Health Options: Personalized nutrition is the future

The primary focus of public health recommendations for good nutrition has been to promote one-size fits all healthy eating and exercise guidelines. However, how well these recommendations may work for you depends on how much you resemble the average person studied.

Now two new branches of science (nutrigenomics and nutrigenetics) are helping to change the conversation away from a one-size-fits-all healthy eating plan to recommendations based on individual genetic uniqueness for factors like personal nutrient requirements. This makes it possible to define optimal nutrient levels for individuals rather than relying on recommendations for the general population.

QUESTION: What are nutrigenomics and nutrigenetics?

ANSWER: Nutrigenomics is the study of how genes and nutrition interact, especially in the prevention and treatment of disease. Nutrigenetics is focused more on the interplay between nutrition and an individual’s genetics.

These two relatively new sciences go hand in hand identifying the genetic susceptibility to diseases and even conditions like obesity.

Nutrients can affect how our genes are expressed and in turn our genes influence how our bodies react to these nutrients and food components.

Q: How is it possible to evaluate individual nutrient requirements?

A: DNA is a great deal more than a determinant of gender or ancestry. DNA is the genetic material of all organisms that serves somewhat like an internal genetic instruction book. This ultimately directs all the chemical reactions needed to build and maintain healthy cells of a functioning body. It has been known for a long time that diet affects how genes function, known as gene expression, and variations in DNA codes are linked with disease risks and nutrient needs.

Q: What are the benefits of understanding personal nutrition at the molecular level?

A: As we learn more and more about how specific types of gene variants interact with nutrients, it is becoming more possible to use this information to generate diet recommendations customized to an individual’s genetic makeup. Consequently, it is becoming increasingly possible to make more educated food choices based on science rather than just general guidance and the latest hype about superfoods. Personal eating patterns will be able to decrease the risk of certain diseases and even obesity.

For example: nutrigenomics weight loss studies have shown that certain individuals process carbohydrates differently. This may well explain why some healthy weight-loss patterns work well for some but not for all.

Q: Is personalized nutrition analysis close to a reality?

A: These cutting-edge sciences are moving rapidly. In 2017, there were already 13 companies offering personalized nutrition recommendations based on nutrigenetics. We expect that within a decade many physicians will be using personalized nutrition recommendations to prevent and treat health conditions.