416 | id == 416
416 | category_id == 25
416 | category_order == 22
416 | category_name == Blood Sugar
416 | category_color == #C47AC0
416 | slug == HMGA2-blood-sugar
416 | title == An Embryonic Development Gene and Blood Sugar (HMGA2)
416 | meta_description == HMGA2 affects the way that fatty tissues develop in an early embryo. What is its relationship with insulin and diabetes?
416 | summary == <p><strong><em>HMGA2 </em>affects the way that fatty tissues develop in an early embryo. What is its relationship with insulin and diabetes? Read on to find out.</strong></p>
416 | overall_score_text == Your Blood Sugar Score (based on HMGA2)
416 | image == https://sd-selfdecode-assets-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/blog/background/HMGA2-Blood-Sugar-Diabetes.jpg
416 | author_id == 1
416 | author_name == Jasmine Foster
416 | author_title == BSc, BEd
416 | author_order == 36
416 | author_photo == https://sd-selfdecode-assets-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/blog/author-photo/Jasmine.jpg
416 | author_intro == <p><strong>Jasmine received her BS from McGill University and her BEd from Vancouver Island University.</strong></p>    <p>Jasmine loves helping people understand their brains and bodies, a passion that grew out of her dual background in biology and education. From the chem lab to the classroom, everyone has the right to learn and make informed decisions about their health.</p>
416 | reviewer == None
416 | medical_reviewer_id == 11
416 | medical_reviewer_name == Puya Yazdi
416 | medical_reviewer_title == MD
416 | publish_date == 2020
416 | publish_date == 10
416 | publish_date == 16
416 | avg_rating == 5.0
416 | tags_id == 801
416 | tags_name == Blood Sugar
416 | tags_id == 462
416 | tags_name == Body Fat
416 | tags_id == 837
416 | tags_name == Embryonic Development
416 | tags_id == 564
416 | tags_name == Fetal Development
416 | tags_id == 836
416 | tags_name == Height
416 | tags_id == 835
416 | tags_name == HMGA2 Gene
416 | tags_id == 139
416 | tags_name == Insulin
416 | tags_id == 116
416 | tags_name == Insulin Resistance
416 | permissions_favorite == False
416 | permissions_rate == False
416 | content_article == <h2><strong>Summary</strong></h2> <p><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">HMGA2</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;"> encodes high-mobility group AT-hook 2. Variants of </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">HMGA2</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;"> may play a role in diabetes by permanently altering sugar metabolism during the development of the embryo. Lifestyle, diet, and supplement modifications may counteract the effects of these variants by supporting sugar metabolism and preventing insulin resistance.</span></p> <h2><strong><em>HMGA2</em></strong><strong> and Blood Sugar</strong></h2> <p><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">HMGA2</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;"> encodes high-mobility group AT-hook 2, a protein that changes the shape of DNA, regulating the way early embryos develop. More specifically, it regulates the genes required to develop what will become fatty tissues. Later in life, the HMGA2 protein may change the expression of other genes [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7013770/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/gene/8091"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Variation in </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">HMGA2</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;"> has been associated mainly with dysfunction of the fatty tissues. People with </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">HMGA2</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;"> variants may be more susceptible to tumors developing in fatty tissue, while animals without this gene are more susceptible to obesity [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/gene/8091"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Oddly, some </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">HMGA2</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;"> variants have been linked to both </span><a href="https://selfhacked.com/blog/insulin-101/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">insulin</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> production and height. The detrimental variants lead to shorter height and </span><a href="https://www.selfhacked.com/blog/top-tips-for-fixing-insulin-resistance/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">insulin resistance</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, and the relationship holds across humans and animals such as ponies. Researchers believe that certain variants of the </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">HMGA2</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;"> gene change the early development of insulin-producing tissues, leading to lifelong susceptibility to insulin resistance, high blood sugar, and diabetes [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3086278/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6430908/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3755135/"><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><span style="font-weight: 400;">HMGA2</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;"> encodes a protein that regulates gene expression during early embryonic development. Variants in this gene may lead to tumours in fatty tissue and disruption of sugar metabolism.