Tuesday, November 21, 2017

Genetics influences Immunity


A new study in London has developed and the results show that nearly 3/4 immune traits are influenced by genes. The author of "Genetics play a significant role in immunity" talks about the research in a little more detail. 497 adult female twins were involved and 23,000 immune traits were analyzed. I found it interesting that more adaptive immune traits are influenced most by genetics. The study also focused on the "importance of environmental influences" to strengthen one's immunity. I agree with a statement in the article that this research could help us understand the immune system better and how our body interacts with various environmental factors. This will lead to an increase in future research on treatments for autoimmune diseases. Everyone reacts differently when they get sick and the responses are more individualized towards fighting an infection.
I could only imagine how exciting this discovery is for health care researchers. A way to prevent certain autoimmune diseases will provide an increase in efficient patient outcomes. For someone who gets sick very often due to a weak immune system, I found this article very captivating. I was intrigued to know if my likeliness of getting sick is due to genetics and how this research will improve the future of health care. I believe that this discovery encourages us to improve our diet and strengthen our immunity in order to avoid getting ill. I feel that there should be further research because this could help our health and wellness in the future.



https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2017/01/170105082755.htm
https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/how-to-boost-your-immune-system

1 comment:

  1. I think it is great that we have found new insights into immunity and genetics, however I feel that immunity, like some other issues we face today, cant be blamed on genetics, but instead on the environment. The world today is too focused on cleanliness and sterilization, when in fact kids that go out and play in the dirt have greater immune systems than those who play with sterilized toys indoors. Genetics i'm sure plays a major role in immunity, but as a society its important not to forget what we already know about our bodies. Stick to basics.

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