124 | id == 124
124 | category_id == 15
124 | category_order == 11
124 | category_name == Diet
124 | category_color == #C47AC0
124 | slug == MCM6-protein-intake-gut-microbiome
124 | title == How a Milk-Digesting Gene Alters Probiotic & Protein Needs (MCM6)
124 | meta_description == The lactose-intolerance gene MCM6 can impact your gut microbiome and ideal weight-loss diet. Discover its hidden side here.
124 | summary == <p>Most people know the MCM6 gene as the culprit of lactose intolerance. But there&rsquo;s more to this gene than meets the eye. MCM6 variations may also impact your gut microbiome, obesity risk, and your chance of losing weight on a high-protein diet.</p>
124 | overall_score_text == Your Protein & Probiotic Needs (based on MCM6)
124 | image == https://sd-selfdecode-assets-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/blog/background/MCM6__Foods_Probioticsfermented__Protein_Requirements.jpg
124 | author_id == 5
124 | author_name == Ana Aleksic
124 | author_title == MS (Pharmacy)
124 | author_order == 20
124 | author_photo == https://sd-selfdecode-assets-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/blog/author-photo/Ana.jpg
124 | author_intro == <p><strong>Ana received her MS in Pharmacy from the University of Belgrade.</strong></p>    <p>Ana has many years of experience in clinical research and health advising. She loves communicating science and empowering people to achieve their optimal health. Ana spent years working with patients who suffer from various mental health issues and chronic health problems. She is a strong advocate of integrating scientific knowledge and holistic medicine.</p>
124 | reviewer == None
124 | medical_reviewer_id == 11
124 | medical_reviewer_name == Puya Yazdi
124 | medical_reviewer_title == MD
124 | publish_date == 2020
124 | publish_date == 3
124 | publish_date == 19
124 | avg_rating == 5.0
124 | tags_id == 329
124 | tags_name == Dairy
124 | tags_id == 330
124 | tags_name == Food Intolerance
124 | tags_id == 194
124 | tags_name == Gut Health
124 | tags_id == 317
124 | tags_name == High-protein diet
124 | tags_id == 326
124 | tags_name == MCM6 Gene
124 | tags_id == 246
124 | tags_name == Probiotics
124 | tags_id == 184
124 | tags_name == Weight Loss
124 | permissions_favorite == False
124 | permissions_rate == False
124 | content_article == <h2><span style="font-weight: 400;">MCM6&rsquo;s Hidden Weight-Gain Aspect&nbsp;</span></h2> <h3><span style="font-weight: 400;">MCM6 Gene: The Basics</span></h3> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">About 70% of adults worldwide have lactose intolerance, with huge differences among different ethnicities [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4586527/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p><a href="../../gene/mcm6/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">MCM6 gene</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> variants are the main cause. MCM6 works as a proxy for the lactase (LCT) gene, controlling its activity [</span><a href="https://ghr.nlm.nih.gov/condition/lactose-intolerance#genes"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4899171/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Several MCM6 SNPs have been associated with lactose intolerance, but the best-researched one is </span><a href="../../snp/rs4988235/"><strong>rs4988235</strong></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">. This SNP has also been linked to obesity, gut microbiome diversity, and </span><a href="http://selfhacked.com/blog/a-comprehensive-list-of-effective-ways-to-lose-weight/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">weight loss</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> on different diets.&nbsp;</span></p> <h3><span style="font-weight: 400;">A Good Side to Lactose Intolerance?</span></h3> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Nobody wants to be lactose intolerant. Given the choice, most people would prefer to be able to digest dairy without discomfort. And </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">lactase persistence</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;">--this uniquely human ability to keep making the lactase enzyme into old age--is typically seen as an evolutionary advantage.&nbsp;</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Since rare MCM6 variations help people digest large amounts of lactose, they&rsquo;re the &ldquo;good&rdquo; type&hellip; right?&nbsp;</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Science tells a different story, hinting at the dark side of lactase persistence. It turns out that the same variations that help people digest milk might make them more prone to obesity. Meanwhile, lactose intolerance seems to be the genetic trade-off for being slimmer.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">In a study of 940 people at risk of heart disease, </span><strong>those with the lactose-intolerant genotype (rs4988235 GG) had lower BMI and less belly fat</strong><span style="font-weight: 400;">. Their lactose-digesting counterparts </span><strong>(AG and AA genotypes) were at a higher risk of obesity</strong><span style="font-weight: 400;">--but only if they consumed over 8g of lactose per day [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4426982/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Further studies replicated the link between rare MCM6 rs4988235 variations and increased belly fat, total fat, and weight [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25673412"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25673413"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6109621/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].&nbsp;</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400; background-color: #e8ebfc; border-left: 2px solid #4569fa; display: block; padding: 20px;">Rare variants of rs4988235 that help people digest lactose might also make them more prone to obesity, especially if their lactose intake is moderately high.&nbsp;</span></p> <h2><span style="font-weight: 400;">MCM6 Beyond Lactose Intolerance</span></h2> <h3><span style="font-weight: 400;">Focus on the Gut Microbiome</span></h3> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Researchers recently revealed an </span><strong>association between the more common rs4988235 genotype (GG) and an abundance of </strong><strong><em>Bifidobacteria</em></strong><strong> in the gut microbiome</strong><span style="font-weight: 400;">. </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">Bifidobacterium</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;"> strains are commonly used as </span><a href="https://selfhacked.com/blog/probiotics-good-bacteria/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">probiotics</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6109621/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].