</span></span></p> <h2><strong>Your </strong><strong><em>HMGA2</em></strong><strong> Results for Blood Sugar</strong></h2> <p>*4131953896880109*</p> <p><strong>HMGA2 </strong><a href="https://selfdecode.com/snp/rs2261181/"><strong>rs2261181</strong></a></p> <ul> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">&lsquo;C&rsquo; = Not associated with abnormal blood sugar levels</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">&lsquo;T&rsquo; = Associated with relatively higher blood sugar</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">The &lsquo;T&rsquo; allele may alter the function or expression of </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">HMGA2</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;"> during early embryonic development [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/gene/8091"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></li> </ul> <p><strong>HMGA2 </strong><a href="https://selfdecode.com/snp/rs1531343/"><strong>rs1531343</strong></a></p> <ul> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">&lsquo;G&rsquo; = Not associated with abnormal blood sugar levels</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">&lsquo;C&rsquo; = Associated with relatively higher blood sugar</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">The &lsquo;C&rsquo; allele may alter the function or expression of </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">HMGA2</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;"> during early embryonic development [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/gene/8091"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></li> </ul> <p><strong>HMGA2 </strong><a href="https://selfdecode.com/snp/rs343092/"><strong>rs343092</strong></a></p> <ul> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">&lsquo;G&rsquo; = Not associated with abnormal blood sugar levels</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">&lsquo;T&rsquo; = Associated with relatively higher blood sugar</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">The &lsquo;T&rsquo; allele may alter the function or expression of </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">HMGA2</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;"> during early embryonic development [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/gene/8091"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></li> </ul> <p><strong>HMGA2 </strong><a href="https://selfdecode.com/snp/rs7968902/"><strong>rs7968902</strong></a></p> <ul> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">&lsquo;G&rsquo; = Associated with relatively higher blood sugar</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">&lsquo;T&rsquo; = Not associated with abnormal blood sugar levels</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">The &lsquo;T&rsquo; allele may alter the function or expression of </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">HMGA2</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;"> during early embryonic development [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/gene/8091"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></li> </ul> <p><strong>HMGA2 </strong><a href="https://selfdecode.com/snp/rs1480474/"><strong>rs1480474</strong></a></p> <ul> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">&lsquo;G&rsquo; = Associated with relatively higher blood sugar</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">&lsquo;A&rsquo; = Not associated with abnormal blood sugar levels</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">The &lsquo;A&rsquo; allele may alter the function or expression of </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">HMGA2</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;"> during early embryonic development [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/gene/8091"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></li> </ul> <p>*5925405486852433*</p> <h2><strong>Recommendations for Increasing </strong><strong>Insulin Sensitivity</strong></h2> <p>*9969524548145396*</p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Note: </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">HMGA2 </span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;">is typically only expressed in significant amounts during early embryonic development. As such, people with potentially detrimental variants of this gene will need to focus on the downstream effects of </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">HMGA2</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;">&mdash;mainly insulin resistance&mdash;to counteract any harm [</span><a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/1205428"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <h3><strong>Maintain Healthy Weight</strong></h3> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Being overweight or obese is the number one risk factor for high blood sugar levels, </span><a href="https://www.selfhacked.com/blog/top-tips-for-fixing-insulin-resistance/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">insulin resistance</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, and type 2 diabetes. Even a slight weight reduction can be beneficial [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3896971/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2857968/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5829255/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The single most important thing that can help you </span><a href="http://selfhacked.com/blog/a-comprehensive-list-of-effective-ways-to-lose-weight/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">lose weight</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> is to consume fewer calories. Multiple studies show the effectiveness of calorie restriction in lowering blood </span><a href="https://selfhacked.com/blog/glucose/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">glucose</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> and insulin resistance [</span><a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/10102702/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4686951/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2677812/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4548160/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">HMGA2</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;"> is involved in the development of fatty tissues, and losing weight may be challenging for those with detrimental mutations. For personalized recommendations to help you lose weight, check out our </span><a href="https://get.selfdecode.com/weight/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Body Weight DNA Wellness Report</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7013770/"><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><span style="font-weight: 400;">HMGA2</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;"> variants can make it more difficult to lose weight, but maintaining a healthy weight is especially important for preventing insulin resistance.