250 | id == 250
250 | category_id == 14
250 | category_order == 12
250 | category_name == Nutrition
250 | category_color == #C47AC0
250 | slug == ELOVL2-Diet
250 | title == The Link Between Genetics and Omega-3 (ELOVL2)
250 | meta_description == The ELOVL2 gene can influence your DHA levels. Read on to find out how this may impact your brain health!
250 | summary == <p><strong>The <em>ELOVL2</em> gene encodes for proteins that elongate omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids. Variants of this gene have been associated with decreased DHA levels. This is important because DHA plays important roles in brain health and cognitive function. Read on to find out if you&#39;re at risk of lower DHA levels and what you can do to improve your brain health.</strong></p>
250 | overall_score_text == Your DHA Score (Based on ELOVL2)
250 | image == https://sd-selfdecode-assets-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/blog/background/ELOVL2--Fats-Omega-6-vs.-Omega-3-DHA.jpg
250 | author_id == 13
250 | author_name == Lewis Cuthbertson
250 | author_title == PhD
250 | author_order == 12
250 | author_photo == https://sd-selfdecode-assets-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/blog/author-photo/Lewis_SelfDecode.jpg
250 | author_intro == <p><strong>Lewis completed his PhD in Molecular Microbiology at Northumbria University (UK).</strong></p>    <p>Lewis spent several years researching the biodiversity of bacterial communities in the Arctic and Antarctic, whilst also performing research for a DNA sequencing service, where he was involved in several health based microbiome studies. This gave him an insight into how the highly diverse and invisible to the naked eye portion of human health, can potentially impact an individual&rsquo;s quality of life, driving his desire to help others understand their own complex health needs through the most current scientific research.<br />  &nbsp;</p>
250 | reviewer_id == 10
250 | reviewer_name == Biljana Novkovic
250 | reviewer_title == PhD
250 | medical_reviewer_id == 11
250 | medical_reviewer_name == Puya Yazdi
250 | medical_reviewer_title == MD
250 | publish_date == 2020
250 | publish_date == 7
250 | publish_date == 31
250 | avg_rating == 4.2
250 | tags_id == 202
250 | tags_name == Aging
250 | tags_id == 209
250 | tags_name == Alzheimer's Disease
250 | tags_id == 18
250 | tags_name == Autism
250 | tags_id == 34
250 | tags_name == Brain Fog
250 | tags_id == 13
250 | tags_name == Cognition
250 | tags_id == 155
250 | tags_name == Cognitive Decline
250 | tags_id == 278
250 | tags_name == DHA
250 | tags_id == 558
250 | tags_name == ELOVL2 gene
250 | tags_id == 279
250 | tags_name == EPA
250 | tags_id == 276
250 | tags_name == Fatty Acids
250 | tags_id == 244
250 | tags_name == Fish oil
250 | permissions_favorite == False
250 | permissions_rate == False
250 | content_article == <h2 style="text-align: justify;"><strong>What Is The </strong><strong><em>ELOVL2</em></strong><strong> Gene?</strong></h2> <p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">The </span><a href="../../../gene/elovl2/"><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">ELOVL2</span></em></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> gene is responsible for the production of an enzyme called </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">elongase</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;">, which elongates <a href="http://selfhacked.com/blog/top-22-science-based-health-benefits-of-fish-oil/">omega-3</a> and omega-6 fatty acids. For example, it's responsible for the extension of EPA (</span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">eicosapentaenoic acid</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;">) into DHA (</span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">docosahexaenoic acid</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;">) [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4404917/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.uniprot.org/uniprot/Q9NXB9"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Both EPA and DHA are omega-3 </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">polyunsaturated fatty acids</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;"> (PUFAs), which are important for our health [</span><a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0024320518302303?via%3Dihub"><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>ELOVL2</em> gene encodes an enzyme that elongates EPA into DHA.</span></p> <h2><strong><em>ELOVL2</em></strong><strong> Variants &amp; DHA Levels</strong></h2> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">One genome-wide association study (GWAS) looked at the genomes of over 1,000 Italians and 1,000 Americans. Scientists found that carrying an 'A' allele at rs953413, a SNP in </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">ELOVL2</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;">, was associated with lower DHA levels and higher EPA levels [</span><a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19148276/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">A further study of over 300 participants from the UK found that carriers of minor alleles for several </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">ELOVL2</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;"> SNPs all had lower baseline DHA than non-carriers [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3896629/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">]:</span></p> <ul> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">rs3734398 ('C')</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">rs2236212 ('C')</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">rs953413 ('A')</span></li> </ul> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Additionally, a study involving more than 3,500 Chinese and 9,000 European individuals confirmed the link between lower DHA and the 'C' allele of rs3734398, noting the risk allele to be more common in Chinese participants than European [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4764197/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The effect of these SNPs on DHA levels is likely due to decreased levels of the enzyme coded by </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">ELOVL2</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;">, which converts EPA into DHA [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7033636/"><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;"><em>ELOVL2</em> gene variants are associated with lower DHA levels, but increased EPA levels.