175 | id == 175
175 | category_id == 16
175 | category_order == 13
175 | category_name == Gut Health
175 | category_color == #C47AC0
175 | slug == NOD2-crohns-disease
175 | title == How Can A Pattern Recognition Receptor Affect Gut Inflammation? (NOD2)
175 | meta_description == NOD2 senses the difference between harmful and beneficial bacteria in the gut. How is it linked with Crohn's disease?
175 | summary == <p><strong>NOD2 senses the difference between harmful and beneficial bacteria in the gut. When it doesn&rsquo;t work correctly, inflammatory signals may run amok and cause Crohn&rsquo;s disease, Read on to learn more.</strong></p>
175 | overall_score_text == Gut Inflammation Score (based on NOD2)
175 | image == https://sd-selfdecode-assets-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/blog/background/NOD2--Gut-Crohns---all-chips.jpg
175 | author_id == 1
175 | author_name == Jasmine Foster
175 | author_title == BSc, BEd
175 | author_order == 36
175 | author_photo == https://sd-selfdecode-assets-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/blog/author-photo/Jasmine.jpg
175 | 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>
175 | reviewer == None
175 | medical_reviewer_id == 11
175 | medical_reviewer_name == Puya Yazdi
175 | medical_reviewer_title == MD
175 | publish_date == 2020
175 | publish_date == 5
175 | publish_date == 8
175 | avg_rating == 5.0
175 | tags_id == 195
175 | tags_name == Crohn's Disease
175 | tags_id == 194
175 | tags_name == Gut Health
175 | tags_id == 308
175 | tags_name == Gut Inflammation
175 | tags_id == 73
175 | tags_name == IBD
175 | tags_id == 411
175 | tags_name == NOD2 Gene
175 | permissions_favorite == False
175 | permissions_rate == False
175 | 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. If you suspect you may have digestive issues, seek medical help. </span></em><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">Keep in mind that these results are based on association studies, which are correlative and aren&rsquo;t necessarily causative. Any single 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. Therefore, just because you have one of these genotypes does not necessarily mean you are at an increased risk of developing this condition!</span></em></p> <h2><span style="font-weight: 400;">What is NOD2?</span></h2> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">NOD2 (often reported as CARD15) is a pattern recognition receptor that senses proteins belonging to bacteria and activates the immune response. It responds to both potential pathogens and beneficial microbes, keeping up a low level of immune activity at all times and regulating the balance between our bodies and our microbiome [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3759294"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2593422/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fimmu.2016.00367/full"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">In this way, NOD2 is similar to the toll-like receptors (TLRs, including </span><a href="../article/tlr4-ibd-167"><span style="font-weight: 400;">TLR4</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> and </span><a href="../article/tlr9-crohns-ibs-174"><span style="font-weight: 400;">TLR9</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">), which perform similar tasks of recognizing beneficial and pathogenic bacteria. In fact, NOD2 works closely with the TLR family: NOD2 regulates TLRs, and both are required for a healthy immune response to bacterial infection. When this communication goes wrong, however, inflammation and disease may result [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1774769/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fimmu.2018.03082/full"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/srep12018"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Like the TLRs, NOD2 also increases inflammation through </span><a href="https://selfhacked.com/blog/nuclear-factor-kappa-b/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">NF-&kappa;B</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1774769/"><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;">NOD2 senses whether bacteria are beneficial or potentially harmful and either triggers or controls inflammation through the TLRs.</span></p> <h2><span style="font-weight: 400;">NOD2 in the Gut</span></h2> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">NOD2 has a well-established link to gut inflammation and Crohn&rsquo;s disease. It regulates the toll-like receptors, which activate inflammatory responses to bacteria [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5333895/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <h3><span style="font-weight: 400;">What is Crohn&rsquo;s Disease?</span></h3> <p><a href="https://selfhacked.com/blog/ibd-ulcerative-colitis-crohn-genetics-lifestyle-stress-infections/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">IBD</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> is a group of autoimmune diseases characterized by inflammation and sores in the gut lining, which can result in diarrhea, abdominal </span><a href="https://selfhacked.com/blog/23-ways-to-combat-pain-naturally-by-increasing-your-opioids/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">pain</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, fatigue, fever, rectal bleeding, nutritional deficiencies, 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;">. The definition of IBD includes both </span><a href="https://selfhacked.com/blog/ulcerative-colitis/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">ulcerative colitis</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> and Crohn&rsquo;s disease [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3980998/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Crohn&rsquo;s disease differs from ulcerative colitis in that it is centered higher in the digestive tract (typically in the small intestine, though it can occur anywhere between the mouth and anus) and may damage broader swaths of tissue [</span><a href="https://www.niddk.nih.gov/health-information/digestive-diseases/ulcerative-colitis"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.niddk.nih.gov/health-information/digestive-diseases/crohns-disease/definition-facts"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <h3><span style="font-weight: 400;">Does NOD2 Cause Crohn&rsquo;s?