Introduction:
Nutrigenomics is a research specialty in the nutrition sphere or field that deals with the study and preventive measures of disease processes in the body through gene regulation or expression and dietary interventions.
What Is Nutrigenomics?
The term "nutrigenomics" combines the terms "nutrition" and "genomics." Together, these terms define an area of study that looks at how nutrition affects gene expression. Nutrigenomics integrates genomic science with the field of nutrition. This research branch focuses not only on dietary factors but also on lifestyle variables such as cigarette smoking and alcohol consumption, which can act as environmental or self-induced triggers for disease development in individuals. Although genes have a vital role in an individual's systemic health or predisposition, it cannot be fully responsible for disease occurrence in most cases since an individual's nutrition can also modify the extent to which these genes are expressed or modulated.
The scope of nutrigenomics is to study nutrient-based risk factors and their bioavailability to prevent the development of genetic or systemic diseases, including cancer in predisposed individuals. Genes cannot be fully responsible for disease occurrence in most cases since an individual's nutrition can also modify the extent to which these genes are expressed or modulated
The definition of nutrigenomics has recently been expanded to include all nutritional factors that govern or protect the human genome from intrinsic damage. Nutrigenomics primarily focuses on the dietary components consumed from food that affect the human genome. Health experts consider nutrigenomics to be similar to the field of pharmacogenomics, which studies drugs that have a diverse impact on different population groups.
What Is the Nature Versus Nurture Debate?
In the last decade, significant efforts have been made in nutrition research to understand the etiology of human disease based on an individual's dietary intake. This has led to many experts debating the role of "nature versus nurture," specifically the natural genetics governing an individual versus the food or environmental triggers responsible for health and disease. However, today's biologists believe that neither nature nor nurture alone can fully explain the complex physiological processes governing cellular health and multi-organ system health in humans.
The presence of a particular gene or mutation in predisposed individuals can be linked to a specific disease process. However, whether this genetic predisposition will manifest as a disease depends only on the individual's genome, which has a complex interplay with both environmental and behavioral factors. This understanding that both nature and nurture play equally important roles in the development of diseases has led nutrition experts to adopt a multidisciplinary gene-based approach in the study of health and disease. This area of study has developed into a field known as nutrigenomics.
How Does Diet Affect Health and Immunity?
Studies conducted on both human and animal models, as well as cell cultures, have established that certain macronutrients, such as fatty acids and proteins, and essential micronutrients, such as vitamins, are important for maintaining body immunity and preserving cellular health.
Fresh fruits, vegetables, grains, pulses, and nuts contain naturally occurring bio-reactive compounds such as phytochemicals (flavonoids, carotenoids, coumarins, and phytosterols) that are known to affect gene expression and modulation in diverse ways. Therefore, it can be assumed that an individual's dietary needs have a significant impact on shaping their health and immunity. The micronutrients and bioactive compounds obtained from daily food intake have the following functions which include:
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Being involved in metabolic reactions.
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Maintaining hormonal balances.
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Boosting immune competence, detoxification processes, and removal of waste compounds.
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The utilization of these nutrients acts as fuel for cells and healthy growth.
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They act as ligands for transcription factors and thus directly alter gene expression (for example genistein and resveratrol).
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Influence signal transduction pathways and chromatin structure of DNA (for example choline).
What Are the Diseases That Nutrigenomics Focuses On?
According to the European Nutrigenomics Organization, most researchers now hypothesize that all of the diseases occurring in the human body would be a result of an imbalance within these four processes which include:
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Inflammatory.
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Metabolic.
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Oxidative.
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Psychological.
According to this hypothesis, this process creates cellular stress, and eventually, disease arises as a result of these processes. Moreover, diseases may also occur due to an individual's genetic predisposition to one or more of these four stressors or imbalances.
Nutrigenomics is a field that makes a significant effort to improve understanding of dietary nutrition, environmental factors, and their corresponding genomic interactions.
The main focus of nutrigenomics is on preventive measures that individuals can adopt based on current research, including modifications to lifestyle or diet, to aid in improved health and resistance to disease processes. The focus is on preventing diseases like :
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Obesity.
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Aging and systemic diseases related to it.
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Age-related cognitive disorders.
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Cardiovascular diseases.
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Cancers.
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Inflammatory disorders.
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Visual or eye-related disorders.
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Vitamin and mineral deficiencies.
What Is the Key to Disease Prevention?
According to nutrigenomics research, eliminating the high-sugar and high-fat diet, also known as the Western diet, is a key measure to prevent a significant portion of diseases globally. Reducing the dietary intake of sugar and fats in one's diet and replacing them with healthier alternatives like organic or natural sugar sources and monounsaturated heart-healthy fats can help prevent the development of central obesity and diabetes to some extent in almost all population groups worldwide.
Nutrigenomics also highlights that the abandonment of traditional diets rich in fiber and plant sources has significantly contributed to the rise of global diseases such as cancer and cardiovascular diseases. These diseases are risk factors for increased mortality rates worldwide. For instance, high alcohol consumption and high carbohydrate diets in women can lead to abdominal obesity, which is a common finding in both cases, triggered by their genetic predisposition.
Therefore, irrespective of one's genetic predisposition, it is crucial to prioritize healthy dietary and lifestyle habits. Consulting with a dietitian or nutritionist can help identify the foods that are best suited to an individual's body requirements based on their lifestyle.
Conclusion:
The complex interactions between our genes, food, and general health are explored study of nutrigenomics. In order to provide personalized nutrition recommendations for better health outcomes, researchers are examining how particular nutrients interact with our genetic make-up to understand how individual reactions to food might vary. In conclusion, nutrigenomics sheds light on the significance of individualized nutrition strategies by offering insightful information on the relationship between our genes and diet. A more individualized and successful approach to nutrition and general health may be achieved by taking both nature (genetics) and nurture (environment and way of life) into account
