Genetic predispositions in nutrition: The role of food genomics and nutritional genetics in the therapeutic management of metabolic and diet-related disorders
Tim Klein
2026-03-18
3 min. read
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Scientific disciplines such as food genomics and nutritional genetics address the growing demand for an in-depth understanding of the interactions between dietary components and the unique genetic profiles of individuals. Increasingly precise research focuses on identifying individual physiological responses to specific nutrients, which is of paramount importance for both the prevention and treatment of a broad spectrum of diet-related, metabolic, and immune-mediated disorders.
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Nutrigenomics studies the effects of dietary bioactive ingredients on gene expression and thus on health. The bioactive components of the diet are e.g. green tea (EGCG), turmeric (curcumin), red grapes (resveratrol) or soybeans (genistein). Many food ingredients have a major impact on genome function e. g. magnesium, zinc, and niacin are cofactors or substrates in enzymatic reactions that play a major role in the proper functioning of the body.
Nutrients and their derivatives
It is concerned with the analysis of the genetic differences that exist in individual individuals and affect their response to individual nutrients. Differences in the genome cause each person's body to react differently to the ingredients in the diet. Nutrients have the ability to influence the human genotype and can shape its phenotype (a set of characteristics of the organism that include morphology, physical properties, behaviour, life cycle, biological changes). The possibility of multiple genetic variants determines a different metabolic response to the bioactive components of the diet..
Nutrigenomics and nutrigenetics
Nutrigenomics analyzes the relationships between diet and genetic predispositions to diseases: cancer, metabolism, and the circulatory system. It defines certain mechanisms that affect how food and nutrition affect human health. Nutrigenometrics, on the other hand, deals with changes in genomes and diets in a different way. It also analyzes genetic differences that occur in individuals and affect their responses to individual food substances. Diet and the way we eat is of great importance because the body's diet expresses specific information about genes.