&nbsp;</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">A large analysis confirmed this link. They didn&rsquo;t find any difference in dairy intake among the groups. But, they came to a new discovery: people with the lactose-intolerant genotype (GG) had more gut </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">Bifidobacteria</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;"> if they consumed larger amounts of milk (a couple of cups per day) [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27694959/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].&nbsp;&nbsp;</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Another small study of 51 people gives us similar clues. The participants first went through a 2-week dairy-avoidance phase, followed by 2 weeks of lactose reintroduction. During the second phase, they had to ingest 25 g of lactose twice a day. At the end of the trial, only lactose-intolerant individuals had increased </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">Bifidobacteria</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;"> counts [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20559580/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p><a href="https://selfhacked.com/blog/a1probiotics-good-bacteria/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Prebiotics</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> feed our good bacteria and most fall under the category of fiber and complex carbohydrates. Lactose seems an unlikely candidate.&nbsp;</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Yet scientists think that </span><strong>lactose can act as a prebiotic, but only in people who are lactose intolerant</strong><span style="font-weight: 400;">. This might be because lactose-digesters break down most of the lactose they consume before it reaches the colon where probiotic bacteria reside [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20559580/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].&nbsp;&nbsp;</span></p> <p><span style="background-color: #e8ebfc; border-left: 2px solid #4569fa; display: block; padding: 20px;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">People with the lactose-intolerant rs4988235 genotype who drink milk every day seem to have more gut </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">Bifidobacteria</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;">.</span></span></p> <h3><span style="font-weight: 400;">Gut Bacteria May Determine Weight Loss on a High-Protein Diet</span></h3> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">One study of 583 people investigated weight loss diets using the intolerance-linked &lsquo;G&rsquo; allele of rs4988235 as a genetic marker for gut </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">Bifidobacterium </span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;">abundance [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6109621/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">According to them, </span><strong>overweight and obese G-allele carriers may lose more weight by eating a low-calorie, high-protein diet</strong><span style="font-weight: 400;"> [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6109621/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">]</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Protein intake may change how gut bacteria affect weight. Earlier studies reported that </span><strong>weight loss with high-protein diets improved gut microbial gene richness</strong><span style="font-weight: 400;">, colonic health, and </span><a href="https://selfhacked.com/blog/how-your-gut-microbiota-can-make-you-fat-or-thin/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">gut microbiota</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> composition in obese people [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6109621/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Once again, it&rsquo;s not just about one probiotic strain, it&rsquo;s more about </span><a href="https://www.selfhacked.com/blog/gut-bacteria-microbiome/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">the gut microbiome as a whole</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">.&nbsp;</span></p> <p><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">Gut microbial gene richness</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;"> looks at the total number of genetically distinct probiotics in a person&rsquo;s gut, which is emerging as a true measure of microbiome diversity. People with low gut microbial gene richness appear to be more prone to poor metabolism and low-grade inflammation, according to limited human data [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23985875/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].&nbsp;</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">In animals, boosting gut </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">Bifidobacteria</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;"> helps reduce belly fat and normalize inflammation and </span><a href="https://selfhacked.com/blog/insulin-101/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">insulin</span></a><a href="https://www.selfhacked.com/blog/top-tips-for-fixing-insulin-resistance/"><span style="font-weight: 400;"> resistance</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, two conditions that are often connected to type 2 diabetes and obesity&nbsp; [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17823788/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27711063/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21914236/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].&nbsp;</span></p> <p><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">Bifidobacteria</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;"> probiotics may specifically help people lose dangerous belly fat. In a small clinical trial of obese people, a</span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;"> Bifidobacterium</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;"> strain (animalis ssp. lactis GCL2505) reduced belly fat but not total body weight [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27867803/%5C"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].&nbsp;</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Researchers believe that increased protein intake may boost the fat-loss action of </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">Bifidobacteria</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;"> in rs4988235 G-allele carriers while supporting overall gut health. However, we are still lacking a clear mechanistic explanation.&nbsp;&nbsp;</span></p> <p><span style="background-color: #e8ebfc; border-left: 2px solid #4569fa; display: block; padding: 20px;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Overweight and obese people with high-</span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">Bifidobacteria</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;">, lactose-intolerant variants may lose more weight on a low-calorie, high-protein diet.