228 | id == 228
228 | category_id == 18
228 | category_order == 15
228 | category_name == Weight
228 | category_color == #C47AC0
228 | slug == MC3R-obesity-fat-metabolism
228 | title == Does This Fat-Burning Gene Play a Role in Obesity? (MC3R)
228 | meta_description == MC3R encodes a receptor with essential metabolic roles. Learn about its link with obesity and get tailored tips.
228 | summary == <p style="text-align:justify"><strong>The MC3R gene encodes a receptor with essential roles in fat burning and food intake. Read on to learn about its link with obesity and what you can do about it!</strong></p>
228 | overall_score_text == Your Obesity Score (Based on MC3R Gene)
228 | image == https://sd-selfdecode-assets-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/blog/background/MC3R--Weight.jpg
228 | author_id == 9
228 | author_name == Aleksa Ristic
228 | author_title == MS (Pharmacy)
228 | author_order == 45
228 | author_photo == https://sd-selfdecode-assets-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/blog/author-photo/Aleksa.jpg
228 | author_intro == <p><strong>Aleksa received his MS in Pharmacy from the University of Belgrade, his master thesis focusing on protein sources in plant-based diets.</strong>&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>    <p>Aleksa is passionate about herbal pharmacy, nutrition, and functional medicine. He found a way to merge his two biggest passions&mdash;writing and health&mdash;and use them for noble purposes. His mission is to bridge the gap between science and everyday life, helping readers improve their health and feel better.</p>
228 | reviewer == None
228 | medical_reviewer_id == 11
228 | medical_reviewer_name == Puya Yazdi
228 | medical_reviewer_title == MD
228 | publish_date == 2020
228 | publish_date == 6
228 | publish_date == 29
228 | avg_rating == 5.0
228 | tags_id == 455
228 | tags_name == Alpha-MSH
228 | tags_id == 186
228 | tags_name == BMI
228 | tags_id == 462
228 | tags_name == Body Fat
228 | tags_id == 297
228 | tags_name == Dietary fat
228 | tags_id == 305
228 | tags_name == Fat burning
228 | tags_id == 456
228 | tags_name == Leptin
228 | tags_id == 511
228 | tags_name == MC3R Gene
228 | tags_id == 165
228 | tags_name == Obesity
228 | tags_id == 246
228 | tags_name == Probiotics
228 | tags_id == 485
228 | tags_name == Sleep
228 | tags_id == 115
228 | tags_name == Weight Gain
228 | permissions_favorite == False
228 | permissions_rate == False
228 | 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 MC3R?</strong></h2> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The <a href="../../../gene/mc3r/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">MC3R</a> gene encodes the melanocortin 3 receptor, activated by </span><a href="http://selfhacked.com/blog/alpha-msh-its-role-in-weight-control-autoimmunity-cirs-and-cfs/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">alpha-MSH</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> and other melanocortins. MC3R is primarily expressed in the brain and fat tissue; it controls feeding behavior, fat burning, energy balance, and more [</span><a href="https://ghr.nlm.nih.gov/gene/MC3R"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/8932521/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Unlike </span><span style="font-weight: 400;">MC4R</span><span style="font-weight: 400;">, which suppresses appetite, the activation of MC3R in the brain stimulates short-term feeding after energy restriction [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16274853/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4921936/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].&nbsp;</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">As you&rsquo;re about to see, the overall effect of MC3R on food intake and weight control is much more complex and includes local metabolic effects.</span></p> <h3><strong>MC3R in Weight Control</strong></h3> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Clinical and animal studies have extensively researched the impact of MC3R on energy balance and obesity [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16434123/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/9915959/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">In the post about </span><a href="../../article/mc4r-obesity-leptin-196/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">MC4R and obesity</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, we talked about the </span><a href="http://selfhacked.com/blog/all-about-leptin-its-role-in-chronic-inflammation-cfs-and-weight/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">leptin</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">-melanocortin pathway and its importance for appetite and weight control. MC3 receptors are also a part of that pathway and share some features with MC4R, but they also have unique metabolic effects [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17578380"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Mice lacking MC3R are moderately obese and have much higher fat mass. Interestingly, they eat less but also move less and have impaired fat metabolism. In simple terms, the lack of MC3R stimulates fat buildup, independent of food intake [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16434123/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10965927/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4064570/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">These effects become even more pronounced in the presence of a high-fat diet [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10965927/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Likewise, mutations and variants in the MC3R gene may correlate with obesity, fat mass, and different metabolic conditions in humans [</span><a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20882712/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17639020"><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;">MC3R stimulates appetite, physical activity, and fat burning. Mice lacking this receptor are prone to fat buildup, especially on a high-fat diet.