</span></p> <h2><strong><em>ELOVL2</em></strong><strong> Variants &amp; Brain Health</strong></h2> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">In a small Tunisian study, scientists compared 113 Alzheimer&rsquo;s disease (AD) patients and 161 healthy people. They found that people with <a href="https://selfhacked.com/blog/alzheimer/">Alzheimer's</a> had lower DHA levels. In addition, the 'TT' genotype for the rs3756963 SNP of the </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">ELOVL2</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;"> gene was associated with an increased risk, while the 'CC' genotype was associated with decreased risk of Alzheimer's disease [</span><a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32682282/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">A further study of more than 200 chinese children with autism and more than 200 healthy controls found several </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">ELOVL2</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;"> variants associated with risk of autism. The authors previously reported lower DHA levels in children with autism compared to controls. Carriers of two minor 'A' alleles at rs10498676 were at lower risk of autism, whilst carriers of both a major and minor allele at rs17606561, rs3756963, and rs9468304 were at a higher risk of autism [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6122697/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <h2><strong>How Does </strong><strong><em>ELOVL2</em></strong><strong> Affect Brain Health?</strong></h2> <p><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">ELOVL2</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;"> variants likely affect brain health by affecting the levels of DHA, and possibly other omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">DHA is the most abundant omega-3 compound in the brain, and plays an important role in brain health, improving both mood and cognitive function [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4772061/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4728620/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6520996/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">For example, in one study with 280 middle-aged volunteers, higher blood DHA levels were associated with better reasoning and memory skills, higher vocabulary, and greater mental flexibility [</span><a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20181791/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">In another study with over 170 younger people, DHA supplementation has been associated with improved memory and reaction time [</span><a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23515006/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">There are also studies suggesting that low levels of omega-3 fatty acids &mdash; and the reduction of DHA in particular &mdash; may be associated with cognitive decline in the elderly. On the other hand, higher intake of omega-3s has been linked to a lower risk of dementia [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4772061/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">However, there are also studies that have reported no link between DHA and age-related cognitive decline [</span><a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24068783/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20847412/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22696350/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Mice without the </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">ELOVL2</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;"> gene have poorer memory and learning ability, as well as increased brain inflammation. These effects were reversed with dietary DHA [</span><a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31909582/"><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;"><em>ELOVL2</em> variants may affect brain function by affecting DHA levels. DHA is the most abundant fatty acid in the brain, and is important for optimal cognitive function.</span></p> <h2><strong>Your </strong><strong><em>ELOVL2</em></strong><strong> Results for DHA Levels</strong></h2> <p><strong>*8367001843406408*</strong></p> <p><strong><em>ELOVL2</em></strong><strong> rs3734398:</strong></p> <ul> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">&lsquo;TT&rsquo; = Associated with roughly average DHA levels [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3896629/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">]</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">&lsquo;CT&rsquo; = Associated with relatively decreased DHA levels [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3896629/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">]</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">&lsquo;CC&rsquo; = Associated with relatively decreased DHA levels [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3896629/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">]</span></li> </ul> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Roughly 74% of people around the world carry at least one copy of the risk allele &lsquo;C&rsquo;. The risk allele is more common in East Asian populations, with more than 90% of individuals carrying it. On the other hand, 33% of Europeans and 57% of Africans have the beneficial 'TT' genotype [</span><a href="http://uswest.ensembl.org/Homo_sapiens/Variation/Population?db=core;r=6:10982240-10983240;v=rs3734398;vdb=variation;vf=59472802"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p><strong><em>ELOVL2 </em></strong><strong>&nbsp;</strong><strong>rs953413:</strong></p> <ul> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">&lsquo;GG&rsquo; = Associated with roughly average DHA levels [</span><a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19148276/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">]</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">&lsquo;AG&rsquo; = Associated with relatively decreased DHA levels [</span><a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19148276/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">]</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">&lsquo;AA&rsquo; = Associated with relatively decreased DHA levels [</span><a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19148276/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">]</span></li> </ul> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Roughly 87% of people carry the &lsquo;A&rsquo; allele, while 13% have the no-risk 'GG' genotype. The beneficial 'GG' genotype is more common in Europeans, where 