109 | id == 109
109 | category_id == 15
109 | category_order == 11
109 | category_name == Diet
109 | category_color == #C47AC0
109 | slug == TCF7L2-dietary-fat-metabolism
109 | title == How Do Your Genes Respond to Dietary Fat? (TCF7L2)
109 | meta_description == TCF7L2 has complex metabolic roles and may determine your response to dietary fat. Click to get gene-based diet tips.
109 | summary == <p style="text-align:justify"><strong>The TCF7L2 gene has crucial roles in sugar and fat metabolism. Variants in this gene may determine how well you respond to different dietary fats &mdash; read on to get gene-based diet tips for improved metabolic health.</strong></p>
109 | overall_score_text == Your Response to Dietary Fat (Based on TCF7L2 Gene)
109 | image == https://sd-selfdecode-assets-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/blog/background/TCF7L2--Fats-Omega-6--Saturated-Fat.jpg
109 | author_id == 9
109 | author_name == Aleksa Ristic
109 | author_title == MS (Pharmacy)
109 | author_order == 45
109 | author_photo == https://sd-selfdecode-assets-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/blog/author-photo/Aleksa.jpg
109 | author_intro == <p><strong>Aleksa received his MS in Pharmacy from the University of Belgrade, his master thesis focusing on protein sources in plant-based diets.</strong>&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>    <p>Aleksa is passionate about herbal pharmacy, nutrition, and functional medicine. He found a way to merge his two biggest passions&mdash;writing and health&mdash;and use them for noble purposes. His mission is to bridge the gap between science and everyday life, helping readers improve their health and feel better.</p>
109 | reviewer == None
109 | medical_reviewer_id == 11
109 | medical_reviewer_name == Puya Yazdi
109 | medical_reviewer_title == MD
109 | publish_date == 2020
109 | publish_date == 3
109 | publish_date == 10
109 | avg_rating == 5.0
109 | tags_id == 152
109 | tags_name == Cholesterol
109 | tags_id == 127
109 | tags_name == Diabetes Type 2
109 | tags_id == 289
109 | tags_name == Metabolic syndrome
109 | tags_id == 252
109 | tags_name == Olive oil
109 | tags_id == 288
109 | tags_name == Omega-6 fatty acids
109 | tags_id == 287
109 | tags_name == saturated fat
109 | tags_id == 280
109 | tags_name == TCF7L2 gene
109 | permissions_favorite == False
109 | permissions_rate == False
109 | content_article == <h2><strong>TCF7L2 in Metabolic Health</strong></h2> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The </span><a href="../../gene/tcf7l2/"><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">TCF7L2</span></em></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> (transcription factor 7 like 2) gene, previously known as TCF4, codes for a vital transcription factor. It controls the expression of other genes in digestive organs such as the gut and pancreas, with a particular role in </span><a href="https://selfhacked.com/blog/glucose/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">glucose metabolism</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> and insulin secretion [</span><a href="https://ghr.nlm.nih.gov/gene/TCF7L2"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16772326/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">TCF7L2 research has mostly focused on its strong association with type 2 diabetes. However, variants in this gene&mdash;such as </span><a href="../../snp/rs7903146/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">rs7903146</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">&mdash;also correlate with impaired lipid metabolism and heart disease [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16415884/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17563454/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19924244/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2714378/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The good news is that specific dietary approaches discussed in this post may lessen the negative metabolic impact of this gene.</span></p> <h3><strong>How Does TCF7L2 Affect Fat Metabolism?</strong></h3> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Besides its crucial role in glucose control, TCF7L2 is involved in fat metabolism. It regulates the production of signaling proteins&mdash;such as </span><a href="http://selfhacked.com/blog/all-about-leptin-its-role-in-chronic-inflammation-cfs-and-weight/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">leptin</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> and </span><a href="https://selfhacked.com/blog/adiponectin/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">adiponectin</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">&mdash;for weight gain, appetite, and more. The exact mechanisms behind this control are still unknown [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19214925/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25550093"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Complex metabolic roles of this gene have inspired scientists to investigate the impact of different nutrients on &lsquo;problematic&rsquo; variants. In this post, we&rsquo;ll focus on the response to dietary fat.</span></p> <h2><strong>The Impact of Dietary Fat on TCF7L2 Variants</strong></h2> <h3><strong>Total and Saturated Fat</strong></h3> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">In two studies of 4,000 participants, tailored nutritional and lifestyle interventions were able to lower or even remove the negative impact of TCF7L2 variants, </span><a href="../../snp/rs12255372/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">rs12255372</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">-T and </span><a href="../../snp/rs7903146/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">rs7903146</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">-T, on diabetes risk. Patients were educated and motivated to reduce weight, </span><a href="https://selfhacked.com/blog/top-14-proven-health-benefits-exercise-references-mechanisms/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">exercise</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> more, and improve their diets [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1762036/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17437080/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Patients reduced the intake of total and </span><a href="http://selfhacked.com/blog/low-carb-diet-vs-high-carb-diet/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">saturated fat</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> while increasing the consumption of fruits and vegetables. Besides fat reduction, other dietary and lifestyle changes likely had beneficial effects.