Have you ever wondered why certain diets work for some people and not for others?Why some people age more gracefully than others? And you would probably be thinking that it's not fair. But the answer is two simple words - personalized nutrition!

Eventhough everyone eats the same food, they react to it very differently and they will, as everybody is unique, right? In this regard, I would like to mention the work of J. F. Ferguson et al. They have written in the journal Atherosclerosis, the healthy fat found in oily fish, i.e.your omega-3 fatty acid, which are believed to protect against cardiovascular disease are actually found to be more beneficial in individuals with a particular genetic make-up

So, won't it be better if you get diet recommendations based on your genetic makeup itself! Yeah. ...and that is what personalized nutrition is, which considers specific physical and genetic characteristics of an individual. With personalized nutrition food and health recommendations could be better modified to an individual rather than overall population. And this personalized nutrition is the major aspect or potential of Nutrigenomics.

Nutrigenomics is a fast-moving field of research which studies the effects of food on gene expression.It involves many scientific disciplines like genetics, molecular biology, nutrition, bioinformatics, biocomputation, physiology, pathology, sociology. And human genome mapping has opened many doors for application of genetics at individual level i.e. for personalized health care.

Principles of nutrigenomics:

1.Diet can be a serious risk factor for a number of diseases for some individuals under certain circumstances.

2.Substances in the diet i.e. nutrients, can act on the genome, either directly or indirectly, to alter gene structure or expression.

3.Individual genetic makeup or genotype can influence the balance between health and disease.

4.Genes that are regulated by dietary factors can play a role in the onset, incidence, progression, and/or severity of chronic diseases.

5.Dietary intervention based on individual nutritional status and requirements and genotype can prevent, mitigate, or cure chronic disease.

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New EU (European Union) funded project 'Food4Me' is investing the potential of personalized nutrition. Food4Me will investigate the possibility of designing better diets based on a person's genetic make-up. A renowned group of experts will examine the application of nutrigenomic research to personalised nutrition. They are working to use understanding of food and genes to design a better, healthier and more individual diet. Researchers at Kansas State University have also published an academic journal article discussing the potential for nutrigenomics, for personalized nutrition. They are also trying to explore this field to prevent an individual's genes from expressing disease with food.

Nutrigenomics combines molecular biology, genetics and nutrition to regulate gene expression through specific nutrients. It has been studied that nutrients affect gene expression through transcription factors, which are biochemical entities that bind to DNA and either promote or inhibit transcription of genes.

Scientists are looking at the molecular mechanisms in the body. They say 'at the molecular level, you can look at what specific nutrients can do to your body that would trigger genes to act properly, in a healthy way'.

Another potential of nutrigenomics is that it could tell you if you have the propensity for certain chronic diseases so that you could modify your diet accordingly ;but obvious, with help of your physician and genetic expert!

With a better understanding of how nutrients alter gene expression, there is a potential that food could be used instead of medication to combat problems like high cholesterol. Researchers conducted a study to see the effect of Synthetic Dietary Triglycerides, which concludes the effects of dietary unsaturated fatty acids on hepatic gene expression are almost entirely mediated by PPAR (Peroxisome-Proliferator Activated Receptors ) and mimic those of synthetic PPAR agonists in terms of regulation of target genes and molecular mechanism. Use of synthetic dietary triglycerides may provide a novel paradigm for nutrigenomics research. For more information visit :
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2244803/?tool=pmcentrez

The researchers said a shift in public health is greatly needed, and with an increasing incidence of obesity and chronic diseases such as type 2 diabetes, nutrigenomics might prove to be the panacea in the future.

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Researchers who published their work in the biotechnology journal are studying the link between obesity and colorectal cancer.You can read more about this on, http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/biot.201000165/abstract.

Ramon Cacabelos from EuroEspes Biomedical Research Center is studying the Application of nutrigenomics to Alzheimer's disease.

One more good news, especially for ladies, is "application of nutrigenomics to skin health called dermagenetics". In this, testing for selected genetic mutations related to skin health is done followed by advocating the use of either nutraceuticals or skin creams enriched by cosmeceuticals. This field is heading toward commercialization at a rapid rate by directly targeting the public.

Although this growth represents an opportunity to explore the benefits of genetic advances in skin health, it is essential that the science, product claims, and ethical standards be critically evaluated and clear national guidelines be set in order to protect the consumer. Thus improvement in the prevention of nutrition-associated, chronic diseases is very near with this specific nutritional advice. It looks like nutrigenomics and personalized nutrition will completely change the future of public health and the food and culinary industries.

Future directions:

According to Ramon Cacabelos, to achieve a mature discipline of nutrigenomics in chronic disorders, it would be convenient to accelerate the following processes:
a. Educate physicians and the public on the use of genetic/genomic screening in daily clinical practice,
b. Standardize genetic testing for major categories of diseases,
c. Validate nutrigenomic procedures according to food/nutraceutical category and pathology,
d. Regulate ethical, social, and economic issues; and
e. Incorporate nutrigenomic procedures to both nutraceuticals in development and foods of massive consumption in the market to optimize nutrition in the general population and in specific risk groups.
f.The incorporation of nutrigenomics and pharmacogenetic protocols in major diseases may foster nutritional and therapeutic optimization by helping to develop cost-effective drugs and novel nutraceutical products, improving efficacy and safety, reducing adverse events and non-compliance, and cutting down unnecessary costs for industry and society.

But the scenario with general acceptance is not that good. Though the food industry, healthcare providers, and consumers have vested interests in the development of this science, very few consumers have as yet made use of nutrigenomics. Studies have shown that 85-93% of people believe that diet is an important part of health and of the management of aging and conditions such as arthritis. However it is also possible that nutrigenomics will suffer a consumer backlash, similar to the European backlash against genetically-modified foods.

Still let's be positive and hope that in next five to 10 years probably, you would go to a genetic counselor or a physician who could help you understand your genetic makeup, and then a nutritional professional could customize your diet accordingly. So, let's wish for success of research which will keep disease away from you! For now let's adopt and stick to healthy diet and healthy lifestyle as a preventive measure for diseases.

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