276 | id == 276
276 | category_id == 12
276 | category_order == 9
276 | category_name == Cardiovascular
276 | category_color == #C47AC0
276 | slug == COMT-heart-disease
276 | title == Can This Gene Influence Your Risk of Heart Disease (COMT)?
276 | meta_description == The COMT gene breaks down neurotransmitters and estrogen, and is associated with heart disease. Learn more here!
276 | summary == <p style="text-align:justify"><strong>The COMT gene encodes a protein that breaks down catechol-containing compounds such as the neurotransmitters dopamine, epinephrine, and norepinephrine, and the hormone estrogen. Certain variants have been associated with heart disease. Read on to learn where your COMT gene stands!</strong></p>
276 | overall_score_text == Your Heart Disease Risk Score (based on COMT Gene)
276 | image == https://sd-selfdecode-assets-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/blog/background/COMT--Heart-Disease.jpg
276 | author_id == 12
276 | author_name == Carlos Tello
276 | author_title == PhD
276 | author_order == 55
276 | author_photo == https://sd-selfdecode-assets-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/blog/author-photo/CarlosTello.webp
276 | 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>
276 | author_social_media_name == linkedin
276 | author_social_media_icon == https://sd-selfdecode-assets-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/blog/social-icon/linkedin.png
276 | author_social_order == 1
276 | author_social_link == https://www.linkedin.com/in/carlos-tello-lacal-b946b4a7/
276 | reviewer_id == 14
276 | reviewer_name == Shany Lahan
276 | reviewer_title == MS (Neuroscience)
276 | medical_reviewer_id == 11
276 | medical_reviewer_name == Puya Yazdi
276 | medical_reviewer_title == MD
276 | publish_date == 2020
276 | publish_date == 8
276 | publish_date == 17
276 | avg_rating == 5.0
276 | tags_id == 138
276 | tags_name == Atherosclerosis
276 | tags_id == 65
276 | tags_name == COMT Gene
276 | tags_id == 51
276 | tags_name == Dopamine
276 | tags_id == 53
276 | tags_name == Epinephrine
276 | tags_id == 133
276 | tags_name == Estrogen
276 | tags_id == 135
276 | tags_name == Heart Attack
276 | tags_id == 134
276 | tags_name == Heart Disease
276 | tags_id == 52
276 | tags_name == Norepinephrine
276 | tags_id == 219
276 | tags_name == Stroke
276 | permissions_favorite == False
276 | permissions_rate == False
276 | content_article == <p><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">The information in this post is presented for educational purposes only, and should not be used to replace standard medical care. If you or your loved ones have symptoms of heart disease, you should immediately report to a physician.</span></em></p> <h2><strong>What Is the <em>COMT </em>Gene?</strong></h2> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The </span><a href="../../../gene/comt/"><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">COMT</span></em></a> <span style="font-weight: 400;">gene codes for an enzyme called </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">catechol-o-methyltransferase</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;"> (also called COMT). As its name implies, COMT transfers a methyl group to catechol-containing compounds. COMT uses </span><a href="https://selfhacked.com/blog/s-adenosyl-l-methionine/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">SAM-e</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> as its methyl donor. Therefore, having either too little SAM-e, or too much S-adenosylhomocysteine (SAH) &mdash; which is formed when SAM-e loses its methyl group &mdash; results in inhibition of COMT [</span><a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/8576124/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/12371153/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The main function of COMT is to help break down </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">catecholamines</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;">, a family of neurotransmitters that includes </span><a href="https://selfhacked.com/blog/dopamine/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">dopamine</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://selfhacked.com/blog/norepinephrine-stress-hormone/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">norepinephrine</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> (also known as </span><a href="https://selfhacked.com/blog/norepinephrine-stress-hormone/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">noradrenaline</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">), and epinephrine (also known as adrenaline) [</span><a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16878403/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">COMT also breaks down other catechol-containing compounds, including </span><a href="https://selfhacked.com/blog/estradiol/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">estrogen</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> and its byproducts [</span><a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/11160877/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">COMT is widely distributed in organs such as the brain, adrenal glands, liver, kidneys, lungs, intestines, and mammary glands [</span><a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/8027527/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/8055944/"><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>COMT </em>gene encodes an enzyme of the nervous system that breaks down the neurotransmitters dopamine, norepinephrine, and adrenaline by transferring a methyl group to them, from SAM-e.</span></p> <h3><strong>Catechol-Containing Compounds and Inactivation by COMT</strong></h3> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Norepinephrine and epinephrine are two neurotransmitters and stress hormones released by the adrenal glands during the &lsquo;fight-or-flight&rsquo; response. They prepare the brain for stressful situations by promoting arousal, alertness, fear, and memory. Additionally, they increase heart and breathing rate, blood and sugar supply to the muscles, and blood pressure [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1959222/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5772764/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Because the sustained simulation of their receptors increases </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;">, </span><a href="https://selfhacked.com/blog/natural-treatments-anxiety/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">anxiety</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, and the risk of heart disease, it&rsquo;s important to block epinephrine and norepinephrine transmission when it&rsquo;s no longer needed [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4359658/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6129429/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19767873/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Both neurotransmitters can be inactivated by removal via transporters or breakdown by COMT and other enzymes. Norepinephrine is preferentially inactivated by removal, while epinephrine is mainly broken down by COMT. In kidney arteries and the liver, COMT breakdown is the preferred mechanism for both neurotransmitters [</span><a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/3426346/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/8138937/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/7559889/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Dopamine is a neurotransmitter involved in multiple cognitive and behavioral processes such as executive function, </span><a href="http://selfhacked.com/blog/21-drugs-increase-motivation/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">motivation</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, reward, and movement control. Outside the brain, it helps relax the blood vessels, increase urine output, reduce gastrointestinal motility and </span><a href="https://selfhacked.com/blog/insulin-101/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">insulin</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> production, and regulate immune cell activity [</span><a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15152198/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30446950/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Importantly, dopamine must be quickly inactivated to terminate the signal. Failing to do so is associated with heart disease. In most parts of the brain, this is achieved through removal by transporters. </span><strong>In the prefrontal cortex, where dopamine transporters are much less abundant, dopamine breakdown by COMT accounts for over 60% of dopamine inactivation</strong><span style="font-weight: 400;"> [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6793120/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6672678/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">COMT breaks down the female sex hormone estrogen and its byproduct catechols, which prevents the formation of the cancer-causing compounds quinones. In turn, estrogens reduce </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">COMT </span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;">expression and activity. This may explain why COMT levels are lower in women, and also the differing effects of COMT in men and women [</span><a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/10385681/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30684530/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1182110/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21769726/"><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;">COMT breaks down the neurotransmitters dopamine, epinephrine, and norepinephrine, as well as the female sex hormone estrogen and its byproducts.</span></p> <h3><strong>Roles in Heart Disease</strong></h3> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Epinephrine and norepinephrine play key roles in heart physiology, such as increasing </span><a href="https://www.selfhacked.com/blog/resting-heart-rate/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">heart rate</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> and blood pressure. Although these mechanisms help prepare the body for stressful situations, their excessive activity may lead to conditions such as&nbsp; heart failure, coronary spasm, and irregular heart rate. Moreover, their breakdown to quinones causes </span><a href="https://selfhacked.com/blog/oxidative-stress-101/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">oxidative stress</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> that damages the blood vessels [</span><a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19767873/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">At physiological doses, dopamine may help prevent heart disease by relaxing the blood vessels and increasing the amount of blood pumped by the heart. However, high doses tighten the vessels, and increase blood pressure and heart rate. In fact, dopamine is typically used to treat newborns with low blood pressure and heart arrest [</span><a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30571072/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Estrogen and its byproducts protect from heart disease through both short-term and long-term effects. In the short-term, they can relax blood vessels; long-term, they can inhibit blood vessel response to injury, prevent clogged arteries, and lower blood fat levels [</span><a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/10362825/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/12106632/"><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;">Epinephrine and norepinephrine raise the risk of heart disease by increasing heart rate, blood pressure, and vessel damage. Dopamine has different effects on blood pressure and heart rate depending on the dose. Estrogen can protect against heart disease by lowering blood pressure and blood fat levels, and improving blood vessel function.</span></p> <h2><strong>Your COMT Results for Heart Disease</strong></h2> <p>*5342379607546894*</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <h3><strong>SNP Summary and Table</strong></h3> <p><strong>Primary SNP: </strong><strong><em>COMT </em></strong><strong>rs4680</strong></p> <ul> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">&lsquo;G&rsquo; = Normal risk of heart disease</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">&lsquo;A&rsquo; = Increased risk of heart disease</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">41% of the world population has genotype &lsquo;GG&rsquo;</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">In people with European ancestry, both alleles are equally frequent</span></li> </ul> <p><strong>Other Important SNPs&nbsp;</strong></p> <p><strong><em>COMT </em></strong><strong>rs4818</strong></p> <ul> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">&lsquo;C&rsquo; = Normal risk of heart disease</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">&lsquo;G&rsquo; = Reduced risk of heart disease</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Globally, 1 out of 2 people only carries the &lsquo;C&rsquo; variant</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">It is most common in European descendants to carry one copy of each allele</span></li> </ul> <p><strong><em>COMT </em></strong><strong>rs4633</strong></p> <ul> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">&lsquo;C&rsquo; = Normal risk of heart disease</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">&lsquo;T&rsquo; = Reduced risk of clogged arteries</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">The genotype distribution is very similar to that of rs4680 for all ethnicities</span></li> </ul> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>*7166163236746925*</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <h2><strong>Influence of <em>COMT </em>Variants on Heart Disease</strong></h2> <h3><strong>Rs4680</strong></h3> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">By far, </span><a href="../../../snp/rs4680/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">rs4680</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> is the most widely-studied </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">COMT </span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;">gene variant. Its minor &lsquo;A&rsquo; allele encodes a less-stable protein that results in reduced COMT levels and activity [</span><a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/7703232/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/10581325/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">This variant has been associated with an increased overall risk of heart disease, as well as a higher incidence of heart attacks, stroke, and thrombosis [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4148908/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1779620/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/18064318/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The &lsquo;G&rsquo; variant was associated with increased risk of heart disease in women with </span><a href="https://selfhacked.com/blog/natural-treatments-depression/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">depression</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, heart attacks in hypertensive men, and clogged arteries in women. The enhanced breakdown of protective estrogens could account for these effects [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6060560/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15033250/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22790479/"><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;">A widely-investigated <em>COMT </em>underactive variant is generally associated with increased risk of heart disease, although the results are somewhat mixed.</span></p> <h3><strong>Other Variants</strong></h3> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The minor &lsquo;G&rsquo; variant of </span><a href="../../../snp/rs4818/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">rs4818</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> encodes a protein with reduced activity. This variant was associated with a reduced risk of heart disease in a large-scale American study [</span><a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19699472/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6951085/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The minor &lsquo;T&rsquo; allele of </span><a href="../../../snp/rs4633/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">rs4633</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> increases </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">COMT </span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;">expression. This variant has been associated with a reduced risk of clogged arteries [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6115408/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22790479/"><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;">Two other <em>COMT </em>variants have been associated with changes in the risk of heart disease.</span></p> <h2><strong>Recommendations to Prevent Heart Disease</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>*4756559953992112*</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <h3><strong>Lifestyle</strong></h3> <h4><strong>Reducing Stress</strong></h4> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">As previously described, people with underactive </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">COMT </span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;">variants (often called &lsquo;worriers&rsquo;) have excessive levels of norepinephrine and epinephrine in response to </span><a href="https://selfhacked.com/blog/factors-counteract-stress-response/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">stress</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">. This reduces their ability to adapt to stressful situations and worsens their cognitive performance in these conditions [</span><a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17008817/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].&nbsp;</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Stress also causes an increased incidence of heart disease and death from these conditions. Chronic stress increases blood pressure, artery clogging, oxygen demand on the body, spasm of the heart blood vessels, and instability of the heart [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2633295/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6460614/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/10831999/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">In a study on Finnish men, job stress increased the risk of artery clogging only in carriers of the &lsquo;G&rsquo; variant at rs4680. The authors of the study speculated that their reduced cognitive ability (likely due to increased dopamine breakdown) worsened their performance at highly-demanding tasks, possibly leading to increased stress and frustration. This result is slightly in contrast to the lower stress levels (from increased norepinephrine and epinephrine breakdown) typically observed in carriers of this variant [</span><a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/18545092/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">We recommend addressing sources of stress in your life, either by taking up a stress-busting hobby (such as </span><a href="https://selfhacked.com/blog/health-benefits-yoga/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">yoga</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> or </span><a href="https://selfhacked.com/blog/meditation/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">meditation</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">) or seeking professional help.</span></p> <p><span style="background-color: #e8ebfc; border-left: 2px solid #4569fa; display: block; padding: 20px;">Stress increases the risk of heart disease and death from these conditions. COMT activity influences susceptibility to stress and heart disease.</span></p> <h4><strong>Moderating Coffee Intake</strong></h4> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Regular coffee intake has been associated with multiple health benefits such as reducing the risk of several cancer types, heart disease, diabetes, depression, and obesity. Polyphenols such as caffeic, dihydrocaffeic, and </span><a href="https://www.selfhacked.com/blog/chlorogenic-acid/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">chlorogenic acid</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> account for these effects [</span><a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29474816/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21432699/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5696634/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">However, coffee also contains the stimulant </span><a href="https://selfhacked.com/blog/caffeine-benefits/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">caffeine</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">. While it provides some benefits at moderate doses (such as improving </span><a href="https://selfhacked.com/blog/natural-treatment-migraines/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">headaches</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> and cognitive performance, helping </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;">, and preventing cancer, diabetes, and neurodegenerative diseases), its excess increases the risk of heart disease by raising blood pressure, </span><a href="https://www.selfhacked.com/blog/cholesterol/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">cholesterol</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> levels, and heart rate [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5696634/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21432699/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">In a study on Finnish men, heavy coffee intake further increased the risk of heart disease in those carrying the low-activity &lsquo;A&rsquo; variant of rs4680 [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1762420/"><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;">Coffee has several health benefits, including in heart disease prevention. However, excessive caffeine doses may raise blood pressure, cholesterol levels, and heart rate. Your <em>COMT </em>variant may determine your risk of heart disease if you are a heavy coffee drinker.