💊Daily Pill: What is Epigenetics?

Shaping Your Health Across Generations

The Daily Pill is a series of very short daily posts where I share the definition of a medical term I think we should all know. Read it every morning and build up your medical vocabulary.

🧬Epigenetics

Epigenetics is the study of changes in gene expression patterns that do not involve alterations to the original DNA sequence. These changes in expression patterns occur due to various factors including environmental exposures, lifestyle choices, and age. Epigenetic modifications can turn genes on or off, affecting how cells read genes and ultimately influencing an individual's health and development.

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🤔Why you need to know:

Epigenetics reveals how our environment and behaviors can impact gene expression patterns and health outcomes. Epigenetic changes can contribute to the development of diseases like cancer, diabetes, and heart disease.

Importantly, some epigenetic changes can be inherited, meaning that the lifestyle choices you make today can influence the health and gene expression of your descendants. This last part should be mind-blowing. This means you should really think about your future children before you eat that donut… and on the flip side, if you are thinking about having kids, you should probably spend some time optimizing your health before you do. 🤯

🧠Trivia:

During World War II, the Dutch famine of 1944-1945 provided a stark example of epigenetic effects. Children conceived during the famine experienced altered gene expression due to the severe malnutrition of their mothers. These children were found to have higher rates of certain health issues, such as obesity and cardiovascular disease, decades later. This historical event highlighted how environmental factors can have lasting epigenetic impacts across generations.