Link Between Reproduction and Heart Disease

Researchers believe they may have found a reason for the persistence of coronary artery disease. After examining genetic variants associated with the disease, it was found that the illness spread rapidly in humans within the last 10,000 years. This lead to the belief that these genes must have recently began to provide an evolutionary advantage. The researchers then reviewed 143 studies and noticed a link between these genes and reproductive functions, like fertility and fetal development and survival. It is thought that the genes associated with coronary artery disease have lasted in the population due to those with it having more children. In the last thousands of years it was probable that having enhanced reproductive functionality was advantageous, as infectious disease increased mortality rates during this time. People with the genes for this heart disease most likely had more children, even if they were to develop the disease later in life. Our body has a way of compensating for enhanced survival whether we are aware of the enhancement or not. I believe it is best to let nature do as it intends, instead of tampering with possible advantages that would otherwise be lost through things like excessive gene therapy.

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