About

Margaret Slavin, PhD, RDN, is an associate professor in the Department of Nutrition & Food Science at the University of Maryland. Her research broadly investigates the impact of food on human health, utilizing techniques ranging from benchtop science to population-level analyses and clinical assessments. Her current research focuses on the bi-directional relationship between diet and migraine disease, the gut microbiome, and food bioactive components, especially flavonoids and other polyphenolics. She is dedicated to teaching undergraduate nutrition for non-majors, supporting students in identifying health-promoting eating patterns, and preparing future evidence-based practitioners and scholars in nutrition. Dr. Slavin's work aims to advance understanding of how food influences health outcomes, particularly in relation to migraine and gut health.

Research topics

• Computer Science
• Biology
• Medicine
• Environmental health
• Internal medicine
• Genetics
• Neuroscience
• Psychology
• Bioinformatics
• Psychiatry
• Computational biology
• Physiology
• Pathology
• Food science
• Chemistry

Selected publications

• Variations of Dietary Intake Across Migraine Phases in Adults with Episodic Migraine: A Prospective Observational Pilot Study

  Current Developments in Nutrition · 2026-03-03

  articleOpen accessSenior author

  Background: Migraine is a common and disabling neurological disorder with complex symptoms, which may include eating-related symptoms before, during, and after headache (HA) pain. Objectives: This study aimed to use a novel case-crossover design to assess dietary intake in temporal relation to migraine attacks. Methods: Data were collected from 25 people with migraine over a 28 d period, consisting of twice weekly dietary recalls combined with daily HA diaries assessing migraine symptoms. Micro- and macronutrient intakes were assessed, along with dietary quality. Generalized estimating equations assessed relationships between migraine attack phases and day-level dietary intake. Results: Participants included 23 females and 2 males, with a mean (M) age of 31 ± 12 y and with a mean migraine disability assessment score in the severe range at 28.6 ± 20.2. Vitamin D and choline had the lowest frequencies of participants meeting the Dietary Reference Intakes. During the prodrome phase, the Healthy Eating Index (HEI) component score for total protein foods [M: 4.6; 95% confidence interval (CI): 4.4, 4.9], calories from total protein (M: 19.6%; 95% CI: 17.1%, 22.0%), and animal protein (M: 13.4%; 95% CI: 10.8%, 16.1%) were significantly higher than on interictal days [(M: 4.1; 95% CI: 3.9, 4.4), (M: 15.7%; 95% CI: 14.5%, 16.9%), and (M: 9.6%; 95% CI: 8.4%, 10.8%), respectively]. On HA days with mild pain, total HEI scores [(M: 61.9; 95% CI: 53.8, 69.9), total vegetable HEI component (M: 4.4; 95% CI: 3.9, 5.0)], greens/beans component (M: 3.8; 95% CI: 2.7, 4.9) and fiber density (M: 15.6 g/1000 kcal; 95% CI: 12.8, 18.3 g/1000 kcal)], were higher than on HA days with severe pain [(M: 52.6; 95% CI: 47.5, 57.8), (M: 3.1; 95% CI: 2.5, 3.8), (M: 2.3; 95% CI: 1.4, 3.1), and (M: 11.1; 95% CI: 9.2, 13.0), respectively]. Conclusions: A study design utilizing a novel combination of dietary recalls and HA diaries enables the observation of day-level differences in protein intake and dietary quality in relation to phase of the migraine attack and HA pain severity. The methodology is successful in consistently gathering detailed data that supports future designs, which represent diverse populations with migraine.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Headache, nutrition, and developmental origins of health and disease

  Headache The Journal of Head and Face Pain · 2025-10-21

  article1st authorCorresponding

  Margaret Slavin receives research funding from the USDA. Cara L. Frankenfeld receives funding from the USDA and is a consultant for EpidStrategies, A BlueRidge Life Sciences Company.

  PublisherDOI

• The Chemical Composition of Coriander (<i>Coriandrum sativum</i> L.) Extract and Its Ability in Reducing the Risk of SARS-CoV-2 Infection and Scavenging Radicals

  ACS Food Science & Technology · 2025-05-15

  article

  This study aimed to analyze the chemical constituents of coriander (Coriandrum sativum L.) ethanol extract and evaluate its potential in reducing the risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection and severe symptom development. Twenty-two compounds were detected, and 12 compounds were tentatively identified in the coriander extract using an ultra high-performance liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry (UHPLC–MS/MS) approach. The coriander ethanol extract was able to inhibit the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein and ACE2 interaction by 100% at a concentration of 3.3 mg dry coriander equivalents/mL (mg CE/mL) and suppressed ACE2 activity by 87% at 5.0 mg CE/mL, suggesting its potential in reducing the risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection. The coriander ethanol extract also exhibited free-radical scavenging capacities against the HO•, ABTS•+, and DPPH• at 140, 11, and 0.08 μmol Trolox equivalent (TE)/g dry coriander, respectively, suggesting its potential to reduce the oxidative stress which is associated with the severe symptom development after the SARS-CoV-2 infection. The results of this study showed that coriander has potential to mitigate the risks and effects of SARS-CoV-2 infection.

