April 2016 – Kiragen

All Posts in "Month: April 2016"

Age Related Macular Degeneration

Age- related Macular Degeneration, or AMD is an incurable, but treatable eye disease that causes vision loss and blindness. The vision loss usually becomes noticeable in a person’s sixties and to worsen over time. AMD is the most common cause of vision loss in older people, and 7% of the general population over age 75 has some form of AMD. Specific variants of different genes are present in most people who suffer from macular degeneration, which means genetic factors contribute much to the development of AMD, along with some environmental factors such as age, diet and medical history. Early detection is key to slowing the progression of the disease, and there are eye exams available to test for AMD.

The average chance for developing AMD for the general population is 7%. The heritability of AMD varies from 45% to 71%. Most people who develop AMD have genetic variants that are associated with this disease. Although you can’t change risk factors such as age and genetics, you can significantly reduce your risks through your diet, lifestyle and environment.

About the Gene

The rs1061147 marker in the CFH gene is associated with influencing AMD. The CFH gene is known to be one of the greatest genetic risk factors for AMD. The CFH gene encodes a protein that regulates clearing out pathogens and cellular debris. If this system malfunctions, it can lead to chronic inflammation and cellular damage that is thought to damage eye tissue as well.

What you can do to decrease your risk

Based on your genotype, you have a low risk for Age-related Macular Degeneration. It would be wise to maintain healthy lifestyle habits to protect yourself from the odds.

➣ Get routine eye exams after the age of 50 and know the symptoms Early detection and awareness is key to preventing or slowing the disease.

➣Do not smoke Smoking is one of the strongest and best known environmental risk factors for AMD. Smokers have up to three times increased risk compared to non- smokers.

➣Wear Sunglasses and limit direct UV and blue light exposure to the eyes Research suggests that UV light and blue light increases AMD risk

➣ Eat dark leafy greens and food with antioxidants Research suggests that antioxidants and vitamins such as vitamin C, E, beta carotene and zinc slows the progression of AMD. Kale, spinach and colorful vegetables are good sources of antioxidants and necessary vitamins.

➣Learn your family history A family history of AMD increases your risk factor substantially.

➣ Eat fish at least twice a week or eat daily omega-3 supplements People who eat fish 2-3 times a week have a lower risk for AMD. Fish contain omega-3 which is a crucial nutrient for eye and heart health. Fish like salmon have the highest Omega-3 content.

➢ Ask your doctor about supplements If you believe you are at a higher risk for AMD there are supplements proven to slow the progression of AMD that your doctor can prescribe

by — April 24, 2016 in AMD 0

Calculate your Alzheimer’s Risk

Overview– Some diseases are extremely unpredictable, random, complicated or under-studied which makes it impossible to let you calculate your odds. Luckily, Alzheimer’s Disease isn’t one of them. The most common form of dementia is Alzheimer’s Disease (AD), a chronic neurodegenerative and fatal disease that is characterized by a decline in memory, language and cognitive skills that degrade over time. People with AD eventually lose response to their environment, and develop complete dependence on a caregiver. Knowing risk factors for this disease and calculating your own risk factor and making life-style adjustments can dramatically lower your chances of getting this disease in old age.

The General Odds of Developing Alzheimer’s Disease

Alzheimer’s is a relatively common disease of old age: roughly 1 in 3 seniors will die from this disease and the average person’s lifetime risk is estimated to be around 10-12%. AD is caused by a mixture of genetic, life-style, and environmental factors, with genetics factoring in at around 50-80%. This means if one or both of your parents or grandparents has Alzheimer’s, your odds increase several fold, and you and your siblings have a 50-50 chance of getting AD.

The Most Influential Gene APOE

AD is a complex, multifactorial disease and multiple genes are at play before this disease develops. However, the most well known and influential genetic risk factor for AD is having one or both copies of the e4 variant in the APOE gene. We all have the APOE gene but we have a combination of different allele possibilities (e2, e3, e4). Depending on the combination of our alleles, we are either genetically predisposed to the disease, or protected from it.

Up to 80% of people with Alzheimer’s possess at least one copy of the APOE e4 variant.If you have one or more e4 variant, then you are at a genetically increased risk for developing Alzheimer’s by the time you are 65. If you have both copies, then you are at a 7 times increased lifetime risk for the disease.

However, other risk factors such as family history, environment, and health conditions alter your overall risk. Although you can’t change risk factors such as age and genetics, you can significantly reduce your risks through your diet, lifestyle and environment.

