63 | id == 63
63 | category_id == 5
63 | category_order == 3
63 | category_name == Inflammation
63 | category_color == #C47AC0
63 | slug == ATG16L1-Gut-Inflammation
63 | title == Could This Gene Be Linked To Gut Inflammation? (ATG16L1)
63 | meta_description == The ATG16L1 gene is associated with Crohn’s disease and other inflammation-related disorders. Find out how this gene works!
63 | summary == <p style="text-align:justify"><strong>The <em>ATG16L1</em> gene plays an important role in removing old or defective cells. Emerging research suggests that certain variations in this gene are associated with inflammatory conditions affecting the gut. Read on to learn more about this gene!</strong></p>
63 | overall_score_text == Inflammation Score (based on ATG16L1 gene)
63 | image == https://sd-selfdecode-assets-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/blog/background/ATG16L1_Gut_Inflammation.jpg
63 | author_id == 8
63 | author_name == Mathew Eng
63 | author_title == PharmD
63 | author_order == 40
63 | author_photo == https://sd-selfdecode-assets-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/blog/author-photo/Mathew.jpg
63 | author_intro == <p><strong>Mathew received his PharmD from the University of Hawaii and an undergraduate degree in Biology from the University of Washington.</strong></p>    <p>Mathew is a licensed pharmacist with clinical experience in oncology, infectious disease, and diabetes management. He has a passion for personalized patient care and believes that education is essential to living a healthy life. His goal is to motivate individuals to find ways to manage their chronic conditions.</p>
63 | reviewer_id == 4
63 | reviewer_name == Matt Carland
63 | reviewer_title == PhD
63 | medical_reviewer_id == 11
63 | medical_reviewer_name == Puya Yazdi
63 | medical_reviewer_title == MD
63 | publish_date == 2019
63 | publish_date == 10
63 | publish_date == 25
63 | avg_rating == 5.0
63 | tags_id == 193
63 | tags_name == ATG16L1 Gene
63 | tags_id == 105
63 | tags_name == Autophagy
63 | tags_id == 195
63 | tags_name == Crohn's Disease
63 | tags_id == 194
63 | tags_name == Gut Health
63 | tags_id == 73
63 | tags_name == IBD
63 | tags_id == 24
63 | tags_name == Inflammation
63 | tags_id == 196
63 | tags_name == Ulcerative Colitis
63 | permissions_favorite == False
63 | permissions_rate == False
63 | content_article == <table style="width: 90%; border-collapse: collapse; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" border="1" cellpadding="10"> <tbody> <tr> <td style="width: 100%; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: 400;"><strong>Note:</strong> The </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">ATG16L1</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;"> gene is one of the genes we analyze in our </span><a href="https://get.selfdecode.com/gene-reports/inflammation/"><span style="font-weight: 400;"><em>Inflammation DNA Wellness Report</em></span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, along with many other genes. If you're looking for a comprehensive report on inflammation-related genes, check it out!</span></td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <p style="text-align: justify;">&nbsp;</p> <h2 style="text-align: justify;"><strong>What Is The <em>ATG16L1</em> Gene?</strong></h2> <p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">The </span><a href="../../gene/atg16l1/"><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">ATG16L1</span></em></a> <span style="font-weight: 400;">gene encodes for a protein with the same name, ATG16L1 (short for </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">autophagy-related protein 16-1</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;">). This protein is part of a larger protein complex that carries out </span><a href="https://selfhacked.com/blog/autophagy-benefits-and-how-to-harness/"><strong>autophagy</strong></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, a process by which the body removes old or damaged cells to make way for new ones. Autophagy is important because it eliminates defective cells, as well as helps recycle old cellular parts to make into new cells [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6342529/"><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;">Research has discovered that certain genetic variations in </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">ATG16L1</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;"> may lower the activity of the ATG16L1 protein, which could in turn reduce the body&rsquo;s ability to carry out the process of autophagy. As we will discuss in the next section, this can lead to increased inflammation &mdash; especially in the gut. As a result, these variants have been associated with gut disorders such as </span><a href="https://selfhacked.com/blog/ibd-ulcerative-colitis-crohn-genetics-lifestyle-stress-infections/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Crohn&rsquo;s disease and ulcerative colitis</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20222171"><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;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">The </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">ATG16L1</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;"> gene codes for a protein that is responsible for clearing out old and damaged cells from the body.</span></span></p> <h2 style="text-align: justify;"><strong>How Might <em>ATG16L1</em> Cause Inflammation?</strong></h2> <h3 style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Reduced Elimination of Defective Cells</strong></h3> <p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Genetic variations in </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">ATG16L1</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;"> can disrupt autophagy, thereby potentially leading to an increase in the number of improperly-functioning cells throughout the body. When it comes to the gut in particular, this can lead to an elevation in defective </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">Paneth cells</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;">, a type of intestinal cell that helps fight harmful bacteria. Without properly-functioning Paneth cells, a build-up of bacteria can occur in the gut, which could in turn contribute to chronic inflammation [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4502774/"><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;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Certain variants in </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">ATG16L1</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;"> may impair the function of intestinal cells that protect the gut against harmful bacteria. This can lead to elevations in bacteria counts, which in turn can trigger inflammation.