603 | id == 603
603 | category_id == 96
603 | category_order == 29
603 | category_name == Blood Pressure
603 | category_color == #C47AC0
603 | slug == EPAS1-blood-pressure
603 | title == The Effects of a High-Altitude Gene on Blood Pressure (EPAS1)
603 | meta_description == EPAS1 promotes red blood cell proliferation. A variant of EPAS1 has been associated with high blood pressure. Read more here.
603 | summary == <p style="text-align:justify"><strong>The <em>EPAS1</em> gene is involved in red blood cell proliferation. How might a variant of <em>EPAS1</em> mediate excessive red blood cell production and raise blood pressure? Read more to find out.&nbsp;</strong></p>
603 | overall_score_text == Your Blood Pressure Score (based on EPAS1 gene)
603 | image == https://sd-selfdecode-assets-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/blog/background/EPAS1-Blood-Pressure.jpg
603 | author_id == 14
603 | author_name == Shany Lahan
603 | author_title == MS (Neuroscience)
603 | author_order == 5
603 | author_photo == https://sd-selfdecode-assets-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/blog/author-photo/Shany.webp
603 | author_intro == <p>Shany received her MSc in Neuroscience from Western University.</p>    <p>Prior to joining SelfDecode, Shany conducted research related to Alzheimer&rsquo;s disease, and taught science to undergraduate students. She believes that research should be accessible to everyone, regardless of scientific background. Shany joined SelfDecode&nbsp;with a mission to help others optimize their health and wellbeing &ndash; as well as help them understand the science behind it all.</p>
603 | reviewer == None
603 | medical_reviewer_id == 11
603 | medical_reviewer_name == Puya Yazdi
603 | medical_reviewer_title == MD
603 | publish_date == 2021
603 | publish_date == 1
603 | publish_date == 14
603 | avg_rating == 5.0
603 | tags_id == 1135
603 | tags_name == EPAS1 Gene
603 | tags_id == 1141
603 | tags_name == Erythropoietin
603 | tags_id == 135
603 | tags_name == Heart Attack
603 | tags_id == 1140
603 | tags_name == HIF
603 | tags_id == 1139
603 | tags_name == High Blood Pressure
603 | tags_id == 335
603 | tags_name == Hypertension
603 | tags_id == 1136
603 | tags_name == Hypoxia
603 | tags_id == 1142
603 | tags_name == Hypoxia-Inducible Factor
603 | tags_id == 1137
603 | tags_name == Polycythemia
603 | tags_id == 1138
603 | tags_name == Red Blood Cells
603 | tags_id == 219
603 | tags_name == Stroke
603 | permissions_favorite == False
603 | permissions_rate == False
603 | content_article == <h2 style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Summary</strong></h2> <p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="background-color: #e8ebfc; border-left: 2px solid #4569fa; display: block; padding: 20px;"><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">EPAS1 </span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;">encodes hypoxia-inducible factor 2-alpha (HIF-2a), a protein that boosts the production of red blood cells. Variants of </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">EPAS1 </span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;">may play a role in high blood pressure by increasing HIF-2a production and in turn, thickening blood. Lifestyle and supplement modifications may counteract the effects of these variants by preventing an increase in HIF-2a.</span></span></p> <h2 style="text-align: justify;"><strong><em>EPAS1</em></strong><strong> and Blood Pressure</strong></h2> <p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Individuals that enter high altitudes often experience rapid reductions in atmospheric pressure. This may result in </span><a href="https://selfhacked.com/blog/why-you-may-be-suffering-from-low-oxygen-and-not-realize-it/"><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">hypoxia</span></em></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, a condition in which tissues lack oxygen [</span><a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/9770115/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].&nbsp;</span></p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Among its many negative effects, hypoxia may boost the production of </span><a href="https://selfhacked.com/blog/optimal-red-blood-cell-ranges-increase-decrease/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">red blood cells</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> (</span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">polycythemia</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;">), a process that makes blood thicker and consequently lowers its flow rate [</span><a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23733688/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].&nbsp;</span></p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">In cases of polycythemia, the body attempts to counteract this slow rate of blood flow by raising blood pressure. High blood pressure may increase the risk of other conditions, including heart attack and stroke [</span><a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23733688/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29773069/"><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;">A striking example of natural selection in humans is the acquired ability of Tibetans to survive in high-altitude environments. Scientists have theorized that this adaptation may be partly due to genetic differences in the </span><a href="https://selfdecode.com/gene/epas1/"><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">EPAS1</span></em></a> <span style="font-weight: 400;">gene [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5400376/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">EPAS1 </span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;">encodes hypoxia-inducible factor 2-alpha (HIF-2a), one of two proteins that combine to form hypoxia-inducible factor 2 (HIF-2). In response to hypoxia, HIF-2 increases the production of </span><a href="https://selfhacked.com/blog/erythropoietin-101/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">erythropoietin</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, a hormone involved in red blood cell growth and division [</span><a href="https://medlineplus.gov/genetics/gene/epas1/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23733688/"><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;">Tibetans are likely protected from changes associated with polycythemia due to limited increases in HIF-2a levels, when exposed to hypoxic conditions [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5400376/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].