Intro
In this episode of “The Peter Attia Drive,” Peter Attia explores the role of genetics in disease risk, the value of genetic testing, and how to become a more informed consumer of genetic tests. This episode provides a foundational understanding of genetics and genetic testing, making it valuable for anyone interested in learning more about their health.
Main Takeaways
Genetic Testing and Disease Risk
- Genetics play a significant role in disease risk.
- Understanding genetic risks can be valuable, but it’s important not to overweight the importance of genetic testing.
- Genetic testing can be useful in certain situations, but it’s important to know when it is and isn’t useful.
- Direct-to-consumer genetic tests are becoming more popular, but it’s important to know which ones are the best options for learning about one’s health.
The Basics of Genetics
- Genetics refers to the part of a person passed down from parents and plays an important role in understanding physical, psychological, and social factors.
- DNA is a code of instructions that tells a cell how to function, and genes are individual recipes within that code.
- Genes only work by being expressed, which involves making a copy of DNA into RNA and turning that RNA into a protein.
- Humans only have about 20,000 protein coding genes, which is a relatively small number compared to other organisms.
The Complexity of Genetics
- One gene can lead to many different functions, creating functional heterogeneity.
- Genetics are passed down from parents to children through chromosomes.
- Humans have 23 pairs of chromosomes, with one chromosome from each parent.
- Traits can be determined by a combination of both copies of alleles or follow a dominance pattern.
The Influence of Genetics on Traits
- Understanding genetics can help individuals make lifestyle modifications to modify risk and can help explain why some traits are deterministic while others are not.
- Dominant genes determine certain traits like hair color.
- Having one functional copy of a gene is usually enough to produce a normal phenotype.
- Small variations in gene sequence or surrounding DNA called SNPs influence gene expression and function.
The Spectrum of Genetic Variation
- Humans are at least 99.5% genetically identical to each other, but small variations account for all the genetically attributable differences in variability across humans.
- Genetic variation can exist on a spectrum from benign to pathogenic, and not all changes affect DNA transcription and translation.
- Heritability describes the amount of phenotypic variation in a given trait in a population that can be attributed to the genetic variation in that trait.
- Some traits are entirely determined by genetics, like blood type and eye color, while others are completely determined by environment and experience, like native language and religion.
- Most traits fall somewhere in the middle of the spectrum, where genes, environment, and experience interact to determine characteristics like appearance, personality, and disease susceptibility.
Genetics and Disease
- Height is about 80% heritable, with 20% influenced by factors like childhood and gestational nutrition, and hazardous exposures.
- Monozygotic twins are identical twins, while dizygotic twins are fraternal twins.
- Dizygotic twins are fraternal twins born from two different eggs and fertilized by two different sperms, while monozygotic twins are identical twins born from a single fertilized egg.
- Studying the occurrence of certain diseases in monozygotic versus dizygotic twins is an interesting way to understand how heritable certain traits are.
- In the case of schizophrenia, studies have shown about a 7% concordance between dizygotic twins while a 33% concordance in monozygotic twins, which suggests about a 79-80% heritability for the condition.
Genetic Testing and Its Applications
- Genetic testing can be done for various reasons, such as assessing risk for certain diseases or identifying genetic mutations that may affect treatment options.
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Summary
Genetics and Disease Risk
Genetics play a significant role in disease risk, but it’s important not to overweight the importance of genetic testing. While genetic testing can be useful in certain situations, it’s crucial to understand when it is and isn’t useful. Direct-to-consumer genetic tests are becoming more popular, but it’s essential to choose the best options for learning about one’s health.
The Basics of Genetics
Genetics refers to the part of a person passed down from parents and plays a crucial role in understanding physical, psychological, and social factors. DNA serves as a code of instructions, and genes are individual recipes within that code. Genes work by being expressed, involving the production of RNA and proteins. Humans have about 20,000 protein coding genes, which is relatively small compared to other organisms.
The Complexity of Genetics
Genetics can be complex, with one gene leading to many different functions and creating functional heterogeneity. Genetics are passed down through chromosomes, and humans have 23 pairs of chromosomes. Traits can be determined by a combination of both copies of alleles or follow a dominance pattern.
The Influence of Genetics on Traits
Understanding genetics can help individuals make lifestyle modifications to modify risk and explain why some traits are deterministic while others are not. Dominant genes determine certain traits, and having one functional copy of a gene is usually enough for a normal phenotype. Small variations in gene sequence or surrounding DNA called SNPs influence gene expression and function.
The Spectrum of Genetic Variation
While humans are genetically similar, small variations account for all the genetically attributable differences in variability across individuals. Genetic variation can range from benign to pathogenic, and not all changes affect DNA transcription and translation. Heritability describes the genetic contribution to phenotypic variation. Some traits are entirely determined by genetics, while others are influenced by environmental factors and experiences.
Genetics and Disease
Height is a trait that is about 80% heritable, with the remaining 20% influenced by factors like nutrition and exposures. Studying twins can provide insights into the heritability of certain diseases. Monozygotic twins, who share identical genetic material, have a higher concordance rate for diseases like schizophrenia compared to dizygotic twins, suggesting a strong genetic component in these conditions.
Genetic Testing and Its Applications
Genetic testing can be done to assess the risk of certain diseases or identify genetic mutations that may affect treatment options. It is a valuable tool in personalized medicine.
Membership Benefits
Membership to “The Peter Attia Drive” offers comprehensive show notes, monthly AMA episodes, a premium newsletter covering longevity-related topics, a private podcast feed with access to all episodes, including AMAs and the Qualies, and Qualies that highlight the best excerpts from previous episodes.
Conclusion
Understanding genetics and genetic testing is essential for making informed decisions about health and disease risk. Genetics play a significant role in disease susceptibility, but it’s important to consider other factors such as lifestyle and environment. Genetic testing can provide valuable insights, but it’s crucial to choose reputable tests and understand their limitations. By becoming a more informed consumer of genetic tests, individuals can take proactive steps towards optimizing their health.