</span></span></p> <h3 style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Inflammatory Cytokines</strong></h3> <p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">There is evidence that </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">ATG16L1</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;"> gene variants can increase the secretion of the pro-inflammatory cytokines </span><a href="http://selfhacked.com/blog/interleukin-1/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">IL-1B</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> and </span><a href="../../gene/IL18/?utm_source=seo&amp;#!#38;utm_medium=selfhacked&amp;%2338;utm_campaign=id00002"><span style="font-weight: 400;">IL-18</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> in human cells. These two cytokines normally play a role in regulating the body&rsquo;s inflammatory response &mdash; but elevations in IL-1B and IL-18 can lead to excessive inflammation [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4502774/"><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;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Certain genetic variations in </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">ATG16L1</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;"> may increase the secretion of cytokines that promote inflammation.</span></span></p> <h3 style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Protein Interactions</strong></h3> <p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">The ATG16L1 protein has an important interaction with </span><a href="https://selfhacked.com/blog/leaky-gut-syndrome-signs-symptoms-treatments/#NOD2CARD15"><span style="font-weight: 400;">NOD2</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, a protein that helps activate the immune system in response to bacteria. Normally, ATG16L1 helps limit the number of NOD2 proteins in the body to prevent excessive activity. However, research has found that genetic variants in </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">ATG16L1</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;"> may impair this ability to keep NOD2 in check, which in turn could lead to elevated inflammation [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4502774/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24238340/"><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;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Some variations in the </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">ATG16L1</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;"> gene may increase the activity of NOD2, an immune-related protein that also promotes inflammation.</span></span></p> <h2 style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Gut Disorders And The <em>ATG16L1</em> Gene</strong></h2> <p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Although it's not entirely clear which of the above mechanisms are most directly responsible for the inflammation associated with </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">ATG16L1</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;"> variants, a number of studies have linked these variants to </span><a href="https://selfhacked.com/blog/ibd-ulcerative-colitis-crohn-genetics-lifestyle-stress-infections/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">inflammatory bowel diseases</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> (IBD) &mdash; a group of related disorders caused by inflammation in the digestive tract [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4502774/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5438258/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3886036/"><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 two most common types of IBD are [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5847182/"><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;"><strong>Crohn&rsquo;s disease:</strong><span style="font-weight: 400;"> Inflammation of the digestive tract, most commonly affecting the small and large intestines</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><strong>Ulcerative colitis:</strong><span style="font-weight: 400;"> Inflammation and ulcers that primarily affect the colon and rectum</span></li> </ul> <p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Both of these disorders can involve symptoms such as diarrhea, abdominal pain, rectal bleeding, and weight loss, while also having their own unique symptoms [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5847182/"><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 the following sections, we&rsquo;ll talk about the link between </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">ATG16L1</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;"> and IBD, as well as other health conditions.</span></p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="background-color: #e8ebfc; border-left: 2px solid #4569fa; display: block; padding: 20px;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Certain </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">ATG16L1</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;"> gene variants have been linked to inflammatory bowel diseases, including Crohn&rsquo;s disease and ulcerative colitis.