Ageing Gracefully, In Your Genes

12 May Ageing Gracefully, In Your Genes

Ageing gracefully isn’t just about appearances—it’s a holistic journey that encompasses mental, physical, biological, and even genetic well-being. Ageing gracefully is an ode to the life you’ve lived and the life you have yet to live. For yourself, your children, or your grandkids, you deserve to age gracefully. Let’s find out how.

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Ageing Cracefully with The PEMT Gene

The PEMT gene encodes an enzyme responsible for producing choline in the liver via methylation. Oestrogen raises PEMT activity, thereby increasing the production of choline.

So, after menopause, the need for choline is increased. Variants of this gene can affect how much or how little choline is produced, as well as liver and muscle dysfunction, specifically non-alcoholic fatty liver disease.

So, What is Choline?

Choline was recently (in medical terms) discovered as an important nutrient and was only declared as such in 1998. Interestingly, choline is neither a vitamin nor a mineral but an organic, water-soluble compound. Although your body produces this nutrient naturally thanks to your PEMT gene, it’s good to have a little extra help from your diet. Do this by including foods such as:

• Organic, free-range eggs
• Organic liver
• Organic, grass-fed meat
• Cruciferous vegetables like Brussels sprouts, broccoli and kale

How Does Choline Help with Ageing Gracefully?

Choline has been hypothesised to impact women slightly more than men. This is mainly because choline can be crucial during pregnancy and for breastfeeding mums. However, its benefits are shared by both men and women. Choline has been linked to the improvements in:

• Anxiety and brain function
• Cell structure
• Cell messaging
• Fat transport and metabolism
• DNA synthesis
• Healthy nervous system

What are Free Radicals?

Free radicals are unstable molecules that can damage the DNA in cells from the inside if there are too many. They may contribute to a range of diseases and can visibly age your skin. Free radicals are a natural byproduct of cell metabolism, so it isn’t possible to avoid them altogether. But if they build up within cells, it can cause oxidative stress, which can damage the body’s cells. A review of studies in 2022 showed that oxidative stress from free radicals can contribute to:

• Neurodegenerative disorders
• Cardiovascular disease
• Respiratory disease
• Digestive diseases

Ageing Gracefully with Free Radicals; It’s in Your Genes.

SOD2 is the gene responsible for producing an enzyme that breaks down superoxide, a harmful free radical. Variants of the SOD2 gene can cause a decreased ability to break down superoxide, leading to increased free radical damage. To function optimally, SOD2 requires Manganese, which is found in:

• Pineapple
• Almonds
• Peanuts
• Walnuts
• Hazelnuts
• Pumpkin seeds
• Chia seeds
• Sunflower seeds
• Beans
• Spinach
• Green and black tea
• And brown rice

The GST group of enzymes also play a role in neutralising free radicals through the antioxidant glutathione. GSTM1 is most active in the liver, kidneys, and intestines. GSTP1 is most active in the liver, kidneys, oesophagus, thyroid, and intestines. More specifically, GSTM1 focuses on dealing with toxins from smoking and other environmental carcinogens, while GSTP1 helps with various types of toxic substances. Antioxidants can assist in the functioning of the GST genes in much the same way as the SOD2 gene.

What Else Causes Free Radical Damage?

Several environmental factors can contribute to free radical production, including:

• Smoking
• Nutrient-deficient diet
• Air pollution from fossil fuels
• Toxic chemical exposure
• Radiation exposure, including the sun or UV light

Luckily, there are some ways you can reduce their effects, specifically by eating antioxidant-rich foods such as:

• Tea
• Berries
• Citrus fruits
• Carrots
• Soybeans
• Nuts and seeds

The Sunshine Vitamin for Ageing Gracefully

Specifically, the VDR gene. This gene regulates the body’s receptivity to vitamin D3, which is the active form of vitamin D. Vitamin D is very important for the body as it helps:

• Absorb Vitamin C and phosphate
• Regulate the production of dopamine. That’s why, when there are long stretches of no sunshine, you may start feeling a bit low and sad.
• Cell growth and differentiation
• Support a healthy immune system.

Low Vitamin D has been shown to affect bone health, cause inflammation, frequent infections, and, in some cases, autoimmune disease. Foods that are rich in Vitamin D, include:

• Fatty fish
• Beef liver
• Egg yolk
• Mushrooms

Therefore, getting enough of the sunshine vitamin helps you live happily and ultimately ensures you are ageing gracefully.

Ageing Gracefully through Methylation

Methylation is the chemical modification of DNA and other molecules. So, methylation can alter gene expression because chemical tags called ‘methyl groups’ attach to a particular location in DNA and switch it on or off.

This regulates the production of proteins, which the gene encodes. Poor methylation can lead to cardiovascular disease, poor foetal development, mood disorders, DNA damage, and more. However, more research is needed to confirm the true impact of the MTHFR gene mutation on one’s health.

If you want to learn more about methylation, then be sure to read about it here.

Ageing Gracefully

We hope this article provides some useful insights and tips on ageing gracefully. To understand how exactly your body contributes to your ageing, purchase our test here. After all, it’s in your genes.

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