213 | id == 213
213 | category_id == 18
213 | category_order == 15
213 | category_name == Weight
213 | category_color == #C47AC0
213 | slug == INSIG2-weight
213 | title == Is This Gene Linked to Severe Obesity (INSIG2)?
213 | meta_description == INSIG2 encodes a protein that blocks fat production. Learn about its variants associated with obesity here.
213 | summary == <p style="text-align:justify"><strong>The INSIG2 gene encodes a protein that blocks the production of fatty molecules. A variant of this gene has been associated with severe obesity &mdash; read on to check where your genes stand.</strong></p>
213 | overall_score_text == Your Weight Score (Based on INSIG2 Gene)
213 | image == https://sd-selfdecode-assets-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/blog/background/INSIG2--Weight.jpg
213 | author_id == 12
213 | author_name == Carlos Tello
213 | author_title == PhD
213 | author_order == 55
213 | author_photo == https://sd-selfdecode-assets-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/blog/author-photo/CarlosTello.webp
213 | author_intro == <p><strong>Carlos received his PhD and MS from the Universidad de Sevilla.</strong></p>    <p>Carlos spent 9 years in the laboratory investigating mineral transport in plants. He then started working as a freelancer, mainly in science writing, editing, and consulting. Carlos is passionate about learning the mechanisms behind biological processes and communicating science to both academic and non-academic audiences. He strongly believes that scientific literacy is crucial to maintain a healthy lifestyle and avoid falling for scams.</p>
213 | author_social_media_name == linkedin
213 | author_social_media_icon == https://sd-selfdecode-assets-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/blog/social-icon/linkedin.png
213 | author_social_order == 1
213 | author_social_link == https://www.linkedin.com/in/carlos-tello-lacal-b946b4a7/
213 | reviewer == None
213 | medical_reviewer_id == 11
213 | medical_reviewer_name == Puya Yazdi
213 | medical_reviewer_title == MD
213 | publish_date == 2020
213 | publish_date == 6
213 | publish_date == 15
213 | avg_rating == 5.0
213 | tags_id == 186
213 | tags_name == BMI
213 | tags_id == 462
213 | tags_name == Body Fat
213 | tags_id == 152
213 | tags_name == Cholesterol
213 | tags_id == 489
213 | tags_name == INSIG2 Gene
213 | tags_id == 139
213 | tags_name == Insulin
213 | tags_id == 165
213 | tags_name == Obesity
213 | tags_id == 218
213 | tags_name == Triglycerides
213 | permissions_favorite == False
213 | permissions_rate == False
213 | 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 are struggling to maintain a healthy weight, 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><strong>What Is the <em>INSIG2 </em>Gene?</strong></h2> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The </span><a href="../../gene/insig2/"><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">INSIG2</span></em></a> <span style="font-weight: 400;">gene encodes a protein also called INSIG2, which is short for &lsquo;</span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">Insulin-induced gene 2</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;">&rsquo;. INSIG2 regulates the production of cholesterol and fatty acids by blocking it when the levels of these molecules are high. As its name suggests, </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">INSIG2 </span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;">expression increases when insulin secretion is abundant. This is the case in conditions such as diabetes and obesity [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC130532/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2916685/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">INSIG2 reduces the production of fatty molecules (via inhibiting SREBPs) [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC84391/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC130532/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1184040/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Engineered mice lacking the </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">INSIG2 </span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;">gene accumulated high levels of cholesterol and triglycerides in the liver due to their inability to inhibit SREBPs. Conversely, those producing high levels of this protein in the liver showed reduced fat production [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1184040/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC406473/"><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;">The <em>INSIG2 </em>gene encodes a protein that blocks the production of cholesterol and triglycerides when their levels are high.</span></p> <h2><strong><em>INSIG2 </em>Variants in Body Weight</strong></h2> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The minor &lsquo;C&rsquo; variant of the </span><a href="../../snp/rs7566605/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">rs7566605</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> SNP has been associated with obesity and high BMI in studies on American (of multiple ethnicities), German, Icelandic, Costa Rican, Japanese, Chinese, Mexican, Indian, and Spanish populations [</span><a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16614226/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2900891/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/18347269/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2916685/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1857727/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2522377/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/18270535/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/18514965/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3738539/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5459941/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30858138/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Moreover, it was linked to increased fat and weight gain during pregnancy in American women and waist to hip ratio in Norwegian men [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2646703/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3222335/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23318717/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">However, other studies on British, American, Scandinavian, Indian, Japanese, Belgian, Italian, Austrian, Korean, Samoan, Czech, and Malaysian populations failed to replicate these associations [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1698479/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17471297/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2706232/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2483934/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1857727/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17489846/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/18070740/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/18223638/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19399648/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/18162505/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/18239574/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2759923/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2804583/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20653998/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25062423/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Similarly, the &lsquo;C&rsquo; variant was associated with childhood obesity in two studies on Mexican and American populations but not in others on Sardinian, Chinese, Danish, Estonian, Dutch, and American children [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3738539/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16614226"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20645959"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19197262"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20007308"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3115048/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2846639/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">A meta-analysis investigating these discrepancies found the variant is overall unrelated to obesity, possibly due to different ethnicities between studies. However, it did find an association between the &lsquo;C&rsquo; variant and extreme obesity (BMI&gt; 37.5 kg/m</span><span style="font-weight: 400;">2</span><span style="font-weight: 400;">) [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2757909/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].