Friday, December 5, 2014

Gene Linked to Heavy Smokers

 


Smokers, especially heavy smokers, have shown to have a genetic variant that is associate with increased body mass (BMI). The gene variant CHRNA5-A3-B4 is associated with smokers who have a low BMI, but the BMI in non smokers that have this gene to be higher. This gene that is linked to those who have never smoked is still not understood. There are assumptions that this gene variant reacting to nicotinic acetylcholine could be the reason for the low BMI.




 http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/headlines/2013/09/florida-county-bans-smokers-from-new-jobs/http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2014/12/141204143124.htm

2 comments:

  1. This discovery is benefical because i believe that everyone should be genetically tested to prevent them from doing activities that will cause them harm more likely than others. It is also good that the gene linked to smoking is found so maybe new cures or antismoking preventions can come out.

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  2. I had no idea there was a correlation between smoking and BMI. Even though there are some that have never smoked there is still an associated smoking gene that increases their BMI. It seems that there is a gene variant for anything we can think of. This is definitely the work of millions of years of evolution.

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