  PublisherDOI

• Nutritional Intake and Sensory Processing in School-Aged Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder

  Nutrients · 2025-02-07 · 10 citations

  articleOpen accessSenior authorCorresponding

  Background: Individuals diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) commonly experience sensory processing that differs from general-population norms, and the autistic lived experience of eating includes preferences for routine, and sensory processing difficulty related to scents, tastes, temperatures, and textures of food. Meanwhile, research indicates that nutrients involved in one-carbon metabolism (OCM) may be related to sensory processing. Methods: This study enrolled 33 school-aged children with autism to assess whether OCM nutrient intake is associated with sensory processing. Parents completed two parent-report assessments: the youth and adult food frequency questionnaire (YAFFQ), and a sensory processing tool, Sensory Profile 2 (SP2). Results: Participant data showed generally good nutritional profiles mirroring those of general-population U.S. children. A group-binarized linear regression model showed the following relationships (p &lt; 0.05): vitamin B12 consumption had a negative association with the SP2 Oral and Sensor domain scores. Choline intake had a positive association with the SP2 Avoider domain score. Vitamin B1 showed a positive association with the SP2 Visual domain score. Conclusions: These results support the possible existence of a relationship between sensory symptoms and OCM nutrient consumption levels in school-aged children diagnosed with autism. Future research is needed to confirm and explore the potential for causality.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• General Considerations in the Rational Design of Functional Foods

  2025-05-02

  book-chapter

  This chapter discusses the essential considerations in nutraceutical and functional food research and development and gives an overall picture of nutraceutical and functional food research and development and how different disciplines may be applied and integrated to accomplish nutraceutical and functional food research or development. This chapter also discusses selected important challenges related to the topic, such as how to understand the conflicting results obtained from in vitro and in vivo bioactivity evaluations.

  PublisherDOI

• Use of Acid-Suppression Therapy and Odds of Migraine and Severe Headache in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey

  Neurology Clinical Practice · 2024-04-24 · 8 citations

  articleOpen access1st authorCorresponding

  Background and Objectives: Headache is an adverse event associated with the use of proton pump inhibitors (PPIs). Recently, migraine has emerged more specifically as a potential adverse event with PPI use. The objectives of this work were to capitalize on existing data to evaluate the association between migraine and severe headache prevalence and use of acid-suppression therapy, including PPIs, H2 receptor antagonists (H2RAs), and generic antacids; to compare risk from PPIs vs H2RAs; and to assess for potential mitigation by a dietary factor affected by acid-suppression therapy. Methods: Data from adults in the 1999-2004 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey were used for this cross-sectional analysis. Acid-suppression therapy use was identified from self-report confirmed by product packaging review. Respondents who endorsed migraine or severe headache in the past 3 months were classified in the migraine or severe headache group. Dietary intake of magnesium was determined using one 24-hour recall interview. Multivariable logistic regression models were generated to analyze the relationship between acid-suppression therapy use and migraine or severe headache, and an interaction test was conducted to evaluate whether migraine or severe headache prevalence differed in relation to nutritional magnesium intake across acid-suppression therapy users and nonusers. Results: = 0.024). Discussion: These observations in US adults agree with previous findings that migraine or severe headache is a potential adverse event of PPIs, the most efficacious and most frequently used type of acid suppressing medication, and further suggest that other classes of acid suppressing medications (H2RAs and generic antacids) may also be implicated for migraine and severe headache. Future prospective analyses are needed to investigate migraine risk associated with acid suppressing medications while current evidence is sufficient to evaluate patients with migraine in light of recent deprescribing advice for PPIs.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Potential of clove, cinnamon and honeysuckle in suppressing the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein-ACE2 binding, inhibiting ACE2 activity, and scavenging radicals

  Journal of Food Bioactives · 2024-06-01 · 1 citations

  articleOpen access

  Water and ethanol extracts of clove (Syzygium aromaticum (L.) Merr. &amp; L.), cinnamon (Cinnamomum verum) and honeysuckle (Lonicerae japonicae) were examined for their chemical compositions, inhibition of SARS-CoV-2 spike protein-ACE2 binding, ACE2 inhibition, and free radical scavenging activity. UHPLC-MS/MS analysis tentatively identified 34, 36, and 27 compounds in clove, honeysuckle, and cinnamon water (WE) and ethanol extracts (EE), respectively. The extracts dose-dependently suppressed SARS-CoV-2 spike protein-ACE2 binding activity and ACE2 activity. Clove and cinnamon WEs at 33.3 mg dry botanical equivalents (BE)/mL, and cinnamon and honeysuckle EEs at 3.3 mg BE/mL showed almost 100% inhibition of S-protein-ACE2 binding activity. TPC values ranged from 5.3 mg GAE/g (honeysuckle EE) to 180.0 mg GAE/g (clove EE). The highest HO·, DPPH·, ABTS·+ scavenging activity were 2181 (clove EE), 536.91 (clove WE), and 3525.1 (clove WE) µmol TE/g respectively. These data suggested the potential of these botanicals in reducing the risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection and COVID-19 severe symptom development.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Nutritional Intake of Individuals With Moderate to High Frequency Episodic Migraine