&nbsp;</span></p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <h2><strong>The Link Between MC3R Variants and Obesity</strong></h2> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Scientists have identified two major SNPs in the MC3R gene with a potential impact on body-weight measures: </span><a href="../../../snp/rs3746619/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">rs3746619</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> (Thr6Lys) and </span><a href="../../../snp/rs3827103/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">rs3827103</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> (Val81Ile). They are almost always inherited together, and the studies often refer to them in a pair.</span></p> <h3><strong>Children &amp; Adolescents</strong></h3> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">One study followed 1,090 Asian children for 4 years after birth&mdash;the minor "A" alleles at this SNP pair correlated with higher weight and fat mass. The children had 58% higher odds of obesity per copy of the minor allele [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5111755/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Two studies of 771 children (Caucasian and African American) found a link between the "AA" genotypes and higher BMI and fat mass [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2744620/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1861848/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The "AA" genotype at rs3827103 was associated with a higher body fat percentage among 1,151 Malaysian adolescents [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5934415/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">On the other hand, a trial including 257 Polish children and adolescents observed no significant effects of MC3R variants [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3835951/"><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 minor &ldquo;A&rdquo; alleles at rs3746619 and rs3827103 correlate with higher weight and fat mass in children, mostly of African and Asian descent.</span></p> <h3><strong>Adults</strong></h3> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Among 237 African American adults, those with the pair of &ldquo;AA&rdquo; genotypes had higher average BMI (37.6 vs. 35.2) and fat mass (45 vs. 39.7 kg) [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6699895/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">However, other studies have mostly failed to establish a connection between these SNPs and obesity in adults [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2649015/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2039979/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/11397906/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26588347/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The obesity-associated &ldquo;AA&rdquo; genotypes are scarce among European descendants, so the majority of trials had insufficient sample sizes to investigate these variants.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Additionally, these genotypes are associated with a higher fat mass and lower lean mass, which may balance out and result in negligible BMI changes [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6699895/"><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 above variants may correlate with obesity in African Americans, but they don&rsquo;t seem to impact adults from other populations.</span></p> <h3><strong>How It Works</strong></h3> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The &ldquo;AA&rdquo; genotypes at rs3746619 and rs3827103 change two amino acids in the MC3R structure. In test tubes, scientists found that this combination reduces receptor expression and activity [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16123355/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25051171/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Mice with these SNPs quickly accumulate fat and have reduced lean mass. They have higher leptin levels, likely due to local production by fat deposits. Research suggests impaired fat burning as the primary mechanism behind weight gain, rather than changes in appetite [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5600657/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26818770/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Clinical studies have confirmed the link between the &ldquo;A&rdquo; alleles, excess leptin, and suppressed fat oxidation [</span><a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17639020/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15636422/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/12532156/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17192297/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p><strong><em>Did you know?</em></strong><span style="font-weight: 400;"> The reduction in MC3R activity has likely brought an evolutionary advantage to people during periods of starvation. They were able to build fat stores more efficiently, which increased their chances of survival. This phenomenon is called the </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">thrifty gene hypothesis </span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;">and may be responsible for a much higher frequency of the &ldquo;A&rdquo; allele in African populations [</span><a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26909893/"><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;">MC3R variants reduce receptor expression and activity, contributing to fat buildup and excess leptin levels.</span></p> <h2><strong>Your MC3R Results for Obesity</strong></h2> <p>*1882133390965437*</p> <h3><strong>SNP Summary</strong></h3> <p><strong>Primary SNPs:</strong></p> <p><strong>MC3R </strong><a href="../../../snp/rs3827103/"><strong>rs3827103</strong></a></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;A&rsquo; = associated with obesity and higher fat mass, mostly in children&nbsp;</span></li> </ul> <p><strong>MC3R </strong><a href="../../../snp/rs3746619/"><strong>rs3746619</strong></a></p> <ul> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">&lsquo;C&rsquo; = not associated with obesity</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">&lsquo;A&rsquo; = associated with obesity and higher fat mass, mostly in children&nbsp;</span></li> </ul> <p><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">Population Frequency</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;">: These two SNPs are almost always inherited together, which means they act as a single genetic factor. The obesity-associated &ldquo;AA&rdquo; genotypes are nearly non-existent among European descendants (0.6%). They are more common in East Asian (5.6%) and much more common in African (23-26%) populations.