&nbsp;</span></p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Unsurprisingly, a variant of </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">EPAS1 </span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;">has been linked to high blood pressure. This variant may elevate HIF-2a, exacerbating red blood cell proliferation and thickening blood [</span><a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25826379/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/18650473/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5400376/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5638799/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2895075/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <h2 style="text-align: left;"><strong>Your </strong><strong><em>EPAS1</em></strong><strong> Results for Blood Pressure</strong></h2> <p style="text-align: justify;">*1827191842951276*</p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Primary SNP:</strong></p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><strong><em>EPAS1 </em></strong><a href="https://selfdecode.com/snp/rs10168349/"><strong>rs10168349</strong></a> <span style="font-weight: 400;">[</span><a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25826379/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">]</span></p> <ul style="text-align: justify;"> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">&lsquo;G&rsquo; = Higher odds of high blood pressure, relative to &lsquo;C&rsquo;</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">&lsquo;C&rsquo; = Lower odds of high blood pressure, relative to &lsquo;G&rsquo;</span></li> </ul> <p style="text-align: justify;">*3134376463968713*</p> <h2 style="text-align: left;"><strong>Recommendations for Lowering Blood Pressure</strong></h2> <p style="text-align: justify;">*9480857398005227*</p> <h3 style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Lifestyle</strong></h3> <h4 style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Stress Management</strong></h4> <p style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://selfhacked.com/blog/factors-counteract-stress-response/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Stressed</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> individuals tend to breathe shallowly, and people with anxiety often hyperventilate. Shallow breathing and hyperventilation have both been shown to lower oxygen levels. As low oxygen may stimulate HIF-2a, carriers of <em>EPAS1</em> risk variants may benefit from stress management [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23063255"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12931769"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].&nbsp;</span></p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Experiencing psychological stress was associated with an approximate 2.5-fold higher risk of high blood pressure in a meta-analysis of 11 studies. In people with high response to stressors, psychological stress further increases blood pressure by 21% [</span><a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28415916/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19347197/"><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;">Stress from job strain has also been associated with higher blood pressure, especially in men [</span><a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/12883105/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3673518/"><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;">Stress-reduction techniques such as stress management training, biofeedback, and muscle relaxation lowered blood pressure in several clinical trials [</span><a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25084308/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2268875/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/18548088/"><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;">Stress management may help lower blood pressure by preventing an increase in HIF-2a activity.</span></p> <h4 style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Moderate Sun Exposure</strong></h4> <p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: 400;"><a href="https://selfhacked.com/blog/avoiding-sun-will-kill-14-proven-science-based-health-benefits-sun/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Sunlight</a> (UV radiation specifically) may lower blood pressure by increasing nitric oxide, which relaxes the blood vessels and improves the flow of oxygen to tissues. This suggests that moderate sun exposure may help prevent HIF-2a activity [</span><a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24445737/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19797169/"><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;">In a study of over 5000 adult Chileans, the rates of hypertension in the general population gradually increased from the North (29%) to the South (37%) of the country. Because Chile is the longest country in the world, the North and South greatly differ in terms of </span><span style="font-weight: 400;">sunlight</span><span style="font-weight: 400;"> incidence [</span><a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27188937/"><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;">Similarly, a large-scale study including 2,178 different dialysis centers in the US and over 340,000 patients measured lower pre-dialysis blood pressure levels in seasons and locations with high sunlight incidence [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7335547/"><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;">A meta-analysis of 10 observational studies and 5 clinical trials associated high sunlight exposure with lower blood pressure and found that both short-term (under 30 minutes) and long-term (6 weeks) exposure to UV radiation may decrease blood pressure [</span><a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30412763/"><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;">Moderate sun exposure may help lower blood pressure by preventing an increase in HIF-2a activity.</span></p> <h3 style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Supplements</strong></h3> <h4 style="text-align: justify;"><strong>L-Arginine</strong></h4> <p style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://selfhacked.com/blog/l-arginine/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">L-arginine</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> increases the production of nitric oxide and stops its breakdown. By expanding and relaxing the blood vessels, this molecule increases blood flow, improves tissue oxygenation, and lowers blood pressure [</span><a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/12481979/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15352382/"><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;">The effects of L-arginine have specifically been shown to counter the effects of hypoxia, suggesting that this supplement may prevent increases in HIF-2a activity [</span><a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28735657/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26342955/"><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;">A meta-analysis of 11 trials found that oral L-arginine (4-24 g/day) lowered systolic (by 5.39 mmHg) and diastolic (by 2.66 mmHg) blood pressure. L-arginine may lower diastolic (by 3.07 mmHg) but not systolic blood pressure in pregnant women, according to a meta-analysis of 5 studies [</span><a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22137067/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22957482/"><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;">L-arginine may help lower blood pressure by preventing an increase in HIF-2a activity.</span></p>
603 | content_snp_table_1827191842951276_key == 1827191842951276
603 | content_snp_table_1827191842951276_blur == True
603 | content_snp_table_1827191842951276_hidden == False
603 | content_learn_more_3134376463968713_key == 3134376463968713
603 | content_learn_more_3134376463968713_blur == True
603 | content_learn_more_3134376463968713_hidden == False
603 | content_learn_more_3134376463968713_text == Based on the variants we looked at, your EPAS1 gene is associated with somewhat lower odds of high blood pressure, relative to other variants. However, other genes and health factors may still contribute to your risk.
603 | content_recommendation_9480857398005227_key == 9480857398005227
603 | content_recommendation_9480857398005227_blur == True
603 | content_recommendation_9480857398005227_hidden == False
rsIDs = rs10168349
rsStatus = rs10168349,PRKCE,chr2,46133768,G,C,,,19,10,HET