</span></h3> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">NOD2 senses bacteria in the intestines and regulates the immune and inflammatory response to them through the toll-like receptors (TLRs). In this way, NOD2 regulates which bacterial species can live and thrive in the gut, and if NOD2 isn&rsquo;t working correctly, then both TLR responses and the gut flora can become unbalanced [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5333895/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1774769/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">People with NOD2 mutations tend to have increased </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">Bacteroidetes</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;">, increased </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">E. coli</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;">, and decreased </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">F. prausnitzii</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;"> in their intestines. These changes are also, unsurprisingly, associated with Crohn&rsquo;s disease. Interestingly, mice deficient in NOD2 showed increased gut inflammation and <a href="https://selfhacked.com/blog/supplements-people-th1-dominant/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Th1</a> activation in response to bacterial infections [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5333895/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5333895/#ppat.1006177.ref047"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5333895/#ppat.1006177.ref045"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a>, <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2930434/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">R</a>, <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31004013/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">R</a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">However, though NOD2 activation can trigger inflammation through TLRs, its interactions with them (TLR4, in particular) are not as simple as that. When TLR4 signalling increases, NOD2 can be anti-inflammatory, reducing </span><a href="http://selfhacked.com/blog/interleukin-1/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">IL-1</span></a><a href="https://www.selfdecode.com/gene/IL12a/?utm_source=seo&amp;#38;utm_medium=selfhacked&amp;#38;utm_campaign=id00002"><span style="font-weight: 400;">2</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> cytokines and calming the inflammatory cascade [</span><a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/srep12018"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Some researchers argue that this complex communication, not a simple overreaction to normal gut flora, is at the root of NOD2&rsquo;s connection to Crohn&rsquo;s disease. Sure enough, some studies strongly suggest that NOD2 mutations associated with Crohn&rsquo;s actually cause a loss of NOD2 function [</span><a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/srep12018"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.cell.com/immunity/fulltext/S1074-7613(05)00169-X"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The key to fixing these problems, then, would not not be as simple as increasing or decreasing NOD2. Rather, NOD2, TLR4, and IL-12 would all have to be balanced, responding appropriately to beneficial and pathogenic bacteria in the gut [</span><a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/srep12018"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2924159/"><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;">NOD2 can be either proinflammatory or anti-inflammatory if it senses beneficial or harmful bacteria in the gut. If NOD2 is mutated and loses function, Crohn&rsquo;s disease may result.</span></p> <h2><span style="font-weight: 400;">NOD2 Variants &amp; Crohn&rsquo;s Disease</span></h2> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">NOD2 is an extensively studied gene, and its relationship with Crohn&rsquo;s disease is well-established, with multiple variants confirmed to have strong negative effects [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3374607/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2924159/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The strongest effects come from rs2066844-T, rs2066845-C, and rs2066847-C. The unlucky few with the homozygous minor genotype at just one of these variants are up to 35 times more likely to develop Crohn&rsquo;s disease. Fortunately, the harmful alleles at these SNPs are very rare [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11385576"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Other SNPs associated with Crohn&rsquo;s disease include rs17221417-G and rs5743289-T [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18843111?dopt=Abstract"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24394805?dopt=Abstract"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <h2><span style="font-weight: 400;">Your NOD2 Results for Gut Inflammation</span></h2> <p>*9638687124893332*</p> <h3><span style="font-weight: 400;">SNP Summary and Table</span></h3> <p><strong>NOD2 rs17221417</strong></p> <ul> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">&lsquo;C&rsquo; = Not associated with Crohn&rsquo;s disease</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">&lsquo;G&rsquo; = Associated with Crohn&rsquo;s disease</span></li> </ul> <p><strong>NOD2 rs2066844</strong></p> <ul> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">&lsquo;C&rsquo; = Not associated with Crohn&rsquo;s disease</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">&lsquo;T&rsquo; = Strongly associated with Crohn&rsquo;s disease</span></li> </ul> <p><strong>NOD2 rs2066845</strong></p> <ul> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">&lsquo;C&rsquo; = Strongly associated with Crohn&rsquo;s disease</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">&lsquo;G&rsquo; = Not associated with Crohn&rsquo;s disease</span></li> </ul> <p><strong>NOD2 rs2066847</strong></p> <ul> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">&lsquo;C&rsquo; = Strongly associated with Crohn&rsquo;s disease</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">&lsquo;G&rsquo; = Not associated with Crohn&rsquo;s disease</span></li> </ul> <p><strong>NOD2 rs5743289</strong></p> <ul> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">&lsquo;C&rsquo; = Not associated with Crohn&rsquo;s disease</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">&lsquo;T&rsquo; = Associated with Crohn&rsquo;s disease in Danish children</span></li> </ul> <p>*4480430810168245*</p> <h2><span style="font-weight: 400;">Recommendations to Improve Gut Inflammation</span></h2> <p>*8536039600626448*</p> <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> <h3><span