Probabilistic Nutrition – The Logistics of Life

Foundational Concepts of Systemic Coordination

Alberts, B., Johnson, A., & Lewis, J. et al. (2014). Molecular Biology of the Cell. Garland Science.
Explores the intricate cellular logistics that underlie nutrient absorption, transport, and systemic regulation.

Mayr, E. (1997). This Is Biology: The Science of the Living World. Harvard University Press.
Examines the dynamic interplay of evolutionary mechanisms in biological systems.

Camazine, S., Deneubourg, J. L., & Franks, N. R. et al. (2001). Self-Organization in Biological Systems. Princeton University Press.
Provides a theoretical foundation for understanding how blind coordination achieves systemic balance.

Energy Flow and Feedback Loops

Schwartz, M. W., Seeley, R. J., & Zeltser, L. M., et al. (2017). “Insulin and leptin in the control of energy balance.” Cell Metabolism, 25(1), 22–34.
Discusses how insulin and leptin interact through hormonal feedback loops to maintain energy balance, appetite regulation, and metabolic homeostasis.

Jenkins, D. J., Wolever, T. M., & Taylor, R. H., et al. (1981). “Glycemic index of foods: A physiological basis for carbohydrate exchange.” The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 34(3), 362–366.
Examines how carbohydrate digestion and nutrient pacing influence glucose absorption, supporting systemic energy regulation and metabolic stability.

Frayn, K. N. (2010). Metabolic Regulation: A Human Perspective. Wiley-Blackwell.
Comprehensive review of feedback-driven nutrient regulation, emphasising insulin, glucagon, and liver function.

Probabilistic Nature of Biological Systems

Barabási, A. L. (2007). “The architecture of complexity.” Nature, 446(7135), 756–758.
Examines the balance of chaos and order within complex biological systems, highlighting principles underlying systemic organisation, adaptability, and resilience.

Turing, A. M. (1952). “The chemical basis of morphogenesis.” Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B, 237(641), 37–72.
Introduces the concept of probabilistic gradients and their role in governing the formation of biological patterns and structures at the cellular level.

Wolpert, L. (1969). “Positional information and the spatial pattern of cellular differentiation.” Journal of Theoretical Biology, 25(1), 1–47.
Explores foundational mechanisms by which cells interpret biochemical gradients and feedback signals, enabling coordinated cellular differentiation and complex biological pattern formation.

Nutrient Transport and Cellular Uptake

Aisen, P., Enns, C., & Wessling-Resnick, M. (2001). “Chemistry and biology of eukaryotic iron metabolism.” International Journal of Biochemistry & Cell Biology, 33(10), 940–959.
Describes iron metabolism in eukaryotic cells, detailing the mechanisms of nutrient transport and the specificity of receptor-ligand interactions essential for iron uptake and regulation.

Trefts, E., Gannon, M., & Wasserman, D. H. (2016). “The liver and glucose homeostasis: The central role of the liver in systemic glucose metabolism.” Cell Metabolism, 23(4), 661–671.
Explores the critical role of the liver in regulating glucose homeostasis, highlighting its function as a central hub in systemic nutrient coordination and metabolic balance.

Kullak-Ublick, G. A., Stieger, B., & Meier, P. J. (2004). “Enterohepatic bile salt transporters in normal physiology and liver disease.” Gastroenterology, 126(1), 322–342.
Discusses the enterohepatic recycling of bile salts, emphasising their essential role in nutrient absorption, cholesterol homeostasis, and overall metabolic health.

Fibre as a Logistic Stabiliser

Slavin, J. L. (2005). “Dietary fibre and body weight.” Nutrition, 21(3), 411–418.
Examines dietary fibre’s role in regulating digestion speed, stabilising nutrient absorption, and mitigating metabolic fluctuations, thus supporting sustained energy balance and effective weight management.

Anderson, J. W., Spencer, D. B., & Hamilton, C. C. (1990). “Dietary fibre and lipid metabolism: The role of bile acid excretion.” The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 51(5), 778–785.
Explores dietary fibre’s impact on bile acid recycling, highlighting its importance for maintaining systemic cholesterol balance and preventing metabolic diseases.

Flint, H. J., Scott, K. P., Duncan, S. H., et al. (2012). “Microbial degradation of complex carbohydrates in the gut.” Gut Microbes, 3(4), 289–306.
Highlights how dietary fibre supports gut microbial health, enhancing microbial fermentation and stabilising nutrient absorption and systemic energy metabolism.

Gut-Brain Axis and Systemic Feedback

Mayer, E. A. (2016). The Mind-Gut Connection. Harper Wave.
Explores the bidirectional relationship between the gut and brain, focusing on systemic feedback regulation.

Cryan, J. F., & Dinan, T. G. (2012). “Mind-altering microorganisms: The impact of the gut microbiota on brain and behaviour.” Nature Reviews Neuroscience, 13(10), 701–712.
Discusses how gut microbiota and their metabolites influence brain function, emotional health, and systemic physiological regulation through the gut–brain axis.

Pavlov, V. A., & Tracey, K. J. (2005). “The vagus nerve and the inflammatory reflex.” Nature Reviews Immunology, 5(4), 318–328.
Details how the vagus nerve mediates the inflammatory reflex, linking gut function and systemic health through neural regulation and feedback mechanisms.

Blind Coordination and Feedback Mechanisms

Kitano, H. (2004). “Biological robustness.” Nature Reviews Genetics, 5(11), 826–837.
Explores how biological systems use feedback loops and signalling pathways to maintain systemic stability and resilience in response to environmental fluctuations.

Krebs, J. R. & Davies, N. B. (1993). An Introduction to Behavioural Ecology. Wiley-Blackwell.
Explores how organisms achieve adaptive behaviour through coordinated, probabilistic strategies.

Smith, P. M., Howitt, M. R., Panikov, N., et al. (2013). “The microbial metabolites, short-chain fatty acids, regulate colonic Treg cell homeostasis.” Science, 341(6145), 569–573.
Demonstrates how short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs), produced by fibre fermentation, function as signalling molecules essential for regulating immune homeostasis and gut-brain communication.

Modern Challenges to Systemic Logistics

O’Keefe, S. J., Li, J. V., Lahti, L., et al. (2015). “Fat, fibre, and cancer risk in African Americans and rural Africans.” Nature Communications, 6, 6342.
Discusses how low-fibre diets disrupt gut microbial feedback loops, increasing the risk of colorectal cancer and other metabolic diseases.

Malik, V. S., & Hu, F. B. (2012). “Sugar-sweetened beverages and health.” Current Opinion in Lipidology, 23(1), 86–91.
Explores how rapid absorption of sugars from processed beverages disrupts the body’s natural metabolic regulation, increasing the risk of obesity and chronic disease.

Anderson, J. W., & Burkitt, D. P. (1979). “Dietary fibre: Its role in modern nutrition.” Journal of the American Dietetic Association, 74(1), 47–51.
Highlights dietary fibre’s critical role in preserving digestive function, regulating metabolism, and protecting systemic health, particularly within modern dietary patterns.

Evolutionary Perspective of Systemic Regulation

Wrangham, R. W. (2009). Catching Fire: How Cooking Made Us Human. Basic Books.
Explores how cooking altered nutrient logistics and systemic energy availability.

Ungar, P. S. (2012). Evolution of the Human Diet: The Known, the Unknown, and the Unknowable. Oxford University Press.
Places human digestive and metabolic adaptations in the context of evolutionary energy systems.