Nutrigenomics

Nutrigenomics is a branch of genomics that studies the relationship between the human genome, nutrition, and health. It aims to understand how the whole body responds to a food via systems biology, as well as single gene/single food compound relationships.

Overview

Nutrigenomics has been associated with the idea of personalized nutrition based on genotype. While there is a considerable amount of evidence correlating genetic factors with diseases such as cancer, diabetes, and cardiovascular diseases, the incorporation of genetic information into dietary advice has yet to become a standard practice in healthcare.

History

The term "nutrigenomics" was first coined in 2001, and the discipline has evolved significantly since then. It has been influenced by advances in other fields, such as genomics, proteomics, metabolomics, and bioinformatics.

Principles

Nutrigenomics is based on the concept of nutrigenetics, which is the genetic variation in metabolic pathways which can affect dietary requirements. Nutrigenomics aims to identify the genes that influence the risk of diet-related diseases, their expression in individuals, and how to apply dietary interventions to reduce the risk.

Applications

Nutrigenomics has potential applications in several areas, including weight management, disease prevention, and physical performance enhancement. It could also be used to develop personalized diets based on an individual's genetic makeup.

Challenges

Despite its potential, nutrigenomics faces several challenges. These include the complexity of interactions between genes and diet, the difficulty in validating gene-diet interactions, and the ethical and social issues related to genetic testing for dietary advice.

See also

• Genomics
• Nutrigenetics
• Personalized nutrition
• Genetic testing

References

Nutrigenomics Resources
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