style="font-weight: 400;">Vitamin D Sufficiency</span></h3> <p><a href="http://selfhacked.com/blog/35proven-health-benefits-vitamin-d-part-1/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Vitamin D</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> is required for the correct function of NOD2, and vitamin D deficiency is potentially harmful to the communication between NOD2, toll-like receptors, and the gut flora. Furthermore, multiple studies have found that people with higher circulating levels of vitamin D in their blood were less likely to develop Crohn&rsquo;s disease [</span><a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/mi201430"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">However, in cell studies, mutations in the NOD2 gene had a stronger effect than vitamin D levels; that is, people with NOD2 mutations are unlikely to be able to correct the function of this gene with vitamin D alone [</span><a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/mi201430"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2807280/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3299284/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Crohn&rsquo;s disease (and the steroids used to treat it) have been linked to </span><a href="https://selfhacked.com/blog/calcium-101/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">calcium</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> and vitamin D deficiencies and subsequent osteoporosis. The best source of vitamin D is moderate exposure to </span><a href="https://selfhacked.com/blog/avoiding-sun-will-kill-14-proven-science-based-health-benefits-sun/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">sun</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16112594"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6257592/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6757415/"><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;">Vitamin D is required for NOD2 to function correctly. The best way to get enough vitamin D is through moderate sun exposure.</span></p> <h3><span style="font-weight: 400;">Diet</span></h3> <h4><span style="font-weight: 400;">Resistant Starches</span></h4> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Another nutrient that seems to be required for correct NOD2 function is </span><a href="http://selfhacked.com/blog/health-benefits-butyrate-derivatives-sodium-butyrate-phenylbutyrate-trybutyrine-butyric-acid-butyrate-prodrugs-butyrate-producing-bacteria/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">butyrate</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, a short-chain fatty acid produced by beneficial bacteria in the gut. One study found that butyrate increased the expression of NOD2 while simultaneously decreasing the inflammatory cytokine NF-&kappa;B. Detrimental mutations in NOD2 tend to increase NF-&kappa;B, so butyrate is being investigated for its potential to correct this inflammatory pathway [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3299284/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15692052"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">So far, butyrate&rsquo;s potential benefits have been better studied in ulcerative colitis than in Crohn&rsquo;s disease. However, in one study of 13 people with Crohn&rsquo;s disease, a type of IBD, butyrate supplements improved 69% of cases, with symptoms completely disappearing in 54% (seven participants) [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3299284/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12769445"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16225487"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/8943981"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10795763"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Butyrate is available as a supplement; dietary factors also affect how much butyrate is produced by your </span><a href="https://www.selfhacked.com/blog/gut-bacteria-microbiome/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">gut bacteria</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">.&nbsp;</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">For Crohn's, dietary butyrate supplements are not likely to help that much because it needs to be created in your large intestine, which happens with resistant starches and fibers.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Therefore, the best foods to increase butyrate production are those with plenty of </span><a href="https://selfhacked.com/blog/what-is-resistant-starch-sources-how-to-increase-diet/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">resistant starches</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">&mdash;starch that you can&rsquo;t digest, but that the gut flora can in the large intestine. Baked potatoes that are cooled and green bananas are two good sources of resistant starch [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3299284/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2013-04/fi-rsc042513.php"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6627159/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">In general, eating fruits and vegetables, which contain a lot of fiber will help produce butyrate in the large intestine.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400; background-color: #e8ebfc; border-left: 2px solid #4569fa; display: block; padding: 20px;">Resistant starches from sources like cooled baked potatoes and green bananas feed beneficial gut bacteria, which produce butyrate, a nutrient that appears to support NOD2.</span></p> <h4><span style="font-weight: 400;">Omega-3 Fatty Acids</span></h4> <p><a href="http://selfhacked.com/blog/top-22-science-based-health-benefits-of-fish-oil/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Omega-3 fatty acids</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> have been found to reduce the activity of both NOD2 and TLR4 in pigs. It is likely that omega-3s mostly act on TLR4, with the side effect of reducing the requirement for NOD2 in response [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23014495"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://academic.oup.com/edrv/article/36/3/245/2354681"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">In a clinical trial of 49 obese pregnant women, supplementation with omega-3 fatty acids (</span><a href="http://selfhacked.com/blog/top-22-science-based-health-benefits-of-fish-oil/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">DHA</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> and </span><a