Found gene vegetarianism
Types fats coming from food, are quite different from each other. There are two main types of fat: saturated and unsaturated. The latter are also divided into several types, including the most important for the body are omega-3 and omega-6 unsaturated fatty acids. Often you can hear that it is very beneficial omega-3 for health. However, in reality the situation is somewhat more complicated: it is important to not only the amount of omega-3 fatty acids, but also the right proportion of fat entering the body. The optimal ratio of omega-6 and omega-3 in a ratio of 5: 1.
Polyunsaturated fatty acids (omega-3 and omega-6), in turn, vary in length molecules. For normal operation of the body are particularly important long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (LCPUFA). They can be obtained directly from food of animal origin. Also, the organism can synthesize them from other types of unsaturated fats contained in plant foods, with a special enzyme - desaturase gene encodes FADS2. People who adhere to a vegetarian or vegan diets, are very dependent on the work of this enzyme, since otherwise their body will produce insufficient amount of long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids.
Researchers conducting the described study found FES2 a variant gene that increases the activity of the desaturase. The body of people who have this gene variant, produces a much more efficient LCPUFA. Most interesting is that this gene variant is very common in India (68% of the population), where for many centuries the population adheres to a vegetarian diet. At the same time the residents of Kansas, the figure was only 18%.
The authors suggested that this variation of the gene entrenched in the population thanks to the culinary preferences of the population, as it supports a much better adapted to a vegetarian diet. To confirm their hypothesis the authors have studied other human populations. It was found that the gene variation is also very common among the population of South Asia and Africa.
According to the authors, although people with a variation of the gene are better adapted to a vegetarian diet, switching to the "western diet" containing a large number of animal products increases the risk of cancer and diseases of the cardiovascular system, as it can substantially increase the content of omega 6 and disruption of the optimum ratio of unsaturated fatty acids in the body.
Polyunsaturated fatty acids (omega-3 and omega-6), in turn, vary in length molecules. For normal operation of the body are particularly important long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (LCPUFA). They can be obtained directly from food of animal origin. Also, the organism can synthesize them from other types of unsaturated fats contained in plant foods, with a special enzyme - desaturase gene encodes FADS2. People who adhere to a vegetarian or vegan diets, are very dependent on the work of this enzyme, since otherwise their body will produce insufficient amount of long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids.
Researchers conducting the described study found FES2 a variant gene that increases the activity of the desaturase. The body of people who have this gene variant, produces a much more efficient LCPUFA. Most interesting is that this gene variant is very common in India (68% of the population), where for many centuries the population adheres to a vegetarian diet. At the same time the residents of Kansas, the figure was only 18%.
The authors suggested that this variation of the gene entrenched in the population thanks to the culinary preferences of the population, as it supports a much better adapted to a vegetarian diet. To confirm their hypothesis the authors have studied other human populations. It was found that the gene variation is also very common among the population of South Asia and Africa.
According to the authors, although people with a variation of the gene are better adapted to a vegetarian diet, switching to the "western diet" containing a large number of animal products increases the risk of cancer and diseases of the cardiovascular system, as it can substantially increase the content of omega 6 and disruption of the optimum ratio of unsaturated fatty acids in the body.