Most of all your ability to lose weight depends on your genetic profile. In fact, your genes control between 25 to 70 percent of factors affecting your weight. Moreover, genes decide how you process food, how you burn calories, how hungry you become, how much you eat, and how to provide energy for moving the body.
FTO Gene
FTO is also known as the fatso gene, or Fat Mass and Obesity Associated gene. FTO is a gene variant that acts as a “nutrient sensor” affecting the amount of food you eat and your hunger. Regrettably, anyone with a specific variation of this gene has a high likelihood of becoming obese. Furthermore, a study published in BMJ reported that anyone who has the FTO gene, on average, weighs 6.61 pounds more and 1.7 times more likely to be obese than someone who doesn’t. However, anyone who consistently exercises for 30 minutes a day, five days a week, turns off this gene.
MC4R Gene
Melanocortin-4 or MC4R is a receptor gene that controls your hunger and appetite. Most of all, anyone having this gene is likely to become obese.
PPARG Protein
Next, PPARG is a protein involved in fat metabolism. And, any gene that encodes PPARG, when activated creates fat cells along with absorbing dietary fats from your blood. Moreover, too much activation leads to weight gain. Indeed, obese people have much higher amounts of this protein in their fat tissue. On the other hand, people with no PPARG have less fat tissue in their limbs and gluteal area. Consequently, to combat PPARG, you should eat more saturated fats than unsaturated fats to lose weight.
ADRB2 Gene
ADRB2 is an Adrenergic beta-2 receptor gene that codes for a protein which helps breakdown fat. As a result, when hormone epinephrine is released, it binds to ADRB2 to release energy by breaking down fat molecules. Moreover, a good treatment to fight ADRB2 is to reduce the amount you eat and exercise.
FABP2 Gene
FABP2 is a gene that helps with the metabolism of carbohydrates and fat.
PGC1-alpha Gene
PGC1-alpha – A high rate of a chemical process called methylation increase metabolism. Methylation adds chemical groups to the genes PGC1-alpha and Tfam. As a result, methylation changes the rate in which these genes are converted to protein and are involved in creating mitochondria in your cells. Consequently, eating efficiently and exercising increases methylation, which in turn increases metabolism.
How Genes Help
For example, people with a specific gene profile benefit from a high protein diet, lose more weight, have reduced craving for food and low appetite. On the other hand, if you don’t have this specific gene profile, a high-protein diet won’t help you lose weight.
Similarly, other gene profiles may make you lose weight with a low-fat diet especially low saturated fat diet.
Furthermore, research shows that those with a specific genetic profile may predispose you to eat fried food and make you obese.
Also, research shows that someone with a variant of the Insulin Receptor Substrate 1 (IRS1) gene is more successful at losing weight with a low-fat and high-carb diet as opposed to a high-fat and low-carb diet.
In addition, genes aren’t the only factor controlling your weight. Your environment and lifestyle have a significant role in your weight. For example, people having the obesity gene have 30 percent lower risk of being obese if they are very active than those who aren’t active. Similarly, adults with an obesity gene profile who are older are less likely to be obese. On the other hand, younger adults, with an obesity gene, gorging on meals, gulping down sugary drinks and being inactive, are likely to become obese.
Conclusion
In conclusion, yes genes have a significant impact on body weight. Regrettably, you may need to do genetic testing to find out if the genes mentioned here effect you. However, in lieu of that, environment also plays a big role in weight. Therefore, a combination of a healthy diet, small portions, staying active, and exercise has the biggest impact on losing weight and body composition such as decreased fat and/or increased muscles.
