Genetics and Health

Influence of Genetics on Cholesterol Levels

by Hsien Hsien Lei, PhD on July 11th, 2005

Twins have been working hard for us again. Scientists at the Department of Energy’s Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory and the Children’s Hospital Oakland Research Institute studied 28 pairs of identical male twins and found that exercise did not greatly influence cholesterol levels. (Science Daily, July 8, 2005)

Each pair of twins had one who exercised regularly while the other did not. Their blood cholesterol levels were tested after six weeks on a high fat diet, then tested again after another six weeks on a low fat diet. Regardless of their exercise regimen, the twins’ cholesterol levels responded similarly to each type of diet suggesting that genetic heritability plays a strong role.

Knowing that genes strongly influence cholesterol levels doesn’t mean we should forget about exercising and eating right. The twins’ cholesterol levels increased on high fat diets and decreased on low fat ones. Also, there were only 28 pairs of twins in this study, hardly enough to evidence to generalize to the overall population.

A number of genes involved in cholesterol synthesis and processing have been identified and statin cholesterol drugs have been shown to reduce LDL (bad cholesterol) levels and shrink artery-clogging plaques in people with high cholesterol. (Fox News, July 5, 2005)

Researcher Paul William said: “Our experiment shows how important our genes are. Some people have to be careful about their diets, while others have more freedom.”

~Scotsman, July 9, 2005

Freedom is the key word. We are free to choose what we eat and do with our bodies. We are in control, not our genes.

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POSTED IN: Genetics of Disease