</span></span></p> <h3><strong>Cutting Down on Refined Carbohydrates</strong></h3> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Harmful variants in the </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">HMGA2</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;"> may make it more difficult for the body to process sugar and other simple carbohydrates [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6430908/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The digestion of dietary carbohydrates causes a spike in blood glucose, which the body counteracts by producing insulin to stimulate its uptake into the cells. A failure to react to insulin, called </span><a href="https://selfhacked.com/blog/top-tips-for-fixing-insulin-resistance/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">insulin resistance</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, causes sugar to build up in the blood. Over time, this damages the pancreas and leads to type 2 diabetes [</span><a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26177573/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The foods most likely to cause insulin resistance are those that greatly increase blood sugar levels (in other words, those with a high glycemic index). They include sugar-sweetened drinks, baked goods, candy, white bread, rice, and pasta, and their overconsumption is associated with type 2 diabetes [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2963518/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6627334/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30321274/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19079907/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Similarly, adopting diets low in refined carbohydrates has been shown to reduce glycated </span><a href="https://selfhacked.com/blog/hemoglobin-good-bad-lab-tests-normal-values-reference-ranges/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">hemoglobin</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> in people with type 2 diabetes [</span><a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27472929/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31338545/"><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;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">People with detrimental </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">HMGA2</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;"> variants may have more difficulty controlling blood sugar after eating refined carbohydrates, so these should be avoided wherever possible.</span></span></p> <h3><strong>Resistant Starch</strong></h3> <p><a href="https://selfhacked.com/blog/reistant1-what-is-resistant-starch-sources-how-to-increase-diet/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Resistant starch</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> is a complex carbohydrate that is digested by beneficial bacteria in the gut. This slow process transforms the starch into </span><a href="http://selfhacked.com/blog/health-benefits-butyrate-derivatives-sodium-butyrate-phenylbutyrate-trybutyrine-butyric-acid-butyrate-prodrugs-butyrate-producing-bacteria/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">butyrate</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, a short-chain fatty acid that does not raise blood sugar. This makes resistant starch a good carbohydrate choice for people whose bodies have difficulty controlling insulin production [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5646248/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5962619/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28962046/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Multiple clinical trials show that supplementation with </span><a href="https://selfhacked.com/blog/reistant1-what-is-resistant-starch-sources-how-to-increase-diet/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">resistant starch</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> can reduce </span><a href="http://selfhacked.com/blog/intermittent-fasting/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">fasting</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> and post-meal glucose levels while improving insulin resistance, especially in people with type 2 diabetes and obesity [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5320660/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15242012/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27733521/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16155268/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6551340/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Supplementing the diet with resistant starch may prevent complications resulting from excess blood sugar in patients with type 2 diabetes. Resistant starch improved blood glucose levels, reduced toxins released by bacteria, increased antioxidants, and protected the blood vessels in people with this condition [</span><a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26655398/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28444346/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Preliminary research in animals suggests that resistant starch may help with blood glucose by slowing down the uptake and digestion of carbohydrates, stimulating carbohydrate storage in the liver and muscles, and improving insulin sensitivity [</span><a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21530804/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25661882/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27653386/"><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;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Resistant starch is a complex carbohydrate that may help reduce blood sugar as it is digested by beneficial </span><a href="https://www.selfhacked.com/blog/gut-bacteria-microbiome/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">gut bacteria</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">.</span></span></p>
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416 | content_learn_more_5925405486852433_text == Based on the variants we looked at, your HMGA2 gene is somewhat associated with high blood sugar. However, this doesn't necessarily reflect your overall risk of diabetes; it’s just one gene related to it. Maintaining a healthy weight and replacing simple carbs with resistant starch may help. Keep scrolling to find out more.
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rsIDs = rs1531343,rs7968902,rs343092,rs1480474,rs2261181
rsStatus = rs1531343,RPSAP52,chr12,65781114,G,C,T,,36,0,Normal
rsStatus = rs7968902,,chr12,65969290,T,A,C,G,38,0,Normal
rsStatus = rs343092,HMGA2,chr12,65857160,T,C,G,,24,0,Normal
rsStatus = rs1480474,HMGA2,chr12,65933163,A,C,G,T,23,0,Normal
rsStatus = rs2261181,RPSAP52,chr12,65818538,C,T,,,29,0,Normal