</span></span></p> <h2><span style="font-weight: 400;">Your MCM6 Gene Results for Protein Intake &amp; Microbiome Diversity</span></h2> <p><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">You can see your genotypes for </span></em><a href="../../gene/mcm6/"><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">MCM6</span></em></a><em><span style="font-weight: 400;"> in the table below. However, keep in mind that these associations are based on studies from certain ethnic populations&mdash;so you should interpret your results with caution if you are not descended from one of these specific groups!</span></em></p> <p>*2155636975729744*</p> <h3><span style="font-weight: 400;">SNP Summary and Table</span></h3> <p><strong>MCM6 </strong><a href="../../snp/rs4988235/"><strong>rs4988235&nbsp;</strong></a></p> <ul> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">&lsquo;AA&rsquo; = Can digest milk, but more prone to obesity with higher lactose intake. Less diverse microbiome. Low-protein diets may be better for weight loss.</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">&lsquo;GA&rsquo; = Slight lactose intolerance is possible; may be more prone to obesity with higher lactose intake. High-protein diets enhance weight loss.&nbsp;&nbsp;</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">&lsquo;GG&rsquo; = Probably lactose intolerant but less likely to be obese. High-protein diets enhance weight loss.&nbsp;</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">The &lsquo;A&rsquo; allele is more common in people of European descent&nbsp;&nbsp;</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">&lsquo;GG&rsquo; is more common in people of Asian and African descent</span></li> </ul> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">*9049813405815341*</span></p> <h3><span style="font-weight: 400;">MCM6 &amp; Milk&nbsp;</span></h3> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">To learn more about other MCM6 SNPs that play a role in lactose intolerance, check out <a href="../article/mcm6-lactose-intolerance-123" target="_blank" rel="noopener">this article</a>.&nbsp;</span></p> <h2><span style="font-weight: 400;">Recommendations to Optimize Diet &amp; Gut Health</span></h2> <p><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">If you are overweight and have metabolic problems, always speak with your doctor before implementing any of the following strategies. There may be unexpected interactions with your current medications or health conditions.&nbsp;</span></em></p> <p><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">None of these recommendations should ever be used in place of the treatments prescribed by your doctor.</span></em></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">*4578984447908183*</span></p> <h3><span style="font-weight: 400;">Diet</span></h3> <h4><span style="font-weight: 400;">Protein Intake and Weight Loss</span></h4> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Typically, a </span><strong>high-protein diet</strong><span style="font-weight: 400;"> will have the following macronutrient ratio:</span></p> <ul> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">30 % protein</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">30 % fat</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">40 % carbs</span></li> </ul> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The high-protein diet in the above-mentioned genetics study was 25% protein [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6109621/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">]</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Although some diets contain up to 65% of calories from protein, going over 35% isn&rsquo;t recommended.&nbsp;</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">On the other hand, </span><strong>low-protein diets </strong><span style="font-weight: 400;">usually contain less than 10% of total calories from protein.&nbsp;</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">A balanced low-protein diet should minimize protein-containing junk food and maximize healthy fats and low-glycemic-index carbs like </span><a href="https://selfhacked.com/blog/what-is-resistant-starch-sources-how-to-increase-diet/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">resistant starch</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> and fiber. Studies suggest that resistant starch supports energy balance, weight loss, and weight maintenance [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24499148"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].&nbsp;</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">If the following recommendations seem counterintuitive at first, it&rsquo;s because the guidelines you'll usually read seem to have gotten lactose intolerance diets all wrong.</span></p> <h4><span style="font-weight: 400;">Gene-Based Tips for Lactose Digesters</span></h4> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">People who can digest lactose (</span><strong>rs4988235 AA</strong><span style="font-weight: 400;">) might not benefit from its probiotic effects; they break down most of the lactose they consume before it reaches their colon. In turn, they have a less diverse gut microbiome.&nbsp;</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">To make up for a lack of gut microbiome diversity, they should go with </span><strong>fermented dairy foods </strong><span style="font-weight: 400;">that naturally contain probiotics [</span><a href="https://ghr.nlm.nih.gov/condition/lactose-intolerance"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29425071"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Evidence also says that</span><strong> lactose-digesters should actually limit their lactose intake </strong><span style="font-weight: 400;">because consuming moderate amounts increases their risk of gaining excess weight. Lactose intake over 8 g/day has been linked with negative effects. A cup of regular milk amounts to about 12g.&nbsp;</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">On the other hand, </span><a href="http://selfhacked.com/blog/ghee-vs-coconut-oil/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">ghee</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> and aged cheeses like Swiss Emmental and blue cheese contain tiny amounts of lactose. They might be a suitable choice in moderation [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4066025/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.dairynutrition.ca/scientific-evidence/lactose-intolerance-and-milk-allergy/lactose-intolerance-health-authorities-recommendations"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].