&nbsp;</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">In two studies of 1,350 obese patients, those with the &ldquo;TT&rdquo; genotypes at rs7903146 and rs12255372 lost more weight on a low-fat (LF) than on a high-fat (HF) diet. They also had a lower waist-to-hip ratio and better glucose control. On the other hand, there was no significant difference between LF and HF among the "C" and &ldquo;G&rdquo; allele carriers [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20032493"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3471200/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">High intake of saturated fat (&ge;15.5% of total energy) worsened the metabolic impact of rs7903146 in a trial of 1,754 subjects. The &ldquo;T&rdquo; allele carriers had 2.35x higher rates of metabolic syndrome, manifested with abdominal obesity and insulin resistance [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21543200"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The effect was significant only in women, so ladies with this variant may want to pay special attention to their saturated fat intake.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">In another study, the consumption of total and saturated fat-rich meals caused metabolic impairments in people with rs7903146-T. Young men had reduced </span><a href="https://www.selfhacked.com/blog/hdl-cholesterol/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">HDL</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> or &ldquo;good&rdquo; </span><a href="https://www.selfhacked.com/blog/cholesterol/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">cholesterol</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, while the elderly had higher total cholesterol, </span><a href="https://www.selfhacked.com/blog/ldl-cholesterol/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">LDL</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, and </span><a href="https://www.selfhacked.com/blog/triglycerides/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">triglycerides</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3423356/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p><span style="background-color: #e8ebfc; border-left: 2px solid #4569fa; display: block; padding: 20px;">Increased fat intake, especially saturated fat, may worsen the adverse metabolic effects of TCF7L2 variants: rs12255372-T and rs7903146-T.</span></p> <h3><strong>Omega-6 Fatty Acids</strong></h3> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Researchers examined the link between polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) intake and TCF7L2 variants in a study of over 1,000 people. At high PUFA intake (&gt;7% of total energy), those with rs7903146-T had impaired blood lipids and insulin secretion, which might contribute to diabetes and heart disease [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2714378/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">More precisely, a higher intake of omega-6 fatty acids had negative metabolic effects. Omega-3s were beneficial, regardless of the genotype.</span></p> <h2><strong>Your TCF7L2 Results for Response to Dietary Fat</strong></h2> <p><strong>*9258319150444443*</strong></p> <h3><strong>SNP Summary and Table</strong></h3> <p><strong>Primary SNP:</strong></p> <p><strong><em>TCF7L2</em></strong> <a href="../../snp/rs7903146/"><strong>rs7903146</strong></a></p> <ul> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">&lsquo;C&rsquo; = typical response to dietary fat</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">&lsquo;T&rsquo; = poor response to high-fat diets, especially saturated and omega-6 fats</span></li> </ul> <p><strong>Other Important SNP:</strong></p> <p><strong><em>TCF7L2</em></strong> <a href="../../snp/rs12255372/"><strong>rs12255372</strong></a></p> <ul> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">&lsquo;G&rsquo; = typical response to dietary fat</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">&lsquo;T&rsquo; = poor response to high-fat diets</span></li> </ul> <h3><strong>Population Frequency</strong></h3> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">These two variants are almost always inherited together, which means they act as a single genetic factor.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">About 40% of European descendants carry one copy of the problematic &ldquo;T&rdquo; allele while 10-12% carry both copies. In East-Asian populations, this allele is much less common (2-4%).</span></p> <p><strong>*9744032192905727*</strong></p> <h2><strong>Recommendations to Improve Metabolic Health</strong></h2> <p><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">In the following section, we&rsquo;ll outline complementary approaches that may help improve metabolic health. If you have diabetes or any other metabolic disorder, the below strategies are not meant to replace your standard medical treatment.</span></em></p> <p><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">Make sure to consult with your doctor before making any significant changes to your day-to-day routine.</span></em></p> <p><strong>*7169980527944579*</strong></p> <h3><strong>Diet</strong></h3> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">People with the mentioned TCF7L2 variations may want to limit the intake of saturated fat and omega-6 fatty acids.</span></p> <h4><strong>Limit Saturated Fat</strong></h4> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Foods high in saturated fat include [</span><a href="https://health.gov/our-work/food-nutrition/2015-2020-dietary-guidelines/advisory-report/appendix-e-3/appendix-e-35"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">]:</span></p> <ul> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Fatty meat&nbsp;</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">High-fat dairy (cheese, cream)</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Butter</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Palm oil</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><a href="https://selfhacked.com/blog/benefits-of-coconut-oil/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Coconut oil</span></a></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Pork fat</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Lard</span></li> </ul> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">It&rsquo;s worth mentioning that saturated fat has been unfairly &ldquo;demonized&rdquo; in the past. More recent evidence points to much lower health risks than initially reported [</span><a href="https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/the-truth-about-fats-bad-and-good"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28442474"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5475232/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">&nbsp;It&rsquo;s still a good idea to keep the saturated fat intake in moderation, especially for people with TCF7L2 variants.