Introduction
In the 20th century, nutrition research was mainly concentrating on devising ways and means of curbing health problems related to deficiency of food components as well as the necessary food elements vital in solving health complications. These were the commonly found nutrition-related problems. However, the situation in this field changed with time. While the latter may be true to a large extent, the health risks posed by deficiency or excess of necessary food elements have resurfaced in the 21st century. For instance, it is a widely known health factor that surplus nutrients in the human body would lead to complications like obesity.
This has changed the previous research perception that deficiency of vital elements was the key area of concern in human health. As a result, there is a total change in perspective in the field of nutrition bearing in mind that studies in this field have been intensified owing to emerging health complexities. It is against this background that this paper offers a critical look at the current and future roles of nutrigenomics in the field of human health.
Discussion
Up to ancient times, herbs have been largely used to cure various illnesses and health-related complications. Even with the adoption of modern curative methods, there were still myriad diet-related complications that have not been resolved using either traditional herbs or manufactured drugs. Another viable alternative that has been embraced involves the study of how nutrients react with human genes to produce either positive or negative effects.
Therefore, understanding the functioning of the human body in detail has become a crucial tool in solving health risks in the field of nutrition. To understand the human body, the ways nutrients interact with the smallest components of human life are essential to understand (Astley & Penn 2009, p.128). The human cells, genes proteins, and the entire process of metabolism should be thoroughly studied. These studies have given rise to nutrigenomics. It is worth noting that the latter has been advanced and supplemented by the steady developments in empirical research studies carried out in genetics.
Nutrigenomics is nutritional, scientific research of how human genes are related to nutrients in the body. The study involves how the genetic code of the human body influences the desire for different nutrients in addition to their various roles in maintaining proper health in a person’s life. In addition, nutrigenomics research has been perfectly and widely done both clinically and scientifically. This has been instrumental in attaining information that helps in the treatment of certain medical complications. Most of the research studies on this field of nutrition have come up with vital information which is crucial in the promotion of human health. From the understanding of nutrigenomics, it is clear that it plays a critical role in the improvement of overall human health. This has been proved by a myriad of research studies.
Nutrigenomics has also been described as a multidisciplinary science that largely entails the use of genome techniques to understand the etiologic ideas of chronic diseases like cancer, diabetes, cardiovascular diseases among others. It is a field that is closely related to the study of genetics. In the human body, functioning is influenced by genes while the diet affects the performance of the genes. Nutrigenomics acts as a link between a healthy diet and the functioning of the human genes this is evidence that nutrition influences the reaction of human genes and the genes affect the food intake, it is the body response to the food of an individual. It is a tool that allows many genetic tests to be done at a time (Müller & Kersten 2003, p. 243).
The idea that diet influences overall human health existed even in ancient times when there were minimal developments in the field of medicine and human health. It has also been known that individuals have different requirements in terms of various nutrients required in their bodies. Hence, nutrigenomics has also entailed the critical study of known interactions of food and genes that have been treated by manipulating the diet since time immemorial. Nutrigenomics knowledge is extremely valuable in understanding how nutrients affect the functioning of the human cells, and control of all the processes in the human body.
This knowledge helps in designing ways of preventing a myriad of chronic diseases which are believed to arise from the diet one takes. One of the major roles of nutrigenomics is that it has been used in finding signs pointing to the possible development of diet-related diseases, which helps a vast deal in the control and prevention of the development of the diseases. Once these signs are identified in the early phases of the disease then action is taken to prevent the development of the disease. The diet of an individual can be changed which may eventually good maintenance of the nutritional health of an individual.
In the field of nutrition, research has shown that there are myriad of diseases whose causes are attached to the diet of an individual. The interaction of genes and the nutrients one takes may lead to increasing or decreasing the chances of developing different health complications in an individual. Nutrigenomics is therefore, being used in designing ones diet in relation to how their genes interact with different nutrients hence reducing the chances of contracting certain nutritional diseases (Jain 2010, p.58).
For instance, certain types of cancer and cardiovascular complications are some of the diseases that can be controlled using nutrigenomics knowledge. Cancer is a world disaster in terms of health complication which has continually demonstrated a wide range of causes. Its diversity has been a challenge in the medical field especially based on the fact that its treatment is still a challenge to healthcare practitioners globally.
Many causes of cancer have been identified. These include inheritance, smoking, diet and many others. Though there are varied known causes of cancer, the main one is related to diet. In nutrigenomics, studies have shown that the best way to prevent many complications which are closely related to diet or genes as in the case with cancer is through observing keen intake of diet. Nutrigenomics has proved to be a crucial tool in the prevention of cancer.
