April 2003. The human genome project was complete. After years of collaboration, the scientific community had mapped the 20,500 genes of the human DNA. No more secrets, right? Well, we are realizing that genes are only a part of the system. The other part is mainly a bunch a switches that could turn genes on and off. So here comes epigenetic. It's a new field of research that looks above and beyond genes.
Epigenetic studies the effects of your lifestyle on your genes. It only modulates the expression of a gene. There is no change to the DNA sequence. But what is interesting is that this newly acquired expression can be passed down to your kids. The effects of your healthy/unhealthy behaviors will affect your kids. It's like if 2 couch potatoes have a kid, they pass on couch potato genes. This may explain why children today are so unhealthy at a young age.
Look at it this way. It's like playing poker. You get a certain hand and how you play the game will determine your success. Same goes here. You can't change your genes. But your lifestyle will determine which genes get turned on or off. So how can you influence this? Move.
We all know that regular physical activity is good for us. Even Hippocrates, the father of modern medicine, said that walking was man's best medicine. During muscle contraction certain compounds are secreted. This is how your muscles communicate to other parts of your body. Repeated communication can modify how a gene expresses itself in the fat cells as an example. Or it can reduce inflammation in certain part of your body. And the wheels of change are in motion from the first workout. You may not see a difference yet. But that initial exercise session is moving you in the right direction.
The pharmaceutical industry is probably looking at this and hoping for exercise in a bottle. I can't imagine what the side effects will be. There are so many variables at play here that one pill won't be able to do it. But also, it may help us exercise geeks, with exercise prescription. At one point, we may be able to tell a 55 year old man with type II diabetes exactly what to do to manage his diabetes. Time will tell.
The message here is that you're in control. And scientific evidence is there to support it. So you can't blame your genes anymore. Get in the game, be active and be a positive gene influencer.