Nutrigenomics
Highlight
- Nutrigenomic is short for nutritional genomics.
- Nutrigenomic is an umbrella term comprising studies that look at the bidirectional interaction between nutrition and genetics, and how this then affects human’s health.
- The goal is to find out how food, nutrition, and diet affects human’s gene expression.
- Our gene expressions have a huge impact on determining our overall health conditions.
- Nutrigenomics may aid in the prevention & management of noncommunicable diseases such as obesity, diabetes, cancer, and heart problems.
- Many conventional DNA testing kits usually collect saliva samples to extract the DNA data & for assessment purposes.
- The full benefits of nutrigenomics can only be manifested if the testing is followed by a referral to other healthcare professionals like a dietitian and a health specialist.
- Some challenges of nutrigenomics are lack of in-depth knowledge on the specific interventions, requiring a huge team of healthcare professionals, and may come off as costly for some people.
- Reimagene is one of the leading companies in Malaysia that is working towards providing a nutrigenomic solution.
1. Introduction
Did you know that foods have an impact on our genes and our genes determine how our body responds to the food we eat? You may know that food does indeed affect your body. But how deep is their effect? Can you know any dietary & health risks you bear that you might not know now? Is there even a way to test your genetics and get a personalized dietary intervention?
The answer is yes, there is! The specific field of science that may answer all of the above questions and more is called nutrigenomics.
2. What is nutrigenomics? 1
Nutrigenomics is the term used to describe a field of study that looks at the bidirectional interaction between nutrition & genetics, as well as how this impacts human’s health. It is the shorter term for nutritional genomics. In other words, it studies how food affects our body, and how our body responds to certain groups of food. It may answer why certain ingredients cause you extreme bloating and why a certain diet may not work for you while it works for everyone else. As a result, this allows people to get personalized dietary suggestions that are curated only for them.
Oftentimes, the terms nutrigenomics & nutrigenetics are used interchangeably. This field is not necessarily new within the healthcare industry and can be considered as a well-established specialty. It has been introduced in many countries such as the United States, Europe, and Australia.
3. Purpose of nutrigenomics 1
The goal of nutrigenomics is to study the effects of nutrition & diet on the expression of genes. In other words, it has the ability to tell us what food is causing our health issues and how different individuals may have different reactions to the same group of food. In the long run, nutrigenomics aim to collect & integrate a person’s customized nutritional profile for health treatment purposes.
These goals mainly target the prevention & management of noncommunicable diseases. Noncommunicable diseases are diseases that are not infectious and cannot be transmitted to other individuals. Diabetes, cancer, obesity, cardiovascular issues, pulmonary issues, and digestive issues are some examples of this type of disease. In fact, with nutrigenomics, we may also have the intervention that can help us to treat those diseases.
4. How does it work? 2
In order to manifest the nutrigenomics results, one needs to undergo a DNA test first. These days, direct-to-consumer genetic testing (DTC-GT) is readily available and can be done at the comfort of one’s home. Usually, after ordering the test kit online, one only needs to collect their saliva sample before sending it back to the company’s lab. The company will then extract the DNA from the sample and evaluate the genetic sequences in it. The evaluation part will be able to determine if the person may have any genetic markers that are associated with a certain disease or disease risk. With a more extensive assessment that focuses on nutrigenetics, one may also know their food intolerance & sensitivity. Finally, the result will be sent to the consumer which will hopefully prompt for lifestyle changes.
5. Is it useful?
Most companies that offer this type of service usually only offer the testing portion, and very few offer to provide a solution. People can take as many and as in-depth of a test as they want, but if there is no intervention or solution provided to help them overcome their concerns, the benefits only stop in their DNA test results.
Just like when you go see a doctor and they advise you to eat more fruits & vegetables, if there’s no one holding you accountable after the consultation, there’s a higher chance you’ll forget the advice and end up not doing it.
Nutrigenomics can be very useful when there’s a proper system that supports the execution of the lifestyle intervention it suggests. For instance, after getting your DNA result, you were referred to a doctor and a dietitian who can help you to stay accountable in your journey to improve your health. On top of that, the type of intervention that the healthcare professionals suggest may be even more accurate and more effective due to their understanding of your genetic condition.
6. Challenges
Despite being a revolutionary intervention, nutrigenomics do come with challenges. One of them is that the field requires more extensive research when it comes to the solution provided. The testing part may be accurate and can be delivered with high confidence, but can the same be said for the healthcare solution provided following the test? More accurately, the biggest challenge lies in trying to come up with proper dietary guidelines for numerous specific genetic variations. Not many providers are able to cater to this need, hence only making their dietary interventions a different kind of generic instead.
On top of that, for nutrigenomic to be truly beneficial and effective, a whole team of healthcare professionals is required to support the interventions suggested after getting the DNA result. As mentioned previously, one may need a team that comprises a doctor, a dietitian, a nutritionist, and perhaps a health specialist for their specific health conditions to make sure they’re getting the most from their DNA testing.
With that said, another obvious challenge that one may find is the cost. Due to its need for an extensive group of healthcare professionals, it is not surprising that the cost of a nutrigenomics testing & solution can be quite high. Moreover, because it is relatively a new field and the market for it is still quite sparse, it’s easy for certain companies to market their service at a high cost.
7. Resources
If you’re looking to get a DNA test that enables you to see your nutrigenomics profile, you may check out Reimagene’s DNA Testing here. On top of a DNA result, you will also get a referral to a team of healthcare professionals that will be able to help & guide you throughout your lifestyle changes.
References
- Marcum, J. A. (2020). Nutrigenetics/Nutrigenomics, personalized nutrition, and Precision Healthcare. Current Nutrition Reports, 9(4), 338–345. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13668-020-00327-z
- Floris, M., Cano, A., Porru, L., Addis, R., Cambedda, A., Idda, M. L., Steri, M., Ventura, C., & Maioli, M. (2020). Direct-to-consumer nutrigenetics testing: An overview. Nutrients, 12(2), 566. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu12020566
1 thought on “Introduction to the relationship between nutrition & human genetics”
Good post. I learn something new and challenging on blogs I stumbleupon on a daily basis. Its always useful to read content from other writers and use a little something from their sites.