</span></span></p> <h3 style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Crohn&rsquo;s Disease</strong></h3> <p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Research has identified a strong link between </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">ATG16L1 </span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;">variants and Crohn&rsquo;s disease. The evidence is strongest for the SNP </span><a href="../../snp/rs2241880/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">rs2241880</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, for which multiple studies have found that the &lsquo;G&rsquo; allele is significantly more common in people with Crohn&rsquo;s disease compared to the &lsquo;A&rsquo; allele. However, this association does not appear to be present in Asian populations [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5805181/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25738374"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21887729"><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;">Other SNPs that have also been associated with Crohn&rsquo;s disease include </span><span style="font-weight: 400;">rs2241879</span><span style="font-weight: 400;"> and </span><a href="../../snp/rs10210302/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">rs10210302</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18162085"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5438258/"><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;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Studies show that certain SNPs in </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">ATG16L1</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;">, such as rs2241880, may be associated with Crohn&rsquo;s disease.</span></span></p> <h3 style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Ulcerative Colitis</strong></h3> <p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Studies show that certain variations of </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">ATG16L1 </span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;">are also associated with ulcerative colitis, although there is less research on this condition compared to Crohn&rsquo;s disease. Similar to the findings for Crohn&rsquo;s, it is once again the &lsquo;G&rsquo; allele in rs2241880 that appears to be more common in those with ulcerative colitis &mdash; although Asian groups once again seem to be unaffected [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20222171"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18366306"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21887729"><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; background-color: #e8ebfc; border-left: 2px solid #4569fa; display: block; padding: 20px;">There is suggestive evidence that the &lsquo;G&rsquo; allele of rs2241880 may also be associated with ulcerative colitis.</span></p> <h3 style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Other Health Conditions</strong></h3> <p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">There is some preliminary evidence from a number of smaller studies that </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">ATG16L1</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;"> gene variants &mdash; especially in rs2241880 &mdash; may be associated with several other disorders, such as:</span></p> <ul style="text-align: justify;"> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">Palmoplantar pustulosis</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;">: a chronic skin disorder [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21513755"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">]</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">Paget's disease of bone</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;">: a condition that interferes with the bone remodeling process [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26030385"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">]</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">Buruli ulcers</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;">: a type of chronic ulcer caused by bacterial infections [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27128681?dopt=Abstract"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">]</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">Melanoma</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;">: a form of skin cancer [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27748080?dopt=Abstract"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">]</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;">Mouth cancer [<a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28761177?dopt=Abstract"><span>R</span></a><span>]</span></li> </ul> <h2 style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Your <em>ATG16L1</em> Results For Inflammation</strong></h2> <p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">It&rsquo;s important to note that just because certain genotypes are associated with a disease, it doesn&rsquo;t necessarily mean that everyone with that genotype will actually develop the disease! Many different factors, including other genetic and environmental factors, can influence the risk of inflammatory bowel diseases.</span></p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">You can see your genetic data for several important </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">ATG16L1</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;"> SNPs in the table below:</span></p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>*5360836173454142*</strong></p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><strong><em>ATG16L1</em> rs2241880:</strong></p> <ul style="text-align: justify;"> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">&lsquo;A&rsquo; = Not associated with inflammation</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">&lsquo;G&rsquo; = Associated with inflammatory conditions</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">About 18% of people have the &lsquo;GG&rsquo; genotype, which is the genotype that has been most strongly associated with inflammation</span></li> </ul> <p style="text-align: justify;"><strong><em>ATG16L1</em> rs10210302:</strong></p> <ul style="text-align: justify;"> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">&lsquo;C&rsquo; = Not associated with inflammation</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">&lsquo;T&rsquo; = Associated with inflammatory conditions</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">About 18% of people have the &lsquo;TT&rsquo; genotype, which is the genotype that has been most strongly associated with inflammation</span></li> </ul> <p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>*5565377033879706*</strong></p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: 400;"><strong>Important note:</strong> In Asian populations, none of the variants in </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">ATG16L1</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;"> appear to be associated with inflammatory conditions &mdash; so take this into consideration when interpreting your results.