</span></p> <p>*7393970463772037*</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <h2><strong>Recommendations to Enhance Fat Burning</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>*1292497813096704*</p> <h3><strong>Lifestyle</strong></h3> <h4><strong>Improve Sleep Quality</strong></h4> <h5><strong>Circadian Rhythm</strong></h5> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">In one study, animals in a constant light cycle had lower </span><a href="http://selfhacked.com/blog/alpha-msh-its-role-in-weight-control-autoimmunity-cirs-and-cfs/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">alpha-MSH</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> levels, which suggests</span> <a href="http://selfhacked.com/blog/what-it-means-to-keep-to-a-circadian-rhythm/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">circadian rhythm</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> problems may result in less MSH. On the other hand, moderate light (UV) exposure during the day can boost MSH, the primary activator of MC3R receptors [</span><a href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/m/pubmed/10816644/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007%2Fs00403-011-1183-3"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/7357442"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Impaired circadian rhythm is associated with </span><a href="https://selfhacked.com/blog/the-root-causes-of-leptin-resistance-and-12-ways-to-reverse-it/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">leptin resistance</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> and </span><a href="https://selfhacked.com/blog/132-biological-mechanisms-for-weight-modulation/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">obesity</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> in animals [</span><a href="http://www.cell.com/cell-metabolism/abstract/S1550-4131(15)00272-7"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Research over the past few decades has recognized the importance of circadian biology in obesity, energy balance, and metabolism [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4013188/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">]. Shift workers are at an increased risk of obesity, likely due to a disrupted circadian rhythm [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20122305"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <h5><strong>Sleep Duration</strong></h5> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Sleep deprivation may impair leptin signaling. In one trial, restful </span><a href="https://selfhacked.com/blog/health-benefits-sleep/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">sleep</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> in non-obese individuals (8+ of uninterrupted sleep) normalized leptin levels [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15531540"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24732925"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Short sleep duration correlated with weight gain in several studies. Scientists think that poor sleep may increase </span><a href="https://selfhacked.com/blog/top-10-ways-to-curb-your-hunger-and-approaches-that-didnt-work/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">hunger</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> and cravings and disrupt appetite-controlling hormones like </span><a href="https://selfhacked.com/blog/ghrelin-role-cognitive-gut-function-weight-inflammation-autoimmunity/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">ghrelin</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> and leptin [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18239586"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </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/pmc/articles/PMC2398753/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1547-5069.2009.01262.x/full"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="http://www.plosmedicine.org/article/info%3Adoi%2F10.1371%2Fjournal.pmed.0010062"><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;">Circadian rhythm disturbance and sleep deprivation may prevent MC3R activation and contribute to adverse changes in weight control and metabolism.</span></p> <h4><strong>Moderate Sun Exposure</strong></h4> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Moderate </span><a href="https://selfhacked.com/blog/avoiding-sun-will-kill-14-proven-science-based-health-benefits-sun/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">sun/UV exposure</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> during the day may boost a-MSH and activate melanocortin receptors. At the time, it helps fix the circadian rhythm [</span><a href="http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007%2Fs00403-011-1183-3"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/7357442"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <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;"> deficiency might contribute to obesity in some cases. Sun exposure supplies vitamin D and may also help prevent obesity in animals, regardless of their vitamin D status [</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="font-weight: 400;">In two studies, intense light exposure in the morning was associated with lower BMI, fat mass, and appetite. Although encouraging, more research is needed to verify the link between sunlight exposure 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;"> [</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><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></p> <p><span style="background-color: #e8ebfc; border-left: 2px solid #4569fa; display: block; padding: 20px;">Moderate sun exposure may counteract your variants, supply vitamin D, and improve weight control.