  Current Developments in Nutrition · 2024-06-29

  articleOpen access1st authorCorresponding

  Cognitive dysfunction screening tools including the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE), Clinical Dementia Rating (CDR), or/and MRI were utilized.Blood tests included measuring homocysteine (Hcy).Results: In SCD, MCI/VMAD, and AD groups, the dietary insufficiency rates were 53%, 62%, and 75% for choline (below age-sex-dependent adequate intake (AI)), and 63%, 77%, and 69% for betaine (below the mean intake), respectively.MCI/ VMAD group had significantly lower intake of free choline compared to SCD group (p< 0.05).Compared to the lowest tertile, older females in the highest tertile of choline intake (693AE272 mg/d, p< 0.05) exhibited higher MMSE scores.Total choline (r -0.42, p< 0.05) and phosphatidylcholine (r -0.44, p< 0.05) intake showed inversely associated with MMSE scores in the AD group.Choline intake at the level below 404 mg/d can predict cognitive impairment (MMSE< 26) (AUC0.684,p< 0.01).Choline intake over age-sex AI levels was associated with reduced risk of cognitive impairment (MMSE< 26) after adjusting for age, sex, education levels, energy intake and blood Hcy (OR: 0.15, 95% CI 0.04-0.6).Conclusions: High prevalence of insufficient choline and betaine intake was found among older adults in Taiwan.Increased choline intake was associated with improved cognitive function and reduced risk of cognitive impairment above agesex-dependent AI levels.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Comparison of Isoflavone Metabolizing Phenotypes and Its Relationship to Cardiovascular Disease Risk

  Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics · 2024-09-18

  articleOpen accessSenior author
  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Dietary choline and betaine intake minimally impacts rate of annualized cognitive performance throughout the menopause transition: data from the Study of Women's Health Across the Nation

  Menopause The Journal of The North American Menopause Society · 2024-07-30 · 1 citations

  articleOpen access

  OBJECTIVE: Dietary choline is associated with lower risk of dementia in older adults, yet this association during mid-life remains unknown. Given that menopause reflects a nutrition-sensitive time point where prevention strategies may mitigate cognitive deficits, we examined the relationship of choline, betaine, and egg intakes (ie, dietary exposures) with cognitive performance in the Study of Women's Health Across the Nation (SWAN) cohort ( N = 1,006). METHODS: SWAN is a longitudinal study of women across the menopause transition. Diet was assessed via modified Block food frequency questionnaire, and cognitive function was examined using the Symbol Digit Modalities Test, Digits Backward Test, and East Boston Memory Test (EBMT). Annualized rate of cognitive scores and quartiles of diet were computed using linear mixed models overall (all diet exposures) and by baseline menopausal status (choline, betaine only). RESULTS: Among all women, higher choline ( P -for-trend = 0.006) and betaine ( P -for-trend = 0.005) intakes, independently and combined (ie, choline + betaine; P -for-trend = 0.001), were significantly associated with reduced rate of change on the EBMT-Delayed Recall (DR), but egg intake did not consistently impact cognitive function. By menopausal status, higher betaine, but not choline, was associated with a lower annualized rate of change in cognitive performance on the EBMT-DR (mean difference [95% confidence interval]; Q1: referent vs Q4: -0.071 [-0.17, 0.03]; P -for-trend = 0.006) for early perimenopausal women; nevertheless, choline and betaine were not associated with cognitive function among premenopausal women. CONCLUSIONS: Higher dietary betaine intake among early perimenopausal women and higher dietary intakes of betaine and choline, independently and combined, among all women, were minimally associated with the trajectory of verbal episodic memory, yet no associations between diet and cognition were observed among premenopausal women. Future research should address the relationship between dietary intake and cognition during menopause in other research settings and cohorts.

  PublisherDOI

Frequent coauthors

• Cara L. Frankenfeld

  50 shared

• Elizabeth K. Seng

  39 shared

• Alexander B. Guirguis

  Veterans Health Administration

  36 shared

• Liangli Yu

  University of Maryland, College Park

  23 shared

• Monica Whent

  15 shared

• Boyan Gao

  Shanghai Jiao Tong University

  11 shared

• Liangli Yu

  10 shared

• Qiang Yu

  State Key Laboratory of Food Science and Technology

  8 shared

Education

• PhD, Food Science and Nutrition

  University of Maryland

  2011

• BS, Clinical Dietetics and Nutrition

  University of Pittsburgh

  2006

Awards & honors

• Fellow, American Headache Society (2025)
• Dean's Grantsmanship Award, College of Agriculture and Natur…
• Outstanding Mason Core Natural Science Course, George Mason…
• Teacher of Distinction, George Mason University (2017)
• Master Teacher Award, Junior Faculty, College of Health and…