vacunas.