Growing up ‘big boned’: MC4R gene and obesity
There are several key players in our body’s regulation of hunger, satiety, and energy expenditure. Leptin and ghrelin are two pivotal hormones involved in our desire to eat. Within that leptin pathway, another key regulator of our body weight is MC4R. This explanation is…
Are you at a higher risk for diabetes? Check your TCFL72 variants
Type-2 diabetes affects about 9% of the US population and millions of people worldwide. For the over 65 crowd, the statistics are even more startling: one in four has type-2 diabetes. While the overall numbers are scary, it is interesting to note that the…
Leptin Receptors: Genetics and Hunger
Do you wonder why other people don’t seem to struggle with wanting to eat more? Ever wished your body could just naturally know that it has had enough food and turn off the desire to eat? It could be that you carry a genetic…
Circadian Rhythms: Genes at the Core of Our Internal Clocks
Circadian rhythms are the natural biological rhythms that shape our biology. Most people know about the master clock in our brain that keeps us on a wake-sleep cycle over 24 hours. This is driven by our master “clock’ genes. It turns out that we…
Weight Loss Genetics – PLIN1
The perilipin 1 gene codes for the protein that covers lipid droplets in fat cells. This coating protects the lipid droplets from the enzymes that break down fats for use as energy in the body. Increased perilipin is associated with obesity. Mice bred to be…
UCP2 Gene: Weight Loss Lifehacks
Turning up the heat on your metabolism is the job for UCP2. The UCP2 gene codes for an uncoupling protein that works in the mitochondria (energy powerhouse) of our cells, producing heat through the uncoupling of the protons. It is found in a variety…
Weight Loss Genetics – MC4R Revisited
I was catching up on podcasts this weekend and listened to a fascinating one by Dr. Rhonda Patrick. She does the Found My Fitness podcast and had recently interviewed Dr. Panda. The interview was on circadian rhythms and time restricted feeding. In a nutshell, time…
Weight loss genetics – GNB3 C825T
I’m geeking out this week and diving deep into the genetics of weight and obesity. One fairly well-studied variant, rs5443, confers a 2x to 3x risk of obesity and is found in the GNB3 gene. So what is the GNB3 gene? The G protein β-polypeptide…
Adiponectin levels, glucose regulation, and your genes
Adiponectin, a hormone secreted from adipose (fat) tissue, is involved in glucose regulation. Studies show that low levels of adiponectin correlate with insulin resistance and diabetes. Interestingly, although adiponectin is secreted from adipose tissue, levels of the hormone are generally lower in obese individuals….
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