</span></p> <h3><strong>Diet</strong></h3> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">According to animal studies, the effects of MC3R suppression are more pronounced on a high-fat diet [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10965927/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Dietary protein contains much fewer calories per gram than fat (4 vs. 9 kcal). It can improve leptin sensitivity, making it a perfect fat replacement for people with MC3R variants [</span><a href="http://ajcn.nutrition.org/content/82/1/41.full"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26797090/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Research suggests that getting more calories from protein may support weight loss, metabolism, and satiety (fullness). Complex carbs may also be a healthy fat substitute, but make sure to avoid refined grains and low-fat products with added starch and sugar [</span><a href="http://ajcn.nutrition.org/content/82/1/41.abstract"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10193874"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10375057"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Avoid going into extremes and practicing very low-fat diets, as their long term health effects are questionable and not well researched [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3636027/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.ahajournals.org/doi/full/10.1161/01.cir.98.9.935"><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;">People with MC3R SNPs may want to limit dietary fat intake and consume more protein and complex carbs.</span></p> <h3><strong>Supplements</strong></h3> <h4><strong>Probiotics</strong></h4> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">According to limited clinical and animal studies, </span><a href="https://selfhacked.com/blog/probiotics-good-bacteria/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">probiotic</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> supplementation may reduce leptin levels in obesity [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6711254/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28894517/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p><a href="http://selfhacked.com/blog/l-gasseri/"><em>L. gasseri</em></a> <span>significantly decreased BMI and total and belly fat in 210 healthy Japanese adults [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23614897"><span>R</span></a><span>]. This strain showed promising fat-burning properties in two more clinical trials [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3611107/"><span>R</span></a><span>, </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20216555"><span>R</span></a><span>].</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">In a clinical trial of 125 obese adults, </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;"> induced weight and fat loss [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21505361"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Humans with more </span><a href="http://selfhacked.com/blog/b-animalis/"><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">B. animalis</span></em></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> in their microbiome have lower BMIs [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3826031/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3374072/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">]. Daily ingestion of milk containing this strain significantly reduced BMI, total </span><a href="https://www.selfhacked.com/blog/cholesterol/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">cholesterol</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.selfhacked.com/blog/ldl-cholesterol/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">LDL</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, and inflammatory markers in a clinical trial on 51 people with metabolic syndrome [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27126957"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p><a href="https://selfhacked.com/blog/a6probiotic-for-weight-loss-belly-fat-metabolism/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Read this post</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> to learn more about the effects of probiotics on weight loss.</span></p> <p><span style="background-color: #e8ebfc; border-left: 2px solid #4569fa; display: block; padding: 20px;">According to preliminary research, different probiotic strains may counteract your SNPs and support weight loss.</span></p> <h4><strong>Berberine</strong></h4> <p><a href="http://selfhacked.com/blog/19-health-benefits-of-berberine-with-references/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Berberine</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> supplementation reduced BMI and enhanced leptin sensitivity in 37 patients with metabolic syndrome [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3310165/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">]. Humans and animals with suppressed MC3R show signs of metabolic syndrome and impaired signaling, making berberine a potentially great choice [</span><a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17639020/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15636422/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10965927/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">According to a 2020 review of human and animal studies, berberine might contribute to weight loss by improving </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;"> and </span><a href="https://selfhacked.com/blog/glucose/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">glucose</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> and fat metabolism [</span><a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32353823/"><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;">Due to its effects on fat metabolism and leptin sensitivity, berberine may be the right choice for people with MC3R variants.</span></p>
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228 | content_learn_more_7393970463772037_text == Based on the variants we looked at, your MC3R gene is associated with slightly higher obesity rates. However, this doesn't necessarily reflect your overall risk of obesity, just one gene related to it. Reduce fat intake, improve sleep quality, and follow other gene-based tips to maintain a healthy weight. Keep reading to find out more.
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rsIDs = rs3746619,rs3827103
rsStatus = rs3746619,MC3R,chr20,56248749,C,A,T,,27,0,Normal
rsStatus = rs3827103,MC3R,chr20,56248973,G,A,,,33,0,Normal