href="http://selfhacked.com/blog/top-22-science-based-health-benefits-of-fish-oil/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">EPA</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">) reduced the expression of TLR4 in body fat and the placenta. These fatty acids also lowered TLR4 levels in cells [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4560373/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Omega-3 fatty acid intake, including from fish, has been inversely linked to the development of Crohn&rsquo;s disease; that is, people who eat more fish (and omega-3s) appear less likely to get Crohn&rsquo;s [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6153885/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">It is unclear whether omega-3 supplementation can help Crohn&rsquo;s disease that has already developed and progressed. However, multiple studies have suggested that omega-3s may help keep Crohn&rsquo;s disease in remission [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6153885/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4700845/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The balance between omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids may be more important than omega-3 intake alone. People who eat more omega-6 fats and less omega-3 fats appear to be more susceptible to IBD [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5751222/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Seafood is the richest sources of omega-3 fatty acids; sunflower, corn, soybean, and cottonseed oils are among the richest sources of omega-6 fatty acids and should be avoided [</span><a href="https://www.health.harvard.edu/newsletter_article/no-need-to-avoid-healthy-omega-6-fats"><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;">Omega-3 fatty acids are anti-inflammatory and reduce TLR4, which reduces the need for NOD2 to activate and regulate it.</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;">Because of NOD2&rsquo;s close relationship with the gut flora, researchers are investigating whether </span><a href="https://selfhacked.com/blog/probiotics-good-bacteria/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">probiotic</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> supplements could be beneficial for people with harmful NOD2 mutations [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22067939"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Some species of beneficial bacteria produce proteins called peptidoglycans in their cell walls. NOD2 senses these proteins, recognizes the presence of beneficial bacteria, and suppresses the inflammatory response [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22067939"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Certain probiotic strains have been studied in people with Crohn&rsquo;s disease, including </span><a href="http://selfhacked.com/blog/l-rhamnosus/"><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">Lactobacillus rhamnosus</span></em></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">Lactobacillus casei</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">Bifidobacterium breve</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">Bifidobacterium longum</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;">, and </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">Saccharomyces </span></em><a href="http://selfhacked.com/blog/s-boulardii/"><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">boulardii</span></em></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">. Of these, the first four showed some promise for people with active Crohn&rsquo;s disease, while </span><a href="http://selfhacked.com/blog/s-boulardii/"><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">S. boulardii</span></em></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> and </span><a href="http://selfhacked.com/blog/l-rhamnosus/"><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">L. rhamnosus</span></em></a> <span style="font-weight: 400;">may be helpful for keeping the disease at bay in patients in remission [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4155344/"><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;">Some probiotic species suppress the inflammatory response by signalling to NOD2 that they are safe. These species may also be helpful in controlling Crohn&rsquo;s disease.</span></p> <h4><span style="font-weight: 400;">Curcumin</span></h4> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Some studies have found that </span><a href="https://selfhacked.com/blog/curcumin-cures-top-15-scientifically-proven-health-benefits-with-references/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">curcumin</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> reduced NOD2, TLR4, and NF-&kappa;B activation. As with omega-3 fatty acids, however, the reduction in NOD2 may well be a result and not a cause of the reduction in other inflammatory signals; that is, when TLR4 and NF-&kappa;B are low, NOD2 is not required to regulate them [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2593422/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Curcumin is a natural anti-inflammatory compound extracted from turmeric. Multiple clinical trials have produced promising results for curcumin in IBD (including Crohn&rsquo;s), and further research is currently underway. Remember to never combine supplements with medications without first discussing these combinations with your doctor [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29957091"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6514688/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6153885/"><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;">Curcumin is an anti-inflammatory supplement that reduces TLR4 activation, which may reduce the need for NOD2.</span></p>
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175 | content_learn_more_4480430810168245_text == Based on the variants we looked at, your NOD2 gene is somewhat associated with Crohn’s disease. However, this doesn't necessarily reflect your overall risk of Crohn’s disease, just one gene related to it. Sun exposure, probiotics, and anti-inflammatory diet & supplement choices may help; read on to learn more.
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rsIDs = rs5743289,rs2066845,rs17221417,rs2066844,rs2066847
rsStatus = rs5743289,NOD2,chr16,50722863,C,G,T,,31,0,Normal
rsStatus = rs2066845,NOD2,chr16,50722629,G,C,T,,29,0,Normal
rsStatus = rs17221417,NOD2,chr16,50705671,C,G,,,23,14,HET
rsStatus = rs2066844,NOD2,chr16,50712015,C,T,,,21,17,HET
rsStatus = rs2066847,NOD2,chr16,50729868,CCC,CC,CCCC,,45,0,Normal
