Personalized Nutrition

What Is
Nutrigenomics / NutriGenetics?

This emerging field is not entirely new and has received much attention recently because of its potential to unravel this complex “food-gene-food” interaction. It has huge impacts on society “from medicine to agricultural and dietary practices to social and public policies”. Chronic diseases (and some types of cancer) may be preventable, or at least delayed, by balanced, sensible diets. Knowledge gained from comparing diet/gene interactions in different populations provide information needed to address the larger problem of global malnutrition and disease.

While it is true that humans are very similar genetically, but we all possess slight differences in our unique genetic blueprint, which set us apart from one another. This is what contributes the different and unique health expression in every one of us.

These common genetic variations such as single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) can alter the functionality of our genes. As a result from this unique set of genetic make-up, we all interact differently with the nutrients that we take in from out diet.

Nutrigenomics

The study concerning this relationship between nutrition, health status and genetics. It takes into the account of how food and bioactive components can alter gene expression.

Folate is a great example of how the food we eat can affect our genes. Folate is needed by the body to make DNA, and deficiency in this nutrient has been connected to a higher risk of developing cancer (low folate levels lead to changes in the DNA strands which make them more susceptible to breaking).

As folate is vital for DNA synthesis, it also plays an important role during fetal development when cell division and growth are at their peak. Specifically, folate ensures that the spinal cord of the baby develops properly. It is so crucial to this process that women are strongly advised to take folic acid supplements before and during pregnancy.

Nutrigenetics

It focuses on genetic susceptibility to diseases and the effects of genetic variations have from dietary intake.

A great example of this is lactose intolerance. People who are lactose intolerant are unable to digest the natural sugars present in milk and other fresh dairy products. This is because the gene responsible for making the necessary enzyme (lactase) is “switched off”, leaving their bodies unable to produce it. As a result, these people react badly to consuming dairy products, with symptoms such as abdominal pain, bloating, diarrhoea and nausea.

In Short

Nutrigenomics Nutrigenetics
Allows us to understand how vital nutrients can play a significant role in influencing our genes expression. Allows us to understand the effect of genetic variation has on the interaction between diet and disease or on nutrient requirements.
Assisting us to promote optimum nutrition to an individual. Assisting us to determine an individual’s risk of developing a certain disease.
The promise of nutritional genomics is personalized and predictive medicine that can be developed through tailored diet/supplementation to complement a person’s specific and unique nutritional needs based on his/her health status and genetic profile. This attempt strives to promote optimum health and work on a larger scale to help prevent many globally concerning chronic diseases.

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