Recent Articles:

Plant Sterols for Lowering Cholesterol? - One recommendation often made for lowering cholesterol levels is to consume plant sterols. You can get plant sterols in supplements or in spreads like Benecol or SmartBalance margarine. These butter alternatives are marketed as a heart-healthy way to help you lower cholesterol and prevent...
CYP2C8: Detoxification of medications and arachidonic acid - The CYP (cytochrome) family of genes codes for a number of different enzymes that interact with prescription drugs. Genetic variants that alter the way that then enzymes work can impact the way that you react to a medication. The CYP2C8 gene is important in...
Uterine fibroids - Uterine fibroids plague a lot of women, especially after age 30. Fibroids are benign tumors that grow in the muscle cells of the uterus. It is estimated that at least half of American women who are of reproductive age have fibroids. [ref] Uterine fibroids:...
Lipoprotein(a): A big genetic risk for heart disease - For someone reading this, I’m going to save your life today. Nope – this isn’t a scare tactic or overblown health alert type of article – just statistics and solid genetics research. Heart disease is the number one cause of death in the US...
Genetics of Double Lashes - Ever wonder why Elizabeth Taylor had such compelling eyes? It turns out that she probably carried a mutation for doubled eyelashes, also known as distichiasis. [article] The FOX (forkhead box) family of genes codes for a type of protein known as a transcription factor. ...
Berberine: Research, Absorption, and Genetics - Berberine is a supplement that I’ve written about as a ‘Lifehack’ in a number of different articles. It is a natural compound with some amazing research on it in animal and cell studies, and it seems to be almost unbelievable. The drawback is poor...
Advanced Glycation End Products - Recent research shows that advanced glycation end products (AGEs) are a causative factor in many degenerative diseases – including almost all of the diseases associated with aging. AGEs have been linked to Alzheimer’s, heart disease, diabetes, chronic kidney disease, wrinkles and loss of skin...
Restless Leg and Periodic Limb Movement Disorder: Genetics and Solutions - Twitchy legs, restless sleep… That urge to move your legs at night or being woken up with your leg moving rhythmically — both take a toll on sleep quality. And good sleep is foundational for overall health and wellbeing. I’m going to dive into...
Mutations common in Ashkenazi Jewish populations - Ashkenazi Jews are descendants of Jewish communities that were established mainly in Eastern Europe along the Rhine River around the 12th century AD. The Ashkenazi Jewish people traditionally married within their community, and genetic mutations that naturally cropped up within the population have been...
Motivation to exercise? It’s genetic - A new study in the journal Behavioral Brain Research paints a fascinating picture of why some people are more motivated to exercise. The study looked at the dopaminergic system to see how people’s genetic variants could alter the ‘reinforcing value’ of exercise. The majority of...
High blood pressure due to AGTR1 gene variants - Blood pressure isn’t something that you think much about – unless your doctor is harping about it being high or low. The CDC statistics, though, make a pretty compelling argument that a lot of us should be thinking about blood pressure. The CDC estimates...
The Interaction Between BDNF and Serotonin - The more I learn about genetics, the more I appreciate how intricate and complex we humans are as a biological system. What do I mean by this? Most of the genetic variants, or SNPs, that people carry don’t have a huge impact on their...