</span></p> <h3><strong>Diet</strong></h3> <h4><strong>Sufficient Folate Intake</strong></h4> <p><a href="https://selfhacked.com/blog/16-proven-benefits-vitamin-b9-folate-folic-acid/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Folate</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> (</span><a href="https://selfhacked.com/blog/16-proven-benefits-vitamin-b9-folate-folic-acid/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">vitamin B9</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">) is an antioxidant vitamin with key roles in cellular metabolism, blood cell production, immune response, brain function, and fertility. Supplementation with high </span><a href="https://selfhacked.com/blog/16-proven-benefits-vitamin-b9-folate-folic-acid/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">folate</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> doses can lower blood pressure and improve blood vessel function [</span><a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29889360/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/pmid/17209196/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/1887065/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/10746355/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4175124/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2697578/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Importantly, folate restores SAM-e levels by producing its precursor </span><a href="http://selfhacked.com/blog/methionine-good-bad-surprising-truth-methionine-restriction/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">methionine</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> from the amino acid </span><a href="https://selfhacked.com/blog/optimal-homocysteine-levels-increase-decrease/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">homocysteine</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">. Metabolic disturbances leading to excessive homocysteine levels increase the rates of heart disease by causing the buildup of COMT&rsquo;s inhibitor SAH, ultimately leading to higher catecholamine levels [</span><a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/10554704/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/12371153/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16251634/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">In line with this, people with both high blood homocysteine levels and the &lsquo;A&rsquo; variant at rs4680 were almost 3 times more likely to suffer from acute coronary events in a Finnish study [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1779620/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].&nbsp;</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Food sources of folate include green leafy vegetables, citrus fruits, and legumes [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK114318"><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;">Folate is an antioxidant vitamin with key roles in cellular metabolism, immune response, brain function, and fertility. Underactive <em>COMT </em>variants can further increase the risk of heart disease in people with folate deficiency.</span></p> <h3><strong>Supplements</strong></h3> <h4><strong>Vitamin E and Aspirin</strong></h4> <p><a href="https://selfhacked.com/blog/vitamin-e-can-help-fertility-pregnancy/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Vitamin E</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> is a fat-soluble, antioxidant vitamin essential to maintaining brain, heart, and skin health, as well as maintaining immunity and fertility. Deficiency in this vitamin has been associated with increased incidence of several cancer types, heart disease, and dementia [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6250988/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30630552/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24144963/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">In a large-scale study of American women, </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">COMT </span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;">genotype influenced the effect of vitamin E on heart disease prevention. While supplementation reduced the incidence of heart disease in women with two copies of the &lsquo;A&rsquo; allele at rs4680, it had no effect on heterozygous women and </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">increased </span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;">the risk in those with two &lsquo;G&rsquo; alleles [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4148908"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].&nbsp;</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The same was observed for rs4818, with supplementation preventing heart disease in &lsquo;CC&rsquo; women but increasing the risk in those with the &lsquo;GG&rsquo; genotype [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4148908"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">In addition to supplementing, you can obtain vitamin E from food sources such as nuts, cereal grains, and plant oils [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2956867/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].&nbsp;</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Supplementation with aspirin had similar effects in carriers of both polymorphisms. Aspirin helps prevent cardiovascular events by reducing inflammation and blood clot formation. However, note that it also increases the risk of bleeding disorders [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4148908"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31196447/"><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;">Vitamin E is an antioxidant vitamin essential to maintaining brain, heart, skin, and immune health. Aspirin helps prevent cardiovascular events. Supplementation with vitamin E and aspirin may be beneficial or detrimental in heart disease prevention depending on your <em>COMT </em>variant.</span></p>
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276 | content_learn_more_5342379607546894_text == Based on the variants we looked at, your COMT gene is associated with a somewhat increased risk of heart disease. Reducing stress, moderating coffee intake, and ensuring sufficient dietary folate may help. Keep scrolling to find out more.
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rsIDs = rs4633,rs4818,rs4680
rsStatus = rs4633,COMT,chr22,19962712,C,T,,,21,13,HET
rsStatus = rs4818,COMT,chr22,19963684,C,G,T,,18,13,HET
rsStatus = rs4680,COMT,chr22,19963748,G,A,,,19,11,HET
