The Next Generation Nutraceuticals
First Things First: Talk of the Genetics
Before digging deep into the details, a little review on the genetics can be worthwhile. Genes are the tiny bits of information that makes everything in a living organism be the way it is. Genes form the instruction manual of the body. Genes make up the DNA, and the entire set of DNAs make up the genome. When the information in the genes is activated, it is referred to as gene expression. Of course, we can never change our genes. However, we can modify the gene expression by sleeping, exercising and eating; to mention a few.
What is Nutrigenomics?
Now that we understand a little about genetics, let’s look into Nutrigenomics. Basically, this refers to the study that evaluates how genetic makeup contribute to how we process what we take as food, and how health outcomes such as cardiovascular diseases and obesity come to be. The study evaluates the interaction between the food nutrients and dietary compounds with the human genome starting from the molecular level.
From the reference substance it is evident that there are specific genes associated with the sensitivity to caffeine, lactose intolerance, and even health conditions such as celiac diseases. A nutrigenomic approach is most often applied in the study of obesity – the disease, treatment, and prevention. Obesity is a complex condition with no specific cause. However, there are various approaches such as keeping the herbal standard that act as a preventive measure. Dietary choices alter the expression from the obesity-associated genes. For instance, one variation of the gene codes for the obesity and fat mass-associated protein get a higher BMI – increasing the risk for type 2 diabetes. Taking Mediterranean diets such as lean protein, whole grains, nuts, and olive oil reduces the risk for diabetes. Hence, it’s clear that both genes and nutrition contribute to your health status.
