Remember those B vitamins that received honorable mentions?
While members of this Brat Pack often act together to provide methyl groups, they also take on solo roles. Just like choline is called upon to build cells, folate is used to build DNA. A genetic variant in the MTHFD1 gene shifts folate into its other roles, leaving choline to pick up the slack. That can increase your choline needs.3
Remember choline's role in creating one of the major components of cell membranes — phosphatidylcholine?
There are two ways to make it. The first and primary method is much more efficient than the second, but just like the federal government, the human body loves redundancies. The second production method is more resource intensive, but useful in a pinch. [For any science nerds out there, this is a battle between the CDP and the PEMT pathways.4] Different genetic variants push production down one pathway or the other. If your genetics favor the less efficient pathway, your body is going to need more raw materials to get the job done. Time to feed the machine!
This gene codes for a protein that plays a role in normal pigmentation. It is found on the surface of melanocytes, which are cells responsible for the production of melanin — the pigment giving skin, hair, and eyes their colour. There are 2 types of melanin produced: eumelanin and pheomelanin. People with more eumelanin tend to have brown or black hair and skin that tans easily. On the other hand, people with more pheomelanin production tend to have blonde or red hair, freckles, and less protection from UV rays and photoaging. One gene responsible for the synthesis of pheomelanin is the ASIP gene. Having variants of this gene could lead to an increased risk of facial pigmented spots with sun exposure, as it would lead to the clumping of melanin to form areas of hyperpigmentation. [NIH]
Silverberry will be exhibiting at the IDEA Fit Conference in San Diego, from June 28th to June 30th. You can join the expo for free and meet the Silverberry team (Booth #747 in the Nutrition area), learning about new technology and training tools among fellow personal trainers, health coaches, and innovators.
Did you know that vitamin D is associated with several aspects of our health? Multiple studies suggest a correlation between sun sensitivity, memory performance, depression, and how the body produces and uses vitamin D.
