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Some diets gain popularity, while others fade into obscurity. However, let's be aware that there are no miracle diets. The diet itself should primarily be a lifestyle, not something you follow for a few days or several months. Most of the time, the goal of all these diets is to lose weight quickly, which isn't particularly beneficial for the body. Problems like the yo-yo effect, or the surprisingly quick rejection of a prescribed diet, are commonplace. In this article, we'll talk about a diet tailored to our DNA. Is it really that effective?
What is the gene diet?
The thing is, a healthy diet can mean something different for each of us. Because every person is unique. Some digest proteins better, others fats, and still others carbohydrates. It turns out that the diet that is most beneficial for our bodies is encoded in our genetic code, that is, popular DNA. The gene diet and the nutrigenomics department itself are based on adapting the optimal diet based on each person's genetic code. It is no coincidence that it was given the name "tailor-made diet." It involves eliminating products that have a negative effect on the body from the menu, but possibly also increasing those that are best tolerated. It should also be understood that this is a relatively new field of dietetics. Research and development are ongoing. It is also a mistake to associate the gene diet only with weight loss. The goal of this endeavor is not only to reduce body weight but also to bring nutritional comfort closer to patients with various ailments.
Subject and scope of nutritional genomics research
Nutritional genomics is the study of the interaction between the genome and nutrition. This science includes nutrigenomics and nutrigenetics, which have different approaches to studying these relationships. In the former, it is crucial to determine the influence of a certain type of food on gene expression and how it affects the body's homeostasis and its condition. Nutrigenetics, on the other hand, is concerned with identifying genes that influence the risk of diet-related diseases such as diabetes, obesity, or cardiovascular disease. It has been shown that each person has a different susceptibility to this type of disease. A good example is smoking and its association with lung cancer. The most important factors are, of course, the number of cigarettes smoked and the time. Nevertheless, each person is susceptible to the occurrence of this disease to a different extent. Nutrigentics is the study of such relationships.
Differences in the human genome
The diversity of phenotypes in a population is determined by the presence of alleles, i.e. alternative versions of the same gene. This is one of the reasons why people respond differently to the influence of the environment, lifestyle or type of diet. It can be briefly described as a single nucleotide mutation. The human genome is not perfect. Differences such as hair color, eye color or skin color are visible at first glance. However, we cannot verify in the same way how a person responds to certain amino acids or how susceptible they are to diabetes, for example. This is why it was such an important event to begin studying human DNA. Due to the presence of numerous gene polymorphisms that influence the development of diet-related diseases, developing an individualized diet based on genetic predispositions and effective in treating or preventing these diseases is an extremely difficult task.
How can nutrigenomics help prevent disease?
Currently, almost 180 million people worldwide suffer from diabetes. It is estimated that this number could rise to almost 300 million by the end of 2025. There is still no effective early detection method. However, there is light at the end of the tunnel. Environmental factors that overlap with genetic predisposition play an important role in the manifestation of diabetes. These factors include diet and physical activity, but also genetic predisposition. It has been shown that the presence of certain genes can increase the risk of this disease. More specifically, the TCF7L2 gene, but also rs12255372 and rs7903146. After extensive research, scientists from Finnish Diabetes Prevention Study found a link between the presence of this gene and an increased risk of the disease. Importantly, the risk is increased, but only if no preventative measures are taken.
Research on people in the risk group
The study involved 522 overweight individuals with impaired glucose tolerance. These individuals were randomly assigned to the intervention or control group. In the first group, great emphasis was placed on preventive measures. The patients received detailed dietary recommendations and regularly consulted with physicians and nutritionists. Their diet was based on limiting simple sugars, saturated fats, and increasing the amount of fiber in their daily diet. In addition, they performed regular, moderate physical activity. The control group received general recommendations on the benefits of weight loss and increased physical activity. The average study duration was 3.9 years. After this time, all patients were examined in detail, including for genetic changes. It has been shown that, despite genes potentially responsible for increasing the risk of diabetes, lifestyle changes and the adoption of an appropriate diet made it possible to avoid this disease. The conclusions are obvious. Genetic predispositions can come to light, but only if they are provided with the right prerequisites. A sedentary lifestyle and a lack of adequate knowledge in the field of nutrition are an easy way to develop potential diseases.
Is there an obesity gene?
The matter is somewhat more complex. There are actually genes that could potentially indicate an increased risk of obesity. This is similar to the genes that potentially determine diabetes. Genes such as FTO, FABP, and FABP2 can contribute to obesity through their effects. We're talking about, among other things, an increased susceptibility to obesity, increased fat storage, and a slower metabolism. This doesn't mean that people with such a genetic suit can't enjoy good health and a slim figure. It makes little sense to attribute everything to genes. This is because the genome alone makes up 10%, and the remaining 90% is our lifestyle: diet, physical activity, the number of stressful situations, sleep duration, and much more. Therefore, everyone has an influence on whether they provide the body with the conditions that reveal their genetic predisposition.
The future of nutrigenomics
In the future, it will be possible to use information about the interaction between nutrients and genes to individually assess the risks or benefits of consuming certain products or following a certain diet. At present, genome research itself is very expensive, and it will be a long time before we can use it on a large scale. Nevertheless, it has a great future, particularly in the prevention of lifestyle diseases and cancer, but not only. According to the scientists, it will also be possible to determine the predisposition of certain individuals, for example, to a certain sport or a certain profession. Ethical questions related to the development of research in nutrigenomics and nutrigenetics are also worth considering. This concerns how information about individual genetic variations is obtained and stored. This carries a potential risk of misuse, simply because of the individual genetic code.
Summary
There's no denying that all of humanity strives for development. Nutrigenomics is undoubtedly the future of conventional dietetics . Properly implemented, it will certainly allow us as a civilization to enter a new, higher level. Who knows, perhaps the incidence of diet-related diseases will be greatly reduced or even eliminated. Nutritionists will be able to create precise dietary plans tailored to each patient's individual genome. Research is ongoing, and we eagerly await new reports.
