331 | id == 331
331 | category_id == 21
331 | category_order == 18
331 | category_name == Anxiety
331 | category_color == #C47AC0
331 | slug == adora2a-anxiety
331 | title == What Role Does This Adenosine Receptor Play In Anxiety? (ADORA2A)
331 | meta_description == Variants of ADORA2A are associated with anxiety. Click here for some diet and gene-based tips!
331 | summary == <p style="text-align:justify">The ADORA2A gene encodes an adenosine receptor in the brain. Variants seem to be associated with anxiety, especially in response to caffeine intake. Read on to learn more!</p>
331 | overall_score_text == Your Anxiety Score (Based On ADORA2A)
331 | image == https://sd-selfdecode-assets-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/blog/background/ADORA2A-Anxiety.jpg
331 | author_id == 15
331 | author_name == John Williams
331 | author_title == B.Sc
331 | author_order == 3987
331 | author_photo == https://sd-selfdecode-assets-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/blog/author-photo/sinan_pic.png
331 | author_intro == <p>John received his BSc from the University of Toronto.&nbsp;John has spent the last several years teaching high school science and math to English-language learners, which has forced him to learn how to simplify difficult concepts as much as possible. He has also worked in two different research labs and has experience as a student intern working and studying under doctors in hospitals and clinics to help diagnose and treat patients, interpret lab results and fill out mountains of paperwork.</p>
331 | reviewer == None
331 | medical_reviewer_id == 11
331 | medical_reviewer_name == Puya Yazdi
331 | medical_reviewer_title == MD
331 | publish_date == 2020
331 | publish_date == 9
331 | publish_date == 15
331 | avg_rating == 5.0
331 | tags_id == 691
331 | tags_name == Adenosine
331 | tags_id == 706
331 | tags_name == ADORA2A Gene
331 | tags_id == 112
331 | tags_name == Anxiety
331 | tags_id == 51
331 | tags_name == Dopamine
331 | permissions_favorite == False
331 | permissions_rate == False
331 | content_article == <h2 style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Summary</strong></h2> <p><span style="background-color: #e8ebfc; border-left: 2px solid #4569fa; display: block; padding: 20px;"><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">ADORA2A</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;"> encodes the Adenosine 2A receptor. </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">ADORA2A</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;"> causes dopamine levels to go up by opposing the </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">DRD2</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;"> gene, which codes for the receptor that dopamine binds to in order to turn off.<br /><br /></span><span>Variants of </span><em><span>ADORA2A</span></em><span> play a role in anxiety through decreased production of Adenosine 2A receptors, which leads to decreased adenosine and dopamine in the brain. Dopamine is associated with anxiety.<br /><br /></span>Lifestyle, diet, and supplement modifications can counteract the effects of these variants by increasing either adenosine or dopamine levels in the brain.</span></p> <h2 style="text-align: justify;"><strong><em>ADORA2A</em> and Anxiety</strong></h2> <p><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">ADORA2A</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;"> encodes the adenosine A</span><sub><span style="font-weight: 400;">2A</span></sub><span style="font-weight: 400;"> receptor. These receptors are mainly located in the nucleus accumbens of the brain, which is the same place where </span><a href="https://selfhacked.com/blog/dopamine/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">dopamine</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> is produced [</span><a href="https://www.intechopen.com/books/anxiety-disorders/adenosine-signaling-in-anxiety"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30511252/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">DRD2</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;"> gene encodes D2 </span><a href="https://selfhacked.com/blog/dopamine/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">dopamine</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> receptors -- these receptors are inhibitory and will cause dopamine levels to go down [</span><a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16055058/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">When </span><a href="https://selfhacked.com/blog/adenosine-health-effects/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">adenosine</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> binds the A</span><sub><span style="font-weight: 400;">2A</span></sub><span style="font-weight: 400;"> receptor, dopamine becomes less able to bind to its D2 receptor. As a result, an active </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">ADORA2A</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;"> gene results in higher dopamine production [</span><a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16055058/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/18305461/#:~:text=Caffeine-induced%20anxiety%20(VAS),in%20the%20majority%20of%20subjects"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Some variants of </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">ADORA2A</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;"> will produce fewer receptors and therefore less dopamine. Low dopamine levels are associated with anxiety [</span><a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30737306/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30511252/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <h2 style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Your <em>ADORA2A</em> Results for Anxiety</strong></h2> <p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>*3017240969125907*</strong></p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">NOTE: All of these SNPs are linked. This means that if you have a 'negative' allele for one of them, you have a higher chance of having the others as well.