5 ways to optimize your diet, based on your genes

With all the dietary advice out there today, how can you know what is right for your body? Your genetic makeup is actually a good tool to use to start your own personalized nutrition journey to optimize your diet.

How do your genes affect your diet?

Relating your genetics to what you eat gives you a unique new approach to improve health.

I’ve boiled down 5 quick ways using your genetic data (23andMe, AncestryDNA, MyHeritage, etc) to optimize your diet based on your genes.

Members will see their genotypes below. Consider joining today. 

#1) Are you genetically lactose intolerant?

Lactase is the enzyme that breaks down the sugar, lactose, that is found in milk products.

While most people of European Caucasian ancestry produce lactase as an adult, about 10% of that population doesn’t produce lactase. For people of other ancestries, the majority do not produce lactase as adults.

Lifehacks:

If you don’t produce lactase as an adult, you are relying on your gut microbiome to break down the lactose in milk. Drinking less milk at one time, switching to lactose-free milk, or boosting your gut microbiome with some lactose-digesting probiotics are all options for those without the ability to produce lactase.

Read Article: Genetics of lactose intolerance

#2) Are fruits and vegetables giving you enough vitamin A?

Beta-carotene, which makes carrots and sweet potatoes orange, is often considered to be a great source of vitamin A. But some people are much better at converting beta-carotene into vitamin A than others.

A deficiency in vitamin A can cause skin issues (dry scaly skin, acne, keratosis pilaris, cracked lips) and eye issues (dry eyes, problems with night vision).

There are two main genetic variants to check in the BCMO1 gene to see how well you convert beta-carotene.

Lifehacks:

If you have a “T” in both of the SNP’s above, your beta-carotene conversion is almost 70% less than normal.  A “T” in just one SNP from above decreases your conversion by about 32%.[ref] Eating liver is a great way to get the retinol form of vitamin A that your body needs.  Can’t stomach liver? A vitamin A supplement that includes retinol palmitate may work for you.[ref]

You don’t want to go too far overboard with supplementing with vitamin A since it does get stored by the body.

Related Article: BCO1 Gene: Converting Beta-Carotene to Vitamin A

#3) Is saturated fat increasing your risk of high blood pressure?

#4) Will drinking coffee in the morning decrease your risk of a heart attack?

 Lifehacks:

Looking for a way to pep up your morning coffee? Here are a couple of options:

• Try Four Sigmatic Lion’s Mane and Chaga mushroom extracts for cognitive benefits (my new favorite!):
• Roast your own green coffee beans. It is fairly easy to do, and the taste of freshly roasted coffee is outstanding. You can use an air popper or simply a skillet on a propane burner (outside).

#5) Should I go low-carb?

A study came out recently showing that both low carb and low-fat diets were equally effective for weight loss. There are other studies showing differences in dieting results of low carb or low fat that depend in part on genetic variants. Looking at your genes may give you an idea of which diet would work best for you.

Amylase is the enzyme that digests carbs, starting in your mouth.  A genetic variant in the amylase gene (AMY1-AMY2) predicts whether you are likely to produce a lot of the enzyme or less of the enzyme to break down carbs.

Your genes also play a role in how carbohydrates are likely to affect your blood glucose levels.

IRS1 gene:

UPC3 gene:

Lifehacks:

If you are a lower amylase producer but want to try a higher carb / lower fat diet, you can supplement with the amylase enzyme.

If you have the IRS1 or UCP3 SNPs, I recommend testing your blood glucose levels to see how you react to different foods/meals. Blood glucose testing kits are fairly expensive and will give you a way to quantify and keep track of your response.

Related Article: Digesting Carbohydrates: Amylase variants

Final Thoughts…

I’m often frustrated by the one-size-fits-all approach that so many health and wellness websites proclaim. The best diet for the online health guru may not be the best diet for you. Genetics plays a role, of course, but also take into account your family and lifestyle factors.

Related Articles and Genes:

Debunking the “blood-type diet”
Reviewing the current research studies on the blood type diet, which show that there is a lot of doubt around whether you can base your diet on your blood type.

Is intermittent fasting right for you?
Intermittent fasting and ketosis have a lot of benefits, but they may not be right for you. Your genes play a role in how you feel when fasting.

Top 10 Genes to Check in Your Genetic Raw Data
These are 10 genes with important variants that can have a big impact on health. So check them out, cross them off your list if you don’t have them — and read the articles to learn more if you do carry the variant.

Carbohydrate metabolism: Your genes play a role in insulin and blood glucose levels
Genetic variations play a role in how people react to carbohydrates in the diet. Learn about a few genes that affect insulin or glucose levels based on carbohydrate consumption. Use your genetic raw data and discover how your body handles carbohydrates.