It is definite that this is an immense achievement in the medical field (Perricone 2010, p. 344). Both prostrate and breast cancer can be prevented by intake of fish or fish related products which are usually rich in fats, proteins as well as minerals. It leads to modification of the key enzymes which are over produced in cancer tissues. The fatty acids control these enzymes hence preventing the development of the condition.
It is also clear that consumption of red meat leads to the growth of cancerous tissues. Different types of food intake have show different effects on the development of cardiovascular complications. This shows how crucial nutrigenomics is in the medical field; the medical personnel can use this knowledge in helping their patients control the emergency of different diet related complications. Individuals who are found susceptible to cancer may be advised to take less or no red meat and take plenty of foods rich in marine fatty acids. Nutrigenomics has been successful in helping prevent and cure different complications related to diet.
Dietary intake that involves plant origins contains many components which have different but extremely vital uses in the human body. For some centuries now, herbs from plants have been largely used as medicines and up to today, modern medicines are being manufactured from plant extracts. This proves that apart from the nutrients, food products from plants provide components used in the promotion of human health. Nutrigenomics studies show the effects of some of these compounds in the human body. Some compounds prevent dietary complications solely while others have to combine with others to be useful. Research has shown that these diets are rich in components known as polyphenols which work against the growth of cancer.
In the study on the effect of food intake in the growth and development of genes, it is quite clear how nutrition and medicines from plant products affect the process of breaking down the nutrients and their absorption control. It also explains how the control is affected in the case of early phases of diet-related complications. This explains the genes which are responsible for the rise of these complications. The foods we take contribute to raising or lowering the genes that cause complications like cancer (Rawson 2008, p. 125).
Nutrigenomics helps in coming up with dietary intervention ways to maintain proper health and body fitness hence preventing these complications. Research shows that a diet rich in a variety of plants compounds contains formulae like Curcuminoids, Catechins, polyphenols, Gingerols, and many others. These components are extremely crucial in preventing different types of diseases, promoting proper health, and acting as anti-cancer agents.
The compounds above are commonly found in many of the cultures in the whole world and their consumption is encouraged as a cultural practice. Cultural practices have greatly influenced the type of food taken in various communities. Many patients are found to consume healthy and enriched compounds which ensure therapeutic effects in them.
Understanding the effects of bioactive foods is facilitated by nutrigenomics. This is essential in demonstrating how these food compounds affect human health and the effects of healthy food in our diet. It is important to take a healthy diet to prevent diseases like cancer in addition to avoiding a habit like smoking which is known to cause cancer. Observing a better diet throughout a lifetime eliminates chances of contracting complications like cancer even if one has the predisposition to such complications (Haslberger 2010, p.136). Nutrigenomics plays a significant role in the prevention of different types of cancer and other types of chronic diseases.
Just like the diet of an individual affects genes, the environment has an enormous effect as well on an individual’s genes. This mostly affects unborn children depending on their surroundings before they are born. The health of individuals is related to the effects of the nutrients they consume on their genes as explained in nutrigenomics. However, research shows that the health of an infant can be affected by the nutrients which were consumed by the mother before being born. The father’s consumption mainly determines whether the infant will suffer from cancer or not. Research shows that the sperm of a man who smokes undergoes mutations affecting their DNA.
On the other hand, males who smoke and have a proper diet are less exposed to these dangers as opposed to those who smoke and lack a proper diet. This is clear that diet is a key factor in the prevention of complications like cancer. Findings in nutrigenomics have proven that it is possible to prevent some of the most dangerous diseases even before they develop in an individual. This enables the authorities to invest much in the areas which help in preventing these complications.
In regions where nutrigenomics is advanced, authorities invest more in prevention than cure. As the saying goes, prevention is better than cure and hence, such regions are better placed. Though the knowledge is crucial, it should be taken with much care to avoid negative impacts on society. For instance, overinvestment in areas that are not crucial may lead to neglect of other important health concerns needed by society.
The findings in nutrigenomics are not complete for they have only established the different diet-related conditions, and the various nutrients used to prevent these complications. The part of individualized studies has not yet been done. Many people use nutrigenomics when taking vitamins, yet they are not sure if these are the best for their genes, for different individuals’ body systems function differently. This calls for more individualized research which will involve taking cells from a person studying them and deciding the nutrients each person is supposed to take.