</span></p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Also, these SNPs are often inherited together. For example, if someone has an allele that&rsquo;s not associated with inflammation (like the &lsquo;A&rsquo; allele in rs2241880), they are likely to also carry the non-risk allele in other SNPs (such as &lsquo;G&rsquo; in </span><span style="font-weight: 400;">rs2241879</span><span style="font-weight: 400;"> and &lsquo;C&rsquo; in rs10210302).</span></p> <h2 style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Recommendations To Reduce Inflammation</strong></h2> <p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">If you think you may be experiencing inflammation or symptoms of IBD, have a discussion with your doctor about treatment options. Also, consult with your doctor before starting any supplements as they may have unexpected interactions with your medications or other health conditions.</span></p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>*6354130528337893*</strong></p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">In the following sections, we&rsquo;ll discuss the medical treatment options for IBD. We&rsquo;ll also detail some lifestyle, diet, and supplement choices that may help alongside medical treatment.</span></p> <h3 style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Treatment</strong></h3> <p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">There are a number of options available for the treatment of IBD. A doctor will determine the strategy that best provides relief from symptoms while minimizing the risk of remissions and complications.</span></p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Several types of drugs are commonly used to manage IBD, which can include anti-inflammatory medications, immune system suppressors, and antibiotics. Other medications may be used to provide symptom relief, such as anti-diarrheal medications and pain relievers [</span><a href="https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/inflammatory-bowel-disease/diagnosis-treatment/drc-20353320"><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;">Patients may also be placed on specialized diets or given supplements as nutritional deficiencies can be common in those with IBD. In severe cases, surgery may also be required, which may involve removing a part of the digestive tract [</span><a href="https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/inflammatory-bowel-disease/diagnosis-treatment/drc-20353320"><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; background-color: #e8ebfc; border-left: 2px solid #4569fa; display: block; padding: 20px;">Medical treatment of IBD requires a personalized approach. Options may include medications, diet plans, supplements, and surgery in severe cases.</span></p> <h3 style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Lifestyle</strong></h3> <p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Certain lifestyle changes may help provide symptom relief or improve the time between flare-ups.</span></p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">For example, there is evidence that stress may act as a significant trigger for IBD relapses. It&rsquo;s less clear what specific stress-reduction strategies are best &mdash; but some popular activities include yoga and breathing exercises [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1774724/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><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;"> is also a great option. Physical activity has several benefits for IBD, including stress reduction, symptom improvement, and numerous other physical and psychological benefits. On top of that, according to some studies exercise may even increase the expression of the </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">ATG16L1</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;"> gene itself, although more research will be needed to further confirm this [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5743119/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6351830/"><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;">Finally, quitting smoking can have significant positive effects on IBD. Smoking is a strong risk factor for Crohn&rsquo;s disease. It also increases the risk of relapses while decreasing the effectiveness of medication treatments. Interestingly enough, there&rsquo;s evidence that smoking may help prevent ulcerative colitis &mdash; although the harms of smoking far outweigh any potential benefits [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4146835/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24636140"><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; background-color: #e8ebfc; border-left: 2px solid #4569fa; display: block; padding: 20px;">Lifestyle changes like minimizing stress, exercising more, and quitting smoking can have significant benefits for those with IBD.</span></p> <h3 style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Diet</strong></h3> <p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Certain foods can act as a trigger for IBD symptoms. However, the specific foods that cause aggravation can vary a lot from person to person. Therefore, a good idea for IBD patients is to keep a &ldquo;food journal&rdquo; to track which foods are causing symptoms so that these can be avoided.