&nbsp;</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">If people with this genotype gain too much weight, they are likely to do better with a </span><strong>low-calorie,&nbsp; low-protein diet</strong><span style="font-weight: 400;"> [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6109621/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">]</span></p> <h4><span style="font-weight: 400;">Gene-Based Tips for Lactose Indigesters</span></h4> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">People with </span><strong>rs4988235 AG and GG genotypes</strong><span style="font-weight: 400;">, who may be lactose intolerant, seem to get more probiotic benefits from lactose. They have a more diverse gut microbiome and an abundance of probiotic </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">Bifidobacteria</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;"> [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4426982/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Therefore, they should </span><strong>get moderate amounts of lactose</strong><span style="font-weight: 400;"> to support their colonic health. At the same time, they should still make sure to consume fermented dairy foods that are rich in probiotics and easy to digest [</span><a href="https://ghr.nlm.nih.gov/condition/lactose-intolerance"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29425071"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">People with this genotype tend to be slim and to have a flat belly, GG carriers even more so.&nbsp;</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">If G-allele carriers do become overweight or obese, they will probably lose more weight by eating a </span><strong>low-calorie, high-protein diet</strong><span style="font-weight: 400;"> [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4426982/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6109621/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">]</span></p> <h3><span style="font-weight: 400;">Supplements</span></h3> <h4><span style="font-weight: 400;">Probiotics</span></h4> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Probiotics are beneficial in several ways. Evidence suggests they may support gut and overall health by [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29425071"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6109621/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29425071"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">]:</span></p> <ol> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Synergizing with protein to support weight and fat loss</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Improving lactose digestion</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Secreting substances that help fight unwanted microbes</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Strengthening the integrity of the gut barrier</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Boosting the immune system</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Blocking inflammatory pathways (such as </span><a href="https://selfhacked.com/blog/nuclear-factor-kappa-b/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">NF-kB</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">)</span></li> </ol> <p><strong>All rs4988235 genotypes should look to either up their intake of fermented foods and prebiotics or consider supplementing</strong><span style="font-weight: 400;">. Aside from the health effects of probiotics that apply to everyone, the following benefits are likely genotype-specific:</span></p> <ul> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><strong>G-allele carriers: </strong><span style="font-weight: 400;">greater fat loss on a high-protein weight-loss diet and enhanced lactose digestion&nbsp;</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><strong>AA genotype:</strong><span style="font-weight: 400;"> improved gut microbiome diversity and </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">Bifidobacteria</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;"> abundance</span></li> </ul> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Some potentially helpful </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">Bifidobacteria</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;"> strains include </span><a href="https://selfhacked.com/blog/b-longum/"><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">Bifidobacterium longum</span></em></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> and </span><a href="https://selfhacked.com/blog/b-animalis/"><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">Bifidobacterium animalis</span></em></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> (particularly </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">B. animalis</span></em><em><span style="font-weight: 400;"> ssp. lactis</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;">) [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29425071"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].&nbsp;</span></p> <h4><span style="font-weight: 400;">Can Probiotics Be Bad?</span></h4> <p><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">Bifidobacteria</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;"> belong to a larger probiotic family called </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">Actinobacteria</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;">. According to limited experiments, obese animals may have an over-abundance of </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">Actinobacteria</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;"> in the gut [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22064556"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].&nbsp;</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">However, human studies have had mixed results and this link remains controversial. What&rsquo;s for certain is that people who are obese seem to have a less diverse gut microbiome overall [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22064556"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5933040/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3427212/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5440985/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].&nbsp;</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Therefore, there are no known &ldquo;bad&rdquo; sides to having a diverse gut microbiome. People with weakened immune systems or gut damage should carefully consult their healthcare provider before taking probiotic supplements, though.&nbsp;</span></p>
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124 | content_learn_more_9049813405815341_text == Your MCM6 gene variants slightly predispose you to obesity and lower gut microbiome diversity. This doesn't reflect your overall risk of obesity, just one gene related to it. Although you may be able to digest milk, higher lactose intake tends to make you gain more weight. However, you likely do well with protein. High-protein weight-loss diets may be a good option.  Probiotic supplements may also be beneficial. Keep scrolling to find out more.
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rsIDs = rs4988235
rsStatus = rs4988235,MCM6,chr2,135851076,G,A,C,T,5,26,HET
