Can the DNA diet prevent the frustrations of a wrong diet? Why do some lose weight with a low-carb diet while others benefit more from a low-fat diet? Can your DNA predict this?
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Nutrigenomics and Nutrigenetics
Nutrigenomics is the science that investigates the effect of food on gene expression, at the DNA level [1]. Nutrigenetics controls the individual differences in how DNA responds to food. By studying certain reactions of different genotypes to food, we should be better able to predict the personal response to a certain type of food.
This science had been known for a while but gained sudden attention in 2010 following a study by Stanford University [2]. In their study, they put participants on different diets (including Atkins and a low-fat diet). When the diet was selected based on their genotype, the participants showed much better results.
Say you and your wife went on the Atkins diet, and you both think you followed it religiously, but you lost 13 pounds and she lost nothing and is angry because she followed the same diet. Well, she might have a different genotype…She isn’t genetically predisposed to do well on a low-carbohydrate Atkins diet.
Dr Christopher Gardner, heartwire
The researchers had previously conducted a study on 311 overweight women [3]. These were randomly assigned to four different groups, each receiving a different diet. The aim was (initially) to assess the effectiveness of the different diets. The four diets were the Zone diet (low in carbohydrates), Atkins (even lower in carbohydrates), LEARN (low in fat, high in carbohydrates), and Ornish (low in fat, even higher in carbohydrates).
The results showed that the individual differences within the groups were much larger than the difference between the averages per group.
In the Atkins group, they lost slightly more weight than in other groups, but overall the results were disappointing. On average, the women only lost about 6-7 kilos, and this weight was regained quickly.
As mentioned, the differences within the groups were much larger. Some women lost more than 14 kilos and kept this weight off for more than a year. In contrast, some women gained 6 kilos.
The researchers found this result much more interesting than the differences between the different types of diets. How can this individual difference be so significant? Help in answering this question came from outside when they were approached by the company Interleukin Genetics. The researchers were asked if they could also obtain the DNA of the participants. Interleukin Genetics had previously identified three genes that could predict weight loss as evidenced in three previous studies. It had also been shown that these genes (ABP2, ADRB2, and PPAR–gamma) respond differently to different types of diets.
The researchers obtained the DNA of 138 of the participants and compared the actual weight loss with the weight loss expected based on the participant’s genotype. They found a significant correlation between the two.
Women who were given a diet that matched their genotype lost 5.3% of their body weight compared to 2.3% in women whose diet did not match. In the Atkins group, for example, this was a difference between losing 5.5 kilos or 1 kilo.
The ratio between women who lost weight faster with a low-fat diet and those who benefited more from a low-carbohydrate diet was about 50-50. This makes guessing which diet works best for you quite difficult. The researchers emphasize that their findings need to be tested in larger-scale studies and also in men.
‘The Diet Breakthrough’
However, this did not stop the media from jumping on it and entrepreneurs seeing dollar signs. Dr. Oz dedicated attention to it, and companies started offering the possibility to provide you with personalized advice based on your DNA, not only regarding nutrition but also regarding training. Such a package could quickly cost around 1,000 euros. Some of these companies have been prohibited from operating in America, among other reasons, due to doubts about the accuracy of the DNA analysis, but also about the still insufficiently substantiated claims about the effectiveness of the ‘DNA diet’. Although science is enthusiastic about the possibilities that nutrigenetics can offer, it is mainly clear that there are too many possible genes whose role we do not yet understand. The Stanford study was not the first to show a positive effect of a DNA diet. Previous studies have already shown greater weight loss when certain genes were taken into account [4,5]. The Stanford study was particularly clear in the role of specific genes. Although I still expect a lot from this science, I think it is still too early for the coaches in our app to send you a cotton swab for saliva when you sign up.
Quite Some Variety Possible
Single nucleotide polymorphisms, often called SNPs or “snips,” are the most common type of genetic variation among people[6]. Each SNP represents a difference in a single DNA building block called nucleotides. These variations occur about once every 300 nucleotides. If you calculate this, you come to 10 million possible SNPs. SNPs can be used as markers to detect variations in genes. Most of these have no effect on health. The challenge in the coming years is to identify these SNPs and their effect.
DNA Diet in the Netherlands
In the Netherlands, analyzing your DNA, among other things to determine your nutritional needs, is also offered. For example, by DNA Nederland, which offers multiple tests including a ”DNA Health & Lifestyle Test’ priced at 399 euros.
Unfortunately, they did not respond to questions such as:
- How reliable are your testing methods and how are these validated?
- Which (variations in) SNPs and genes are measured?
- What conclusions are drawn from these measurements?
- On which research are these conclusions based?
In other words: Is there actually testing being done or am I getting a standard advice for 400 euros? And if testing is being done, who says that you are drawing the correct conclusions?
I miss this important background information on the site and apparently questions about it cannot be answered. Personally, I would keep my money in my wallet.
DNA Diet Is Still a Diet
Finally, it must be remembered that the added value, if there is indeed good testing and analysis, still consists of more knowledge about the right diet. You don’t need to test this, or less, with different diets.
However, it is still a diet. Something that needs to be followed. Knowing the right diet does not necessarily make following a diet easier. However, it could make you more motivated because you notice results earlier. Or that you haven’t given up dieting after your first diet attempt was a diet that turned out to be ineffective for your DNA.
Future music for now.
References
- Rawson, N. (October 24, 2008). “Nutrigenomics Boot Camp: Improving Human Performance through Nutrigenomic Discovery. A Supply Side West VendorWorks Presentation”. Las Vegas, Nevada.
- Nelson MD, Prabhakar P, Kondragunta V, et al. Genotype patterns predict weight loss success: The right diet does matter. EPI|NPAM 2010; March 2-5, 2010, San Francisco, CA.
- Gardner CD, Kiazand A, Alhassan S, Kim S, Stafford RS, Balise RR, Kraemer HC,
King AC. Comparison of the Atkins, Zone, Ornish, and LEARN diets for change in weight and related risk factors among overweight premenopausal women: the A TO Z Weight Loss Study: a randomized trial. JAMA. 2007 Mar 7;297(9):969-77. Erratum in: JAMA. 2007 Jul 11;298(2):178. PubMed PMID: 17341711. - Mutch DM, Temanni MR, Henegar C, Combes F, Pelloux V, et al. (2007) Adipose gene expression prior to weight loss can differentiate and weakly predict dietary responders. PLoS One 2: e1344.
- Arkadianos I, Valdes AM, Marinos E, Florou A, Gill RD, et al. (2007) Improved weight management using genetic information to personalize a calorie controlled diet. Nutr J 6: 29. 9
- Hawkinson AK. Nutrigenomics and nutrigenetics in whole food nutritional medicine. Townsend letters for doctors and patients, Feb–March, 2007.