&nbsp;</span></p> <h4><strong>Limit Omega-6 Fatty Acids</strong></h4> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Foods high in omega-6 fatty acids include [</span><a href="https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">]:</span></p> <ul> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Cakes and pastry</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Fast food and snacks</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Peanut butter</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Vegetable oils (safflower, sunflower, sesame, soybean)</span></li> </ul> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Western diets are too high in omega-6 and low in </span><a href="http://selfhacked.com/blog/top-22-science-based-health-benefits-of-fish-oil/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">omega-3</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> fats. This impaired ratio can contribute to a range of inflammatory disorders [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12442909"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6269634/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4808858/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Not all omega-6 sources are equal; they are present in many healthy foods such as eggs, nuts, and seeds. Make a special effort to avoid omega-6s from fried and fast foods, pastries, and sweets.</span></p> <h4><strong>Healthy Replacements</strong></h4> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Although some studies point to the harmful effects of total fat, they likely come from saturated, trans, and omega-6 fats. Try to replace the above foods with:</span></p> <ol> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Fish (salmon, trout, sardine, herring)</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><a href="https://selfhacked.com/blog/olive-oil/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Olive oil</span></a></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Flaxseed</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><a href="https://selfhacked.com/blog/hemp-seeds/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Hemp seeds</span></a></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Walnuts</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Chia seeds</span></li> </ol> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Omega-3 sources and olive oil have well-documented anti-inflammatory effects and metabolic benefits, crucial for people with TCF7L2 variants [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6357022/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22332096"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5877547/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29141571"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">These foods still add to total fat intake, so you should consume them moderately.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">And what about carbs? Check out our post on </span><a href="../article/tcf7l2-diabetes-carbs-106"><span style="font-weight: 400;">TCF7L2, diabetes &amp; carbs</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> to find out.</span></p> <p><span style="background-color: #e8ebfc; border-left: 2px solid #4569fa; display: block; padding: 20px;">Try to limit the intake of saturated fat (fatty meat, high-fat dairy) and omega-6 fatty acids (snacks, fried foods, pastry, vegetable oils. Replace them with fish, olive oil, walnuts, flaxseed, and hemp seeds in moderation.</span></p> <h3><strong>Lifestyle</strong></h3> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Specific lifestyle adjustments may work in synergy with diet to beat the negative metabolic effect of TCF7L2. In two studies described above, weight reduction and moderate </span><a href="https://selfhacked.com/blog/top-14-proven-health-benefits-exercise-references-mechanisms/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">exercise</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> likely contributed to positive results [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1370926/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17437080/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The American Diabetes Association recommends the combination of moderate aerobic and resistance training, at least 150 min/week. Also, it's crucial to reduce the sedentary lifestyle and interrupt longer periods of sitting every 30 min [</span><a href="https://care.diabetesjournals.org/content/39/11/2065"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The American Heart Association recommends 150 min/week of moderate aerobic activity (or 75 min intense) plus strength training on at least two days a week [</span><a href="https://www.heart.org/en/healthy-living/fitness/fitness-basics/aha-recs-for-physical-activity-in-adults"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <h3><strong>Supplements</strong></h3> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">If your intake of fatty sea fish is low (less than three servings/week), consider supplementing with </span><a href="http://selfhacked.com/blog/top-22-science-based-health-benefits-of-fish-oil/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">fish oil</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">/omega-3. It has beneficial effects on blood lipids, high blood pressure, and different inflammatory conditions [</span><a href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21975919"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4054797/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17335973"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p>
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109 | content_learn_more_9744032192905727_text == Your TCF7L2 variants are associated with slightly impaired fat metabolism. You may not respond well to large amounts of dietary fat, especially saturated and omega-6 fats. Try consuming fat in moderation and focusing on omega-3 sources and olive oil. Follow our gene-based diet tips to improve metabolic health.
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rsIDs = rs7903146,rs12255372
rsStatus = rs7903146,TCF7L2,chr10,112998590,C,G,T,,29,0,Normal
rsStatus = rs12255372,TCF7L2,chr10,113049143,G,A,T,,41,0,Normal
