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Nutrigenetics What is known about future nutrition
Table of Contents
1. Nutrigenetics is the definition
Nutrigenetics is the science of analyzing genetic differences and determining the relationship between genes and nutrients. In other words, it shows how genes determine the response of the whole organism to a given food. This means that people with, for example, given polymorphism will have to follow specific dietary recommendations.2. The gene
To understand what nutrigenetics is all about, it is worth explaining the basic concepts of genetics: the DNA fragment that is responsible for transmitting a species trait (usually coding for RNA or protein synthesis); ?? a set of genes found in a cell;3. Nutrigenetics and nutrigenomics
To fully understand the effect of food on the genome, it is worth explaining the differences between two very similar concepts nutrigenetics and nutrigenomics. Nutrigenomics is the study of the body's individual response to bioactive food ingredients (e.g. vitamins, flavonoids, omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids, pathogenetic and probiotic bacteria).4. Genetic studies
To conduct a genetic test, a sample of saliva, blood or cheek swab must be taken. The DNA strand is then isolated in the laboratory and molecular biology methods (e.g. PCR chain polymerase reaction) are used to detect mutations or genetic polymorphisms. However, it should be noted that only a small part of the human genome is studied (there are over 3 billion pairs of genes in the human body). However, the structure of DNA is quite complex. The basic unit is the principles (purine and pyridine pairs) that by selecting nucleoside pairs and then nucleotides. Whether or not the results of a single genetic test can be used to determine the pre-existence of this type of disease.5. Food-related illnesses
For years, diet-related diseases have been known. One of them is phenylketonuria. People suffering from it do not have the enzyme phenylalanine hydroxylase. As a result, their bodies accumulate phenyloalanine, an excess of which can lead to mental or motor impairment. This disease requires the introduction of a poor diet of phenylelanine. Its early detection is very important, so newborns are already undergoing a test to detect it more rapidly. Another example of a disease that may be caused by genetic factors is celiac disease.6. Nutrigenetics in practice
Genetic studies can be of great importance in the prevention or treatment of common diseases of type 1 diabetes. A review of the studies published in 2018 in Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition provides evidence that the presence of these polymorphisms may increase the risk of cardiovascular disease and obesity. Fractions of genes that may be responsible for type 1 Diabetes have also been studied. In 2018 in the journal Diabetology Practice published a study that showed that the expression of the A-R5 fatty acids (which may not result from a study of the GARCHs and histamines) in the body can also be linked to a larger number of changes in the DNA of the body.7. Nutrition programming during pregnancy
Increasing emphasis is being placed on the proper nutrition of pregnant women, which is of great importance for the developing fetus, as nutrients affect not only its proper development in the womb, but also its postpartum and adult health. Nutritional programming is a process that results in permanent changes in the genome that have a lifelong impact.8. Summary
In conclusion, individual macro- and micro-elements do not affect every person equally. Therefore, there is a growing need to personalize the diet. According to the information above, the effects on the personalization of the diet are not only dietary preferences or lifestyle, but also the human genome. So it can be assumed that in the future the basis for determining the right diet will be genetic testing. However, they may prove helpful in obesity, osteoporosis or cardiovascular disease.
