166 | id == 166
166 | category_id == 16
166 | category_order == 13
166 | category_name == Gut Health
166 | category_color == #C47AC0
166 | slug == TRPM8-IBS
166 | title == A Link Between Cold Perception & Gut Pain? (TRPM8)
166 | meta_description == TRPM8 is a cold-sensitivity gene that affects the way our bodies perceive and respond to temperature. What is its role in IBS?
166 | summary == <p><strong>TRPM8 is a cold-sensitivity gene that affects the way our bodies perceive and respond to temperature. What is its role in IBS? Read on to learn more.</strong></p>
166 | overall_score_text == Gut Sensitivity Score (based on TRPM8)
166 | image == https://sd-selfdecode-assets-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/blog/background/TRPM8--Gut-Inflammation-IBS---all-chips.jpg
166 | author_id == 1
166 | author_name == Jasmine Foster
166 | author_title == BSc, BEd
166 | author_order == 36
166 | author_photo == https://sd-selfdecode-assets-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/blog/author-photo/Jasmine.jpg
166 | author_intro == <p><strong>Jasmine received her BS from McGill University and her BEd from Vancouver Island University.</strong></p>    <p>Jasmine loves helping people understand their brains and bodies, a passion that grew out of her dual background in biology and education. From the chem lab to the classroom, everyone has the right to learn and make informed decisions about their health.</p>
166 | reviewer == None
166 | medical_reviewer_id == 11
166 | medical_reviewer_name == Puya Yazdi
166 | medical_reviewer_title == MD
166 | publish_date == 2020
166 | publish_date == 5
166 | publish_date == 1
166 | avg_rating == 5.0
166 | tags_id == 188
166 | tags_name == Cold Resistance
166 | tags_id == 8
166 | tags_name == IBS
166 | tags_id == 71
166 | tags_name == Pain
166 | tags_id == 400
166 | tags_name == Temperature
166 | tags_id == 399
166 | tags_name == TRPM8 Gene
166 | tags_id == 319
166 | tags_name == Visceral Hypersensitivity
166 | permissions_favorite == False
166 | permissions_rate == False
166 | content_article == <p><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">This article is for informational purposes only. None of the information here should be taken as medical advice. Keep in mind that these results are based on association studies, which are correlative and aren&rsquo;t necessarily causative. In addition, any one genetic variant will typically contribute only a small proportion to the overall risk of the condition, and non-genetic factors play a large role in developing a condition as well. Furthermore, a variant associated with one ethnicity doesn&rsquo;t necessarily apply to other ethnicities. Therefore, just because you have one of these genotypes does not necessarily mean you are at increased risk of developing this condition!</span></em></p> <h2><span style="font-weight: 400;">What is TRPM8?</span></h2> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">TRPM8 is the major sensory perceptor of cold in our bodies. It is activated either by cold temperatures or by menthol, which is why mint makes our mouths feel cold [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK5238/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">TRPM8 becomes less sensitive in the presence of acidic pH and more sensitive in the presence of menthol [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1574235"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4220012"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">This cold receptor plays a complex role in pain perception. In &ldquo;hot&rdquo; or burning pain, the heat receptor TRPV1 is activated and TRPM8 (which would produce a cooling sensation) is blocked. However, TRPM8 can also be sensitized to produce &ldquo;cold&rdquo; pain [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1574235"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4220012"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <h3><span style="font-weight: 400;">Adaptation to Climate</span></h3> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">While a lot of genes show variation between different populations of people, TRPM8 is especially dramatic. A variant that increases TRPM8 expression is much more common in Northern Europeans than in Africans: 88% in Finland compared with 5% in Nigeria [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5933706/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">]!</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">TRPM8 makes us more sensitive to cold sensations. One might think that reduced cold sensitivity would be an advantage for people living in cold climates, so it may seem strange that northern populations have increased TRPM8 expression. However, increased sensitivity to cold may cause increased production of body heat, among other adaptations [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6927963/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <h3><span style="font-weight: 400;">Unfortunate Side Effects</span></h3> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">People with higher TRPM8 might have had an advantage in colder climates, but they&rsquo;re also more susceptible to certain types of pain disorders. Most notably, the high-expression variant rs10166942-T is associated with migraines and with IBS [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5933706/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400; background-color: #e8ebfc; border-left: 2px solid #4569fa; display: block; padding: 20px;">TRPM8 senses cold temperatures and is activated by both cold and menthol, the active compound in peppermint. People in colder climates tend to have higher expression of TRPM8.</span></p> <h2><span style="font-weight: 400;">TRPM8 &amp; IBS</span></h2> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The main TRPM8 variant associated with IBS is rs10166942. At this SNP, the &lsquo;T&rsquo; allele appears to increase expression of TRPM8 and increase sensitivity to changes in cold temperature and to menthol. The &lsquo;C&rsquo; allele, by contrast, is linked to relatively lower TRPM8 expression and reduced sensitivity to changes in cold temperature [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5561393/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The &lsquo;T&rsquo; allele of this SNP is likewise associated with increased rates of constipation-predominant IBS (IBS-C) and mixed IBS (IBS-M). Researchers don&rsquo;t know for sure why TRPM8 is linked to IBS; however, most think it has something to do with this receptor&rsquo;s role in pain perception [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5561393/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">People with IBS often have something called visceral hypersensitivity; that is, their guts are more sensitive to internal pain triggers [</span><a href="http://www.jnmjournal.org/journal/view.html?doi=10.5056/jnm16001"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400; background-color: #e8ebfc; border-left: 2px solid #4569fa; display: block; padding: 20px;">The &lsquo;T&rsquo; allele of rs10166942 is associated with increased expression of TRPM8 and increased rates of IBS-C and IBS-M.