Calculating Your Odds

Your odds ratio varies depending on which allele variant you have in the APOE gene. The average person’s risk for getting AD is around 12% and we’re going to say 1.0 is the averaged, general odds ratio for everyone in the population. Without knowing any genetic or environmental risk odd ratio, we say everyone’s risk is at 1.0

This chart below shows the different odds ratio for different alleles of the APOE gene. You can get your APOE genotype if you have done whole genome sequencing or used a genotyping service like 23andMe or DeCodeMe. Simply look up the rs ID number and identify your genotype.

If your odds ratio is 0.23 it means compared with the average, 1.0 , you have a very low chance of getting Alzheimer’s. Likewise, if your odds ratio is 7.0 it means you are 7 times more likely than the average person, 1.0 , to get Alzheimer’s before the age of 65.

Environmental Factors Count Too

Environmental factors substantially influence overall predicted odds ratio. Even if your genetic odds are low, you can still have an overall high chance if you reinforce habits that is associated with a high risk for Alzheimer’s.

The most influential environmental factors associated with AD:

Smoking
Drinking Alcohol
Education level

Heat injury/Head trauma (applies only to individuals with one or more copies of the e4 variant).

What can you do after knowing your risk factors?

➣ Get tested and know the symptoms Early detection and awareness is key to preventing or slowing the disease. Click here for list of symptoms.

➣Prevent Head Trauma There is strong evidence of a correlation between head injury and future risk of dementia and Alzheimer’s disease. Especially repeated head trauma or concussions for contact sports and accidents puts you at an increased risk. Avoid playing rough sports such as football or boxing and always make sure to buckle your seatbelt in a vehicle. A significant head injury increases a person’s risk with 2 copies of the e4 gene by 1000%.

➣Exercise regularly Research shows that regular physical activity (at least 4 times a week) protects the brain from dementia and also improves symptoms if you already have the disease. Recent studies show that exercise can reduce your overall risk by as much as 30%.

➣Keep learning Staying in school longer or using your brain more is proven to reduce your overall risk. If it isn’t possible for you to stay in school or go back to school, keep your mind active by taking up a new language or hobby.

➣Take care of your heart There is a definitive link between heart health and brain health. Heart disease, high blood pressure and high cholesterol can raise the risk of getting AD.

by — April 23, 2016 in Alzheimer's 0

Personalized Wine

Ever have a mild panic attack when you’re presented with a mammoth selection of wine? If you are not a wine connoisseur, you probably had an instance or two when you looked up reviews online or sheepishly asked your server for a recommendation. But crowd-sourcing wine ratings is like asking a stranger what type of music or art you’d like. It’s a complex beverage with thousands of different kinds, and individual preference vary with culture, geography, personality, and genetics. That’s right. Genetics. Wine preferences among people vary vastly based on their unique genetic makeup. The same wine can very much taste differently depending on which version of gene they have.

Wine Characteristics

There are over thousands of different types and flavors, but all wine can be described with 5 basic taste characteristics listed below:

Sweetness: Or “dryness,” this is the sweet sensation due to the sugar content in the wine. This can be the sweetness of the fruit, the actual sugar content, or the alcohol itself since alcohol is a sweet liquid.
Acidity: The sour, tart, or zesty flavor in a food or beverage. As grapes ripen the amount of acidity goes down. The acidity of wine feels tart, fresh, and tingly.
Tannin: The source of bitterness in wine. This flavor comes from the phenolic compounds in the skin and seeds of grapes and tend to have a drying feeling in your mouth.
Fruit: A distinguishing feature of wine is the main fruit or floral flavor.
Body: The viscosity, or the weight, of the wine, which is affected by alcohol content. Light bodied wines are usually more watery, thin, and have lower alcohol content. Medium to full-bodied wines are thicker, more rich in flavor, and usually have higher alcohol content.

Understanding these 5 tastes allows you to fine tune your sensory abilities and find favorites easily. It allows you to categorize, distinguish and recognize wine tastes. However, even if you don’t speak ‘sommelier’, your genes got you covered when it comes to finding the best drink for you.

Can your DNA determine your wine preference?

Taste preferences are partly genetically determined. While most of us can taste and experience those 5 characteristics, the degree of liking for those tastes inherently varies individually. Luckily, there are known genetic markers that measure preference for each of those tastes. Your DNA will let you know exactly what type and characteristic of wine your taste buds prefer. With this information, you will never have to guess your favorites or play Russian roulette with wine ever again.

by — April 12, 2016 in Wine 0