Carrots Can Reduce the Effect of Diabetes Causing Genes

There are many benefits when consuming carrots. Carrots contain beta-carotene that converts to vitamin A, which is essential to promote eye health. New researches shown that carotene in carrots can reduce the effect of diabetes causing genes and symptoms. Researches done by scientists from Stanford University has matched genetic variants linked to type 2 diabetes (failure to produce sufficient amount of insulin) and compare the genomes of those with diabetes versus those without diabetes. Scientist identified 90 genetic alteration in which increase the risk of diabetes.

Dr. Atul Butte, an associate professor at Stanford and his colleagues found give major environmental factors associated with diabetes. All five factors included levels of beta-carotene (precursor to vitamin A) and a form of vitamin E. In addition, they study individuals with different combinations of 18 of the major genetic variants linked to diabetes. It was speculated if the genetic variants linked to certain DNA pattern that can be connected to specific nutrient levels that linked to diabetes. It was concluded the presence of high or low levels of certain nutrients make the body less efficient in processing glucose.

A gene variant called SLC30A4, which code protein in the pancreas that is involved in the production of insulin. Beta carotene, commonly found in carrots interact with the gene and influence risk for Type 2 diabetes. On the other hand, higher beta carotene levels was found to protect against diabetes and improve production of insulin. Dr. Atul Butte argues, “What the findings suggest is that if you have a genetic marker now or a predisposition for Type 2 diabetes, all you really need to do is increase the number of carrots you eat to increase your beta carotene, and maybe you can compensate for having that spot in your genome.” There are still further studies needed to confirm that beta carotene levels will offset the effects of diabetes genetic variants.

Article: http://healthland.time.com/2013/01/23/can-carrots-reduce-the-effect-of-diabetes-causing-genes/

A surgery that helps with weight loss and your genes.

Fox News shares the new discovery that weight-loss surgery can also help your genes. A study in a journal showed that when people had gastric bypass surgery and lost weight their genes expressions changed more. The study showed the genes would change to improve the body’s way of burning fat, storing sugars better, and lowering their risk for diabetes.

A study was done on eight obese women that were to undergo gastric by surgery and sixteen women of normal weight. The study was to provide insight that lifestyle or environmental changes can influence the chemical modifications on genes. Researchers studied two genes that regulates glucose and fat metabolism, PGC-1alpha and PDK4, and found out that before the surgery the obese women had chemical markers that did not allow these two genes to function properly. When the surgery was over the women lost weight and did not have the chemical markers anymore when they were more obese.

The study author mentioned to Fox News that obesity increases lipids in t he blood and cytokines which are markers of inflammation. Those markers are what affects the functions of the body, and can change the chemical markings on DNA, and that makes the muscles burn fat and store sugars incorrectly. When people lose weight, the inflammation and lipids in the blood decrease to allow the muscles to reprogram themselves in order to operate correctly and improve metabolic health. If the women that are obese loose the weight before producing children they can avoid passing on the obese like gene traits to their children.

http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/releases/259033.php