</span></p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Some general diet tips that may help IBD include [</span><a href="https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/inflammatory-bowel-disease/diagnosis-treatment/drc-20353320"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4843040/"><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;">Avoiding spicy foods</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Avoiding caffeine or alcohol</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Avoiding high-fat foods</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Limiting consumption of dairy products</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Limiting fiber intake</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Eating 5-6 small meals each day</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Drinking plenty of fluids &mdash; preferably water</span></li> </ul> <p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">However, always be sure to talk to your doctor before attempting any significant changes to your normal diet! Nutritional deficiencies are common in IBD &mdash; so it&rsquo;s very important to let your doctor know what you are eating [</span><a href="https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/inflammatory-bowel-disease/diagnosis-treatment/drc-20353320"><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; background-color: #e8ebfc; border-left: 2px solid #4569fa; display: block; padding: 20px;">For IBD patients, the specific foods that may trigger symptoms can vary a lot from person to person. There are some general tips that can help keep symptoms at bay, although keeping a food journal is probably the best way to identify these trigger foods so that they can be avoided.</span></p> <h3 style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Supplements</strong></h3> <p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Nutritional deficiencies occur in more than half of people with IBD. For this reason, it&rsquo;s not uncommon for doctors to prescribe supplements to IBD patients, such as </span><a href="https://selfhacked.com/blog/iron-part-3-iron-intake-supplementation-ways-increase-decrease/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">iron</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://selfhacked.com/blog/calcium-101/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">calcium</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, and various vitamins [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26418823"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <h3 style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Alternative Therapies</strong></h3> <p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">According to some suggestive research, there may be a few alternative therapies that may benefit IBD patients. However, before trying any alternative treatments,&nbsp; always be sure consult with your doctor first! Some options that are possibly effective for IBD management include:</span></p> <ul style="text-align: justify;"> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><strong>Probiotics:</strong><span style="font-weight: 400;"> Products containing </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">Lactobacillus</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;"> and </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">Bifidobacterium</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;"> are the most well researched. However, </span><a href="https://selfhacked.com/blog/a1probiotics-good-bacteria/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">probiotics</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> appear to be only effective for ulcerative colitis [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29804478"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><strong>Turmeric:</strong><span style="font-weight: 400;"> Turmeric contains a compound called </span><a href="https://selfhacked.com/blog/curcumin-cures-top-15-scientifically-proven-health-benefits-with-references/"><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">curcumin</span></em></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, which may help reduce IBD symptoms, according to early research. However, the ideal dose of turmeric is unclear [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6271352/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><strong>Acupuncture and moxibustion: </strong><a href="https://selfhacked.com/blog/what-is-acupuncture-how-does-it-work/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Acupuncture</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> is an alternative therapy that involves inserting thin needles into the body. Similarly, </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">moxibustion</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;"> is a traditional Chinese therapy that involves burning dried mugwort on specific points of the body. Some clinical trials show that both therapies may be effective for IBD symptoms, but more research is needed to say for sure [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3800563/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></li> </ul> <p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: 400; background-color: #e8ebfc; border-left: 2px solid #4569fa; display: block; padding: 20px;">There is some evidence suggesting that certain alternative therapies may help with IBD symptoms, including probiotics, turmeric, acupuncture, and moxibustion. However, more research will be still be needed to confirm the potential benefits of these treatments.</span></p> <p>&nbsp;</p>
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63 | content_learn_more_5565377033879706_text == Your ATG16L1 gene includes variants that may be somewhat associated with inflammation and inflammatory bowel diseases. However, this doesn't necessarily reflect your overall risk for inflammatory bowel diseases — just one gene related to it! Fortunately, research suggests that exercise, proper sleep, and certain foods may help. Keep scrolling to find out more.
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