32% of people have it [</span><a href="http://uswest.ensembl.org/Homo_sapiens/Variation/Population?db=core;r=6:11012126-11013126;v=rs953413;vdb=variation;vf=58088203"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p><strong><em>ELOVL2</em></strong><strong> rs2236212:</strong></p> <ul> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">&lsquo;GG&rsquo; = Associated with roughly average DHA levels [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3896629/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">]</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">&lsquo;CG&rsquo; = Associated with relatively decreased DHA levels [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3896629/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">]</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">&lsquo;CC&rsquo; = Associated with relatively decreased DHA levels [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3896629/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">]</span></li> </ul> <p>About 70% of people carry at least one 'C' risk allele, while 30% of people carry the beneficial 'GG' genotype. The 'GG' genotype is more common in Africans (63%) and Europeans (34%), but is rarely found in East Asians (6%) <span style="font-weight: 400;">[</span><a href="http://uswest.ensembl.org/Homo_sapiens/Variation/Population?db=core;r=6:10994282-10995282;v=rs2236212;vdb=variation;vf=58763835"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">]</span>.</p> <p><strong>*1743757469509534*</strong></p> <h2><strong>Recommendations For Improving DHA Levels</strong></h2> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">In the following section, we&rsquo;ll outline some complementary approaches that may help counteract the potential negative impacts of risk-associated </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">ELOVL2</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;"> variants. The below strategies are not meant to replace your standard medical treatment.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Make sure to consult with your doctor before making any significant changes to your day-to-day routine.</span></p> <p><strong>*7896711598941444*</strong></p> <h3><strong>Diet</strong></h3> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">In general, diets rich in DHA can help reduce the impact of </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">ELOVL2</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;"> variants [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3896629/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Those with pre-existing heart disease or at risk of heart disease can particularly benefit from increased DHA consumption.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The following foods are rich sources of DHA [</span><a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0024320518302303"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">]:</span></p> <ul> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><a href="http://selfhacked.com/blog/top-22-science-based-health-benefits-of-fish-oil/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Fish oil</span></a></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Salmon</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Herring</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Shad</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Caviar</span></li> </ul> <h3><strong>Supplements</strong></h3> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The good news is that people with </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">ELOVL2</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;"> variants seem to react better to fish oil supplements than people without these variants.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">When scientists in the UK looked at over 300 people who were supplementing with fish oil, those with </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">ELOVL2</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;"> variants had 9% higher <a href="http://selfhacked.com/blog/top-22-science-based-health-benefits-of-fish-oil/">DHA</a> and 30% higher <a href="http://selfhacked.com/blog/top-22-science-based-health-benefits-of-fish-oil/">EPA</a> levels [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3896629/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <h3><strong>Lifestyle</strong></h3> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">If you have </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">ELOVL2</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;"> variants and are worried about your cognitive function, specific lifestyle adjustments may work in combination with diet to make sure your brain is working optimally. There include [</span><a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0197458019300855?via%3Dihub"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5930973/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28614811/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">]:</span></p> <ul> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Exercising regularly</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Keeping your brain active (e.g. utilising brain-training games)</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Staying well-hydrated throughout the day</span></li> </ul> <p><span style="background-color: #e8ebfc; border-left: 2px solid #4569fa; display: block; padding: 20px;">Summary: Increasing the amount of DHA-rich foods in your diet, or taking fish oil or DHA supplements can help counter the effects of <em>ELOVL2</em> variants and increase your DHA levels.</span></p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>&nbsp;</p>
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250 | content_learn_more_1743757469509534_text == Based on the variants we looked at, your ELOVL2 genotype may be associated with a slightly lower DHA levels. However, this doesn't necessarily reflect your overall nutrition — just one gene related to it. Read on to find out more.
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rsIDs = rs9468304,rs17606561,rs3756963,rs953413,rs3734398,rs2236212,rs10498676
rsStatus = rs9468304,ELOVL2,chr6,11041932,G,A,C,,24,0,Normal
rsStatus = rs17606561,ELOVL2,chr6,10982126,G,A,,,28,0,Normal
rsStatus = rs3756963,ELOVL2,chr6,11021921,T,C,G,,28,0,Normal
rsStatus = rs953413,ELOVL2,chr6,11012626,G,A,C,,29,0,Normal
rsStatus = rs3734398,ELOVL2,chr6,10982740,T,A,C,G,28,0,Normal
rsStatus = rs2236212,ELOVL2,chr6,10994782,G,C,,,37,0,Normal
rsStatus = rs10498676,ELOVL2,chr6,11026766,G,A,,,30,0,Normal