&nbsp;</span></p> <h3><strong>How It Works</strong></h3> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The rs7566605 polymorphism is located near the </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">INSIG2 </span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;">gene, in a region believed to affect its expression. Although its contribution to </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">INSIG2 </span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;">expression and activity hasn&rsquo;t been investigated, the variant might reduce INSIG2 based on its effects on body weight [</span><a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16614226/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">As previously mentioned, the association of rs7566605 with obesity seems to be stronger in severe cases. Because insulin increases </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">INSIG2 </span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;">expression, some scientists believe that the effects of the &lsquo;C&rsquo; variant may be stronger in conditions with high insulin levels (such as severe obesity) [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2757909/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17218510/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Importantly, the variant is often inherited together with other </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">INSIG2 </span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;">variants (such as </span><a href="../../snp/rs9308762/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">rs9308762</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">) and polymorphisms of other obesity genes such as </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">MC4R </span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;">and </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">FTO</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;">, which may further enhance its effects on body weight [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2804583/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4169541/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/18347269/"><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;">An <em>INSIG2 </em>variant has been widely investigated in obesity studies. Although the results were mixed for different ethnicities, it seems to be associated with severe obesity.</span></p> <h2><strong>Your <em>INSIG2 </em>Results for Body Weight</strong></h2> <p>*5971991678533333*</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <h3><strong>SNP Summary and Table</strong></h3> <p><strong>Primary SNP:</strong></p> <p><strong><em>INSIG2 </em></strong><strong>rs7566605&nbsp;</strong></p> <ul> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">&lsquo;G&rsquo; = not associated with obesity</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">&lsquo;C&rsquo; = associated with obesity (especially severe)</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">95% of the world population carries at least one copy of the &lsquo;G&rsquo; allele</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">The &lsquo;C&rsquo; variant is slightly more common in European descendants (10% of &lsquo;CC&rsquo;)</span></li> </ul> <p>*5125831653794906*</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <h2><strong>Recommendations to Improve Weight Control</strong></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>*1181376566702396*</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <h3><strong>Lifestyle</strong></h3> <h4><strong>Exercise</strong></h4> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">In a trial on American and Irish Caucasian men, carriers of the &lsquo;C&rsquo; variant lost less body fat from resistance training [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2646703/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Similarly, obese children and adolescents with the &lsquo;C&rsquo; variant lost less weight from an intervention combining exercise and dietary education in two German studies [</span><a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/18003761"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19224890"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">A Danish study failed to associate this variant with obesity, but found that carriers gained more weight during periods of physical inactivity [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2483934/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">However, this variant increased the positive effects of a lifestyle intervention in a multi-ethnic American study and carriers of the &lsquo;G&rsquo; allele re-gained more intramuscular fat in the arm one year after stopping a physical training [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2947367/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23941145"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">High-intensity </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;"> is probably the best strategy to lose weight. In addition to promoting fat and calorie burning, it may increase the levels of chemicals that support mental health and suppress appetite such as the neurotransmitters </span><a href="https://selfhacked.com/blog/norepinephrine-stress-hormone/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">norepinephrine</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> and </span><a href="https://selfhacked.com/blog/endorphins/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">endorphins</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, and the neurotrophin </span><a href="../article/boost-plasticity-with-the-bdnf-gene-50"><span style="font-weight: 400;">BDNF</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/5124188"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="http://www.news-medical.net/news/20120717/Mu-opioid-receptors-put-brakes-on-appetite.aspx"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="http://journal.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/neuro.24.005.2010/full"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Aerobic exercise (like walking, running, swimming, etc) has also been shown to cause major reductions in belly fat in multiple studies. Although the reason is not fully understood, </span><a href="https://selfhacked.com/blog/health-benefits-yoga/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">yoga</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> can be a useful tool for </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;"> too [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17637702"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21951360"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4995338/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5098025/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">,</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5198375/"><span style="font-weight: 400;"> R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <h4><strong>Moderate Sun Exposure</strong></h4> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">In pregnant rats, supplementation with vitamin D reduced weight and the amount of fat stored in fat cells, while increasing </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">INSIG2 </span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;">expression in fatty tissues [</span><a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26239543"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">In one study, intense light exposure, particularly in the morning, was associated with a lower BMI independent of sleep duration and timing. In