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medpundit |
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Monday, November 03, 2003The Imperial study, of more than 1,200 people, identified two forms of the GAD2 gene. One protected against obesity, the other made it more likely by stimulating the appetite. Thinner volunteers were found to be more likely to carry the protective form of the gene, while the other version was more common in obese people. It seems to stimulate overeating by speeding up production of a chemical messenger in the brain called GABA, or gamma-amino butyric acid. When combined with another molecule GABA stimulates us to eat. There's no doubt some of us are more prone to gaining weight than others, all other factors being equal, but the discovery of genes that influence our metabolisms shouldn't become an excuse for our failure to control our appetites. Just remember, no one ever walked out of a concentration camp overweight. (Although entering one overweight could arguably bestow a survival advantage.) posted by Sydney on 11/03/2003 08:19:00 AM 0 comments 0 Comments: |
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