New findings are being developed in the field of nutrigenomics that will be extremely beneficial in changing the future of this field. Nutrigenomics will help in determining the changing dietary requirements of individuals and their ability to respond to different nutrients. This will be a significant intervention in research on human health as a whole. Understanding the functioning of an individual’s body will be a crucial tool in designing their diets in terms of various nutrients (Shyong & Gillies 2007, p. 233).
Different individuals’ genes respond differently to the nutrients they take, this requires each person to have a diet that matches with their body functioning. In recent years, only the sick would be prescribed a diet, but in the future, all individuals will require having a diet to prevent any diet-related complications. Using the knowledge of nutrigenomics, it will be extremely easy to determine a diet for all persons. In the future, the use of nutrigenomics findings will enable the understanding of the way the food we take interact with our genes, the systems the food supports, and when they require it. These will help in health improvement and reduction of mortality.
The body systems are immensely complicated and have different functions in the body which are interrelated. The human race faces the challenge of not being able to control the rate at which they gain weight but can prevent the loss of weight.
This is because the weight control systems are not particularly perfect, and this is making obesity a common problem in the human race. As the modern science, of food keeps improving, and with nutrigenomics, the nutritional information of any food substance will be labeled for the benefit of the consumers (Brigelius 2006, p. 180). With accurate scientific findings in the future, the diseases prevented and caused by certain food substances will be included in packages for consumer awareness. As a result of this type of information, quite several diet-related complications will be eliminated by ensuring that all persons consume what is compatible with their body systems.
There is still a need for additional empirical research to be done on the nature of food taken by a pregnant mother and the possible effects it has on an unborn child. In this case, an early gene and nutrient interaction has been studied and explored using the knowledge of nutrigenomics. As more studies are being carried out, accurate diet advice will be given to individuals. Better management of an individual’s information will be required, and all persons will be required to be aware of their body systems and their reaction to nutrients. Nutrigenomics will have a role in providing all this information to different individuals hence eliminating diet-related complications.
The knowledge in nutrigenomics has many positive roles on human health both currently and in the future. As more knowledge is gained, discreet information on an individual’s heath will be available. This information may play a negative role in society and all persons should be careful on how they deal with their specific health details. Nutrigenomics may also lead to discrimination of individuals who are known to carry genes that cause certain diseases. This should be taken into consideration in the future to ensure that it does not cause negative effects in society instead of desired outcomes.
In the future, nutrigenomics may change the field of human nutrition completely. Research evidence shows that it will be possible to identify the capacity of an individual to respond to diet depending on various conditions. Using the basic knowledge available complications which have been a cause for alarm in the medical field will no longer be a problem (Pool &Yaktine 2007, p.92).
Nutrigenomics has so far been able to solve problems related to dietary intake and genes though not fully. 10% of the people found to be prone to certain diseases still get them even after using the advised diet. Such diseases include type 2 diabetes, which is extremely complicated for it involves many gene defects (Rawson 2008, p.70). In the future, these shortcomings call for advanced nutrigenomics knowledge to take care of such complicated conditions using diet and gene relations.
Nutritional genomics in the future will dictate all diet-related recommendations. This will result in the examination of latent information that is not within the knowledge of people. From these examinations, nutrigenomics will come up with new findings as well as new products which will be used to sustain the health needs of different individuals, prevent diseases and conditions which are solely prone to specific people. This is the target of all the researchers in the future that the needs of each person will be catered for at the lowest possible level (Gropper, Smith & Groff 2008, p.78).
Conclusion
In summary, it is worth noting that nutrigenomics is indeed proven to be a highly integrated field in improving the overall health of human beings. Many individuals use different diets to solve their medical complications even with the little knowledge they have on the different nutrients required for various complications. This had been the case even in ancient times when there were no medications, but people used plant products to treat and prevent any complications in their lifetime. When medicines to cure different diseases were discovered some of the complications were still not curable, and they were better prevented than waiting to contract them. From this, it was clear that nutrigenomics has assisted a great deal in dealing with these complications.
Furthermore, nutrigenomics is a field which is growing very fast though it is still at its initial stages. Much has not been discovered and is yet to be explored. It is not yet clear whether it can be efficiently relied on in the medical field, to prevent the different diet related complications it is said to prevent. Once the study has been advanced, it will require careful integration in the field of medicine, which is particularly delicate. Much care is needed to prevent negative effects of this knowledge in the society, for instance discrimination of individuals with genes which may lead to certain diseases. Though there is need for additional and more integrated research on this field, findings are supposed to be put into action if positive results are to be realized.
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