another trial, exposure to at least 45 minutes of morning light for 3 weeks in obese women resulted in reduced body fat and appetite [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3973603/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23429094/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Both </span><a href="https://selfhacked.com/blog/avoiding-sun-will-kill-14-proven-science-based-health-benefits-sun/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">UV</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> radiation and </span><a href="https://selfhacked.com/blog/35proven-health-benefits-vitamin-d-part-1/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">vitamin D</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> (whose production is stimulated by UV) are suspected to help prevent obesity [</span><a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0306987708005288"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25342734"><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;">Exercise helps reduce weight, but an <em>INSIG2 </em>variant associated with obesity may attenuate its positive effects. Vitamin D produced in response to sun exposure seems to prevent obesity and increase <em>INSIG2 </em>expression in fatty tissues.</span></p> <h3><strong>Diet</strong></h3> <h4><strong>Low-Saturated Fat Diets</strong></h4> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">In a clinical trial on New Zealander bipolar patients who gained weight from the medication, a low-fat dietary intervention was less effective in those carrying the &lsquo;C&rsquo; variant. However, this effect could be reversed by supplementing with L-carnitine [</span><a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26953751"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">In another trial on a Samoan population, people with two copies of the minor C variant at another </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">INSIG2 </span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;">polymorphism (</span><a href="../../snp/rs9308762/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">rs9308762</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">) had higher BMI and blood triglyceride levels in response to a Western-style, fat-rich diet [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3634362/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">A high-fat diet increased </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">INSIG2 </span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;">expression in the fatty tissues of lean pigs, possibly indicating increased fat production in these tissues [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6238112/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Several meta-analyses have associated low-fat diets with significant and sustained weight loss, as well as with reduced weight gain. Omega 3's and MUFAs from olive oil are very healthy, so it would be wisest to cut down on saturated fat [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4667723/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3516671/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/10889789"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <h4><strong>Fish/Seafood</strong></h4> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">In rats, omega-3 deficiency greatly reduced </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">INSIG2 </span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;">expression in the liver while high-fat diets increased it. In both cases, supplementation with fish oil normalized INSIG2 levels [</span><a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31292598"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4736290/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Fish is hypothesized to reduce leptin; higher leptin is associated with obesity. In young, overweight men, the inclusion of either lean or fatty fish or </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;"> as part of an energy-restricted diet resulted in approximately 1 kg more weight loss after 4 weeks compared to a similar diet without seafood or a supplement [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15361771"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17502874"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Fish oil&rsquo;s anti-inflammatory effects have the ability to indirectly aid in fat metabolism in people with high inflammation or metabolic syndrome. It can increase the secretion of </span><a href="https://selfhacked.com/blog/adiponectin/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">adiponectin</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, which is responsible for breaking down fats [</span><a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/18065585/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16567512/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">In a large meta-analysis of 21 clinical trials, fish oil in combination with lifestyle changes significantly reduced waist-to-hip ratio although it failed to improve weight loss [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4646500/"><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;">Cutting down on saturated fats helps weight loss, although <em>INSIG2 </em>variants may alter its effects. Omega 3-rich fish and seafood also helps lose weight and may help normalize INSIG2 levels.</span></p> <h3><strong>Supplements</strong></h3> <h4><strong>Green Tea</strong></h4> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">In mice fed a high-fat diet, green tea prevented the development of NAFLD by increasing the expression of </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">INSIG2 </span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;">and other genes involved in fat metabolism [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6914886/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p><a href="https://selfhacked.com/blog/green-tea/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Green tea</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">&rsquo;s active compound epigallocatechin gallate (</span><a href="https://selfhacked.com/blog/green-tea/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">EGCG</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">) caused between 0.2 and 3.5 kg of weight loss in limited human studies. Green tea, meanwhile, is hypothesized to make us burn more calories, even at rest. In most studies, this amounts to a modest 3-4% increase in energy, though some studies have shown an increase as high as 8%. For a 2,000 calorie diet, 3-4% amounts to an additional 60-80 calories per day [</span><a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19597519/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28627214/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29914623/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27883924/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">In one study of 60 obese individuals, the group taking green tea extract lost 7.3 lbs and burned 183 more calories per day (on average) after 3 months [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5839379/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5839379/"><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;">Supplementing with green tea&rsquo;s epigallocatechin gallate helps weight loss and may increase <em>INSIG2 </em>expression.</span></p>
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213 | content_learn_more_5125831653794906_text == Based on the variants we looked at, your INSIG2 gene is associated with slightly higher obesity rates. However, this doesn't necessarily reflect your overall risk, just one gene related to it. Do more exercise, get a moderate sun exposure, eat a diet low in saturated fat but rich in fish and seafood, and drink green tea to maintain a healthy weight. Keep reading to find out more.
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rsIDs = rs7566605,rs9308762
rsStatus = rs7566605,LOC107985940,chr2,118078449,C,A,G,T,32,0,Normal
rsStatus = rs9308762,INSIG2,chr2,118106298,C,A,G,T,26,0,Normal
