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| CHEAT SHEET
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| Nutritional genomics, the scientific study of how diet interacts with your unique genetic information, has given birth to a new arm of the diet industry. Private companies now offer DNA diets—customized eating plans designed to help you stave off genetic predispositions to heart disease, Alzheimer’s disease and some types of cancer—but do they work?
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For many of us, calories and fat grams alone measure the value of what we eat. Nutritional genomics or nutrigenomics posits a higher definition, however, using analysis of an individual’s unique genetic profile as the foundation for determining the most beneficial diet and lifestyle.
Knowledge of genetic predisposition to illness and disease has the potential to become power in the case of genetic testing. If results reveal the presence of a troublesome gene, one
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such as the apoE4 gene, for example, which has been linked to Alzheimer’s disease, diabetes, heart disease and various other illnesses, many researchers feel confident in prescribing a specific diet and exercise regimen to counteract the influence of that gene.
According to Dr. Lynnette Ferguson, Head of the Department of Nutrition at the University of Auckland and program leader of Nutrigenomics New Zealand (www.nutrigenomics.org.nz), nutritional genomics does not guarantee against future illness or disease, but it may act as a potential inhibitor.
Says Dr. Ferguson, “You cannot manipulate genetic materials through diet, but you can modify the expression of genes.”
Boosted by the findings of the scientific community, private companies are offering DNA testing and customized eating plans to health-conscious consumers.
Testing kits, which consist of mouth swabs and in-depth health and diet questionnaires, can be ordered online or purchased at select drug and health stores. After your profile has been determined and analyzed, a customized eating plan is sent back to you. Prices range from 0 to 0 (USD) and follow-up services vary.
For nutritionist Carolyn Katzin, (www.thednadiet.com), DNA testing provides the opportunity to deal with public health at the individual level.
“Much of the health benefits of eating to prevent disease come from large observational studies such as the 30-year-long Health Professionals study and other similar longitudinal studies. Now that we have this additional depth of genetic information we can see that some people benefit more than others from eating cruciferous or allium vegetables for example. There is another advantage to knowing more about who you are (i.e. your molecular identity) as opposed to where you are at (say like a blood test). You may be able to improve your performance (cognitive, physical, etc.) in addition to optimizing your health and reducing your susceptibility to certain chronic conditions such as heart disease, stroke, osteoporosis and certain cancers.”
While following a road map for continued good health is the main goal of the DNA diet—not weight loss—Katzin, who works in Los Angeles, New York and at Rancho Mirage, also offers a combined weight loss component, which costs ,200.
“The DNA Diet is more of a way of life than a weight loss plan, however, weight loss may be a result. I also combine the nutritional genetic testing with a six- week weight loss program for those who want a jump-start,” says Katzin, whose analysis, according to her website, addresses five major groupings of activity by profile.
- heart health and lipid metabolism
- detoxification
- inflammation
- insulin sensitivity
- antioxidant activity
Dr. Ferguson is quick to point out the amount of research that still needs to be done in the field and warns against investing too much confidence in commercial claims.
“There are some very specific examples where we can provide advice. But in many cases we do not yet know where the key genes are or how to modify their effects. Except in the case of certain high-risk groups, this is premature,” advises Dr. Ferguson.
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