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| It's in your
genes: DNA holds the key to a healthy diet |
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We're all familiar with the rejuvenating power of a
cup of coffee first thing in the morning. And that welcome surge of
caffeine has some folks returning to the coffee pot several times a
day. But how much is too much?
According to nutrition specialist Ahmed El-Sohemy,
it's all in your genes.
While some health experts say everyone should limit
caffeine intake to avoid illnesses such as heart disease, El-Sohemy
takes a more individual approach. As Canada Research Chair in
Nutrigenomics at the University of Toronto, El-Sohemy is
investigating the connection between our diet and our genes to
better understand the range of responses our bodies have to the
foods we consume.
Along with researchers at Harvard, El-Sohemy is
studying the genetic make-up of a group of coffee drinkers in Costa
Rica, a country where per capita coffee consumption is among the
highest in the world. The team discovered variations in people's
genes that caused their bodies to metabolize, or break down, the
caffeine at different rates.
"For people who are slow metabolizers, the amount of
caffeine that lingers in the system is much greater," says El-Sohemy.
"So one cup of coffee for them might be the equivalent of four cups
for the fast metabolizers."
El-Sohemy's research program extends beyond caffeine
to include studies of the beneficial effects of green tea on bone
health and the genetic basis for food preferences.
"The current one-size-fits-all model of a healthy
diet clearly doesn't work, so I think it's important to identify the
exceptions to the rules," El-Sohemy insists. "This approach gives us
a better assessment of exposure and risk-and will ultimately help us
make more personalized dietary recommendations."
To learn more about the Canada Research Chairs
program, visit
www.chairs.gc.ca.
Courtesy of News Canada
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