</span></em></p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Primary SNP:</strong></p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><strong><em>ADORA2A</em></strong><strong>&nbsp;</strong><a href="https://selfdecode.com/snp/rs5751876/"><strong>rs5751876</strong></a></p> <ul style="text-align: justify;"> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">&lsquo;T&rsquo; = associated with panic disorder, anxiety and caffeine-induced anxiety</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">&lsquo;C&rsquo; = not associated with anxiety</span></li> </ul> <p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Other Important SNPs:</strong></p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><strong><em>ADORA2A</em></strong><strong>&nbsp;</strong><a href="https://selfdecode.com/snp/rs3761422/"><strong>rs3761422</strong></a></p> <ul style="text-align: justify;"> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">&lsquo;T&rsquo; = increased association with anxiety</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">&lsquo;C&rsquo; = not associated with anxiety</span></li> </ul> <p style="text-align: justify;"><strong><em>ADORA2A</em></strong>&nbsp;<a href="https://selfdecode.com/snp/rs5751862/"><strong>rs5751862</strong></a></p> <ul style="text-align: justify;"> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">&lsquo;G&rsquo; = increased association with anxiety&nbsp;</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">&lsquo;A&rsquo; = not associated with anxiety</span></li> </ul> <p style="text-align: justify;"><strong><em>ADORA2A</em></strong><strong>&nbsp;</strong><a href="https://selfdecode.com/snp/rs2298383/"><strong>rs2298383</strong></a></p> <ul style="text-align: justify;"> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">&lsquo;C&rsquo; = increased association with anxiety and caffeine-related anxiety&nbsp;</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">&lsquo;T&rsquo; = not associated with anxiety</span></li> </ul> <ul style="list-style-type: circle; text-align: justify;"> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Based on computer experimentation, this is the SNP that may actually 'cause' the increased anxiety [</span><a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20334879/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></li> </ul> <p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>*6680726027279793*</strong></p> <p style="text-align: justify;">&nbsp;</p> <h2 style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Recommendations for Improving Anxiety</strong></h2> <p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>*8189019139464111*</strong></p> <h3 style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Lifestyle</strong></h3> <h4 style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Physical Exercise</strong></h4> <p><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;"> increases the amount of adenosine in your brain. This is because most adenosine in your body comes from the breakdown of ATP -- and ATP is broken down when you use energy [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3922619/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Like the </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">ADORA2A</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;"> gene, exercise also helps with anxiety by increasing dopamine levels in the brain [</span><a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31584222/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4061837/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Physical exercise should be performed on a regular basis for the maximum benefit [</span><a href="https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/educational/wecan/get-active/physical-activity-guidelines.htm#:~:text=The%20Guidelines%20recommend%20that%20adults,chronic%20disease%20later%20in%20life"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="background-color: #e8ebfc; border-left: 2px solid #4569fa; display: block; padding: 20px;">Regular physical exercise may help with anxiety by boosting dopamine levels.</span></p> <h3 style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Diet</strong></h3> <h4 style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Reduce Caffeine Intake</strong></h4> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Certain </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">ADORA2A</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;"> variants are more at risk of developing caffeine-induced anxiety. This effect appears to be much stronger in those who do not drink caffeine regularly [</span><a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20520601/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/14666117/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p><a href="https://selfhacked.com/blog/caffeine-benefits/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Caffeine</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> blocks the A</span><sub><span style="font-weight: 400;">2A</span></sub><span style="font-weight: 400;"> receptors and decreases adenosine&rsquo;s effect in the brain by competing with it. This is because caffeine and adenosine molecules look very similar. Therefore, reducing caffeine intake may allow adenosine to function normally again [</span><a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20334879/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">If you are a heavy coffee drinker, you may experience caffeine withdrawal symptoms. It is best to reduce caffeine intake slowly [</span><a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15448977/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="background-color: #e8ebfc; border-left: 2px solid #4569fa; display: block; padding: 20px;">Caffeine directly competes with adenosine on the A<sub>2A</sub> receptor and prevents it from doing its job. Slowly reducing caffeine intake may help with anxiety.</span></p>
331 | content_snp_table_3017240969125907_key == 3017240969125907
331 | content_snp_table_3017240969125907_blur == True
331 | content_snp_table_3017240969125907_hidden == False
331 | content_learn_more_6680726027279793_key == 6680726027279793
331 | content_learn_more_6680726027279793_blur == True
331 | content_learn_more_6680726027279793_hidden == False
331 | content_learn_more_6680726027279793_text == Based on the variants we looked at, your ADORA2A gene makes you somewhat more likely to develop anxiety. However, this doesn't necessarily reflect your overall risk; it’s just one gene related to it. Exercise and reducing caffeine may help. Keep scrolling to find out more.
331 | content_recommendation_8189019139464111_key == 8189019139464111
331 | content_recommendation_8189019139464111_blur == True
331 | content_recommendation_8189019139464111_hidden == False
rsIDs = rs2298383,rs5751862,rs5751876,rs3761422
rsStatus = rs2298383,ADORA2A,chr22,24429543,C,A,G,T,32,0,Normal
rsStatus = rs5751862,SPECC1L,chr22,24406596,G,A,C,T,7,22,HET
rsStatus = rs5751876,ADORA2A,chr22,24441333,T,C,,,5,25,HET