</span></p> <h2><span style="font-weight: 400;">Your TRPM8 Results for Gut Inflammation</span></h2> <p>*6177523871915398*</p> <h3><span style="font-weight: 400;">SNP Summary and Table</span></h3> <p><strong>TRPM8 rs10166942</strong></p> <ul> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">&lsquo;C&rsquo; = Lower expression of TRPM8, less sensitivity to cold, no association with IBS</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">&lsquo;T&rsquo; = Higher expression of TRPM8, more sensitivity to cold, potential predisposition to IBS</span></li> </ul> <p>*3885330041704615*</p> <h2><span style="font-weight: 400;">Recommendations to Improve IBS Symptoms</span></h2> <p><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">You may try the complementary approaches listed below if you and your doctor determine that they could be appropriate for you. Discuss the strategies listed here with your doctor. Remember that none of them should ever be done in place of what your doctor recommends or prescribes.</span></em></p> <p>*3085526658511128*</p> <h3><span style="font-weight: 400;">Applying Heat</span></h3> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">TRPM8 is activated by cold temperatures and suppressed by heat. Applying warmth to the abdomen using hot water bottles or heating pads may help block TRPM8 activation [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4752590/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Heating pads are a popular anecdotal remedy for IBS, but there is very little conventional research on their effect. If they work for you and you have high TRPM8 expression, it may have something to do with your cold receptors!</span></p> <h3><span style="font-weight: 400;">Peppermint &amp; Menthol</span></h3> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">High expression and activation of TRPM8 is associated with IBS-C and IBS-M. The most obvious genetic &ldquo;solution&rdquo; would then be to either decrease or block TRPM8 and to avoid any compounds, such as menthol, that activate it. However, researchers have suggested that menthol can also desensitize TRPM8 over time [</span><a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23963768/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Peppermint, which is rich in menthol, is a traditional remedy for digestive distress, and some research suggests that it may help reduce the symptoms of IBS [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17427617"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17420159"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16121521"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21389791"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">If your doctor determines that peppermint may help in your case, you may want to try it as a daily supplement. If you have high TRPM8 expression, it is possible that peppermint could initially activate these receptors and desensitize them over the course of days or weeks.</span></p> <h3><span style="font-weight: 400;">Spicy Foods &amp; Capsaicin</span></h3> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Capsaicin activates the heat receptor TRPV1 and blocks TRPM8; this activity leads to the hot feeling we get when we eat spicy foods [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4752590/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Spicy foods may be a trigger for some people with IBS. For others, however, the capsaicin in spicy foods may actually help reduce IBS symptoms. One study found that six-week supplementation with a red pepper powder containing capsaicin significantly reduced abdominal pain and bloating in 50 IBS patients [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4752590/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21573941"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">This is another strategy that may work very well for some people with high TRPM8 and not at all for others. If spicy foods are not a trigger for your IBS, you may want to test out how well you tolerate them and whether they might even help!</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">If you do not enjoy spicy food and want to test out these effects, red pepper (capsicum) extracts are available as supplements.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400; background-color: #e8ebfc; border-left: 2px solid #4569fa; display: block; padding: 20px;">TRPM8 can be blocked with heat and spicy foods, while extended exposure to menthol (peppermint) may desensitize it. Individual people with IBS may have wildly different responses to these stimuli; your doctor can help you determine whether it&rsquo;s worth giving them a try.</span></p> <h3><span style="font-weight: 400;">Drugs</span></h3> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Researchers are currently developing TRPM8-blocking drugs that may help with specific types of pain. One of these is 5-benzyloxytryptamine (5-BT), a member of the tryptamine family and structurally similar to many migraine medications. In addition to blocking TRPM8, 5-BT activates serotonin receptors [</span><a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-017-11194-0"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/1650872"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">TRPM8 antagonists are relatively poorly researched and should never be taken without the careful direction of a doctor.</span></p>
166 | content_snp_table_6177523871915398_key == 6177523871915398
166 | content_snp_table_6177523871915398_blur == True
166 | content_snp_table_6177523871915398_hidden == False
166 | content_learn_more_3885330041704615_key == 3885330041704615
166 | content_learn_more_3885330041704615_blur == True
166 | content_learn_more_3885330041704615_hidden == False
166 | content_learn_more_3885330041704615_text == Based on the variants we looked at, your TRPM8 gene is associated with somewhat increased protein expression and IBS-C and IBS-M. However, this doesn’t necessarily reflect your overall risk of IBS-C/M, just one gene related to it. Heat, spicy foods, and chronic exposure to menthol may help; keep reading to learn more.
166 | content_recommendation_3085526658511128_key == 3085526658511128
166 | content_recommendation_3085526658511128_blur == True
166 | content_recommendation_3085526658511128_hidden == False
rsIDs = rs10166942
rsStatus = rs10166942,TRPM8,chr2,233916448,T,A,C,,29,0,Normal
