Let us remember that nutrition is the science responsible for the study of food, micro and macronutrients, as well as the process in which they are assimilated, absorbed and eliminated from the body, helping its vital functions and pathological conditions due to their excess or deficiency.
The most significant problem nutrition was having as an emerging science was the long backwardness and the constant contradictory currents needing more correlation and sequence between the different nutritional recommendations for the various population groups, sectarians according to age, and other pathologies.
For many years, this generated some rejection by nutrition professionals and other professionals in the medical area since the entire scientific, biochemical, physiological, and social basis was not reflected in the application of diet therapy. This is because, for many years, only two main systems were managed.
On the one hand, only pre-established diets based on calories were very generalized, which generated little therapeutic adherence since patients felt little listened to and with very generic recommendations.
On the other hand, fad diets were used, although some have some therapeutic support (here we can mention the ketone, paleo, hypocaloric, mono fasts, and hyper protein diets), do not really cover the individual needs of both the healthy population and the population with specific requirements according to their health conditions.
So, for years, many health professionals who had training in nutrition chose to study another health-related career or go to the nutraceutical industry to have greater satisfaction and success in their daily consultation. Which ended up sinking even more, the much-needed but undervalued and poorly applied nutrition.
However, beyond so many failures, many fashionable currents and food philosophies gave rise to an emerging field of research that lays its foundations in the nutrient-genome interaction; this is how nutrigenetics and nutrigenomics were born.
Nutrigenetics
Nutrigenetics focuses on how genetic variations affect the body’s response to nutrients. This includes how genes can influence nutrient absorption, metabolism, and utilization.
Importance:
- Diet personalization: It allows you to design personalized meal plans that adapt to the genetic needs of each individual, optimizing health and well-being.
- Disease prevention: Identifying genetic predispositions to certain diseases can help implement dietary changes that reduce the risk of developing diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and obesity.
- Performance improvement: In sports, nutrigenetics can help athletes maximize their performance through nutrition tailored to their genetic profile.
Nutrigenomics
Nutrigenomics studies how nutrients and other dietary components affect gene expression. It focuses on the interaction between nutrients and the genome and how this interaction can influence health.
Importance:
- Modulation of gene expression: Nutrients can turn certain genes on or off, which can have a significant impact on health. For example, some bioactive compounds in food can influence inflammation and metabolism.
- Disease research: Nutrigenomics can help understand the molecular mechanisms behind chronic diseases and how diet can be used as a therapeutic tool.
- Health promotion: By understanding how foods affect gene expression, dietary strategies can be developed that promote health and prevent disease.
Genes affected by diet
The interaction between diet and gene expression is an area of active research in nutrigenomics. Although many genes can be affected by diet, some of the most studied include:
- FTO (Fat Mass and Obesity Associated): This gene is associated with obesity, and its expression can be influenced by fat and carbohydrate intake. High-fat diets can affect the expression of this gene.
- Peroxisome Proliferator-Activated Receptors (PPAR): These genes regulate lipid and glucose metabolism. PPAR activation can be influenced by omega-3 fatty acids and other nutrients.
- TCF7L2 (Transcription Factor 7-Like 2): This gene is linked to the risk of type 2 diabetes, and its expression can be affected by carbohydrate intake and diet quality.
- GCK (Glucokinase): This gene plays a crucial role in regulating blood glucose and can be influenced by carbohydrate intake.
- IL-6 (Interleukin 6): The expression of this gene, which is involved in the inflammatory response, can be modulated by diet, especially by the intake of omega-3 fatty acids and antioxidants.
- TNF-α (Tumor Necrosis Factor Alpha): This gene is also related to inflammation and can be influenced by diet, mainly by consuming foods rich in antioxidants and fiber.
- NOS3 (Nitric Oxide Synthase 3): This gene is involved in the production of nitric oxide, which is essential for cardiovascular health. Its expression can be affected by the intake of nitrates, present in vegetables such as beetroot.
- GST (Glutathione S-Transferases): These genes are involved in detoxification and antioxidant metabolism. The intake of foods rich in antioxidants, such as fruits and vegetables, can influence its expression.
Conclusion
The relationship between diet and gene expression is complex and multifaceted. Research in nutrigenomics continues to reveal how different nutrients can influence the expression of specific genes, which can affect health and disease risk. Understanding these interactions can help develop personalized dietary strategies to improve health and prevent disease.
This field is still an emerging area of opportunity as constant research generates findings and new genetic mechanisms linked to food consumption, nutrients, exercise, and stress response.
In diseases as complex as cancer, diabetes, connective tissue diseases such as lupus and cardiovascular diseases, this new science can undoubtedly provide us with the perfect complement for the conventional or non-conventional medical treatment of patients, giving them the plus and the preventive and predictive vision for a substantial improvement in their life expectancy and health levels.
