SubscribeEpigenetics May Be The Underlying Cause For Male Infertility
I wrote a long time ago about epigenetics. Here’s an article from today’s Science Daily regarding epigenetics and male infertility.
Researchers at the University of Southern California (USC) suggest epigenetics, or the way DNA is processed and expressed, may be the underlying cause for male infertility.
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Attention is now focused on epigenetic changes. Epigenetic change, which is defined as in addition to changes in genetic sequence, includes any process that alters gene activity without changing the DNA sequence. Some of these epigenetic changes are inherited from one generation to the next.
This reminds me of another post from way back where Art DeVany spoke with Charles Staley and talked a bit about genotype versus phenotype. That is, genotype is what your DNA says you could be while phenotype is what you actually are based on the genes that are expressed. As I pointed out in my original post,
It appears that what we’re talking about is gene expression. Gene expression is what keeps people that are “genetically susceptible” to a disease from actually getting the disease. Most diseases are not inherited; rather a tendency for that disease is passed from parent to child. For instance, many people that have a family history of diabetes, heart disease, or cancer never develop those diseases. The development of the disease is dependent on gene expression. So what drives gene expression? Environmental factors. And what are the environmental factors that can be most easily controlled? Nutrition and exercise! Basically, even though someone may be susceptible to something due to epigenetic inheritance from their parents or epigenetic markers placed throughout their life, by taking care of themselves, they can overcome these diseases.
It’s interesting stuff and I suspect many aren’t excited about hearing that many of their ills are self-imposed. So many like to blame others for what is wrong with us.
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Filed in Evolution and Genetics 3 Comments so far
Heather on 13 Dec 2007 at 2:00 pm #
First off, I’d like to say how much I like your blog. I’ve been reading it for a few months, and a few weeks ago I went back and read the older entries from the start. It’s been very informative and helpful to me, and now I’m trying to get the nerve to print some of your cholesterol entries for my father-in-law. He’s at the hospital right now getting tested to see if he can have a heart transplant, and I worry that he’ll reject anything different because he’s so far into the medical system now. Since he started having problems & seeing doctors he’s only gotten worse, not better.
After reading what you & others have to say, I believe that diabetes & heart disease are the most mistreated problems people have. It’s almost like they’re trying to make it worse. As horrible as it sounds, I really feel like there’s a conspiracy to keep everyone sick & paying to get better (though they never do), starting with our food supply & ending in the pills we need to deal with the health problems induced by the food supply. Why can’t everyone see this? For the first time ever, I feel like a crazy conspiracy theorist.
Thanks for the link to the free Protein Power Lifeplan, I ordered one that I will give to my in-laws. They’ve done Atkins before, maybe this will be easier for them to follow.
And getting back to your topic at hand, did you see this one on Mark’s Daily Apple? I linked to your original post on epigenetics in the comments, just sheer coincidence that I read it right when 23andme came out.
http://www.marksdailyapple.com/23-and-me/
Scott Kustes on 14 Dec 2007 at 8:37 am #
Hey Heather,
Good luck with your father. I don’t know if it’s a conspiracy or just a lot of misinformation. Regardless, the most important thing is that we all take our health into our own hands. PPLP covers much more than just low-carb living. I recently purged my book collection to clear out space, but hung onto 4 or 5 that I use as reference. PPLP was one of those.
I did see that link on Mark’s “23 and me” post. I appreciate that. Mark’s site is always chock full of great information.
Cheers!
Scott
Book Review - Survival of the Sickest | Modern Forager on 16 Dec 2007 at 12:49 pm #
[...] rating up a bit. As I started reading her epigenetics chapter, I was thinking that the article on epigenetics and male infertility couldn’t have come at a better time. She mentioned a bit about the theory of humans being [...]