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Is fish oil protective? It also depends on the DNA

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That the genetic makeup of each of us can also characterize the response to treatments is beyond doubt. This scientific reality, which sees in some genes the key to evaluate the organism’s response in response to a treatment, could however also explain the difference in reaction by one person compared to another after treatment with compounds rich in oil of fish, therefore considered useful for the presence of Omega-3 fatty acids with a protective action on the lipid profile. In fact, one often wonders why these components, of which numerous fish products are naturally rich, can significantly influence the reduction of triglycerides in the blood in some subjects, while in others their effect would be minimal. The answer, according to research conducted by scientists from the University of Georgia published in PLOS Genetics, would be to be found in the individual’s genotype.

The beneficial effects on the lipid profile of supplementation would in fact be related to the presence of certain characteristics of the DNA of each person. The research was coordinated by Kaixiong Ye of the University of Georgia (also involved scholars from the universities of Tulane and Texas) examines only a specific aspect of the lipid profile, that is the values ​​of triglycerides, particular fats that can be considered an additional “indicator” of cardiovascular risk. Well, even if it is known that in the presence of higher concentrations of omega-3 in the blood the risk of cardiovascular diseases decreases, it seems that by integrating the diet with fish oil the reaction of the individual organism would be guided by the characteristics of the DNA. In the presence of an optimal genetic “habitus” the effect of supplementing with fish oil will obviously be the desired one, but if you do not have the right genotype, you risk having extremely limited, if not even counterproductive, effects.

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The “source” of the genetic information was the UK Biobank, a large English data band that crosses what is observed in the DNA of the people involved (about half a million) with the health situation. Experts identified 70,000 individuals to study, divided into two groups: in one they included all those who took fish oil supplements, in the other those who did not take any supplements based on omega-3 fatty acids. Then they evaluated the entire genetic heritage of the people involved in the study, to finally get to perform almost 65 million checks. Result? The “key” of the effects of integration on triglyceride values ​​appears to be related to a specific gene, called GJB2. Those with a particular genotype, called AG, would have the desired effect in terms of decreasing blood triglyceride values ​​after taking omega-3 fatty acids. On the contrary, those with other genetic characteristics (AA genotype) in case of integration with Omega-3 would even risk seeing triglyceride values ​​rise. Thanks to this sophisticated analysis, it could also be possible to understand why the studies conducted on supplementation with Omega-3 have led in some cases to discordant results, sometimes demonstrating the effectiveness of supplementation and in other cases its substantial little usefulness in prevention of cardiovascular diseases. According to the experts led by Ye, in fact, there would be a risk of including subjects with a “various” genotype in the analysis of the results and therefore of not reaching clear research results.

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