70 | id == 70
70 | category_id == 5
70 | category_order == 3
70 | category_name == Inflammation
70 | category_color == #C47AC0
70 | slug == STAT3-Inflammatory-Bowel-Disease
70 | title == Could This Gene Play A Role In Inflammatory Bowel Disease? (STAT3)
70 | meta_description == STAT3 variants may be associated with the risk and severity of IBD. Click here to find out where your genes stand!
70 | summary == <p style="text-align:justify"><strong>The <em>STAT3</em> gene is involved in fine-tuning the immune response. In the case of <em>inflammatory bowel disease</em> (IBD), <em>STAT3</em> plays a dual role: it can help heal the gut lining when it is activated in intestinal cells, but may also promote inflammation when it is activated in T-cells. Variants that change how <em>STAT3</em> works may influence the risk and severity of IBD. Read on to learn more about your variants for this gene!</strong></p>
70 | overall_score_text == Gut Inflammation Score (based on STAT3)
70 | image == https://sd-selfdecode-assets-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/blog/background/STAT3_IBD_Inflammation_post_image.jpg
70 | author_id == 12
70 | author_name == Carlos Tello
70 | author_title == PhD
70 | author_order == 55
70 | author_photo == https://sd-selfdecode-assets-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/blog/author-photo/CarlosTello.webp
70 | 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>
70 | author_social_media_name == linkedin
70 | author_social_media_icon == https://sd-selfdecode-assets-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/blog/social-icon/linkedin.png
70 | author_social_order == 1
70 | author_social_link == https://www.linkedin.com/in/carlos-tello-lacal-b946b4a7/
70 | reviewer_id == 4
70 | reviewer_name == Matt Carland
70 | reviewer_title == PhD
70 | medical_reviewer_id == 11
70 | medical_reviewer_name == Puya Yazdi
70 | medical_reviewer_title == MD
70 | publish_date == 2019
70 | publish_date == 11
70 | publish_date == 5
70 | avg_rating == 4.75
70 | tags_id == 33
70 | tags_name == Autoimmunity
70 | tags_id == 195
70 | tags_name == Crohn's Disease
70 | tags_id == 96
70 | tags_name == Cytokines
70 | tags_id == 194
70 | tags_name == Gut Health
70 | tags_id == 73
70 | tags_name == IBD
70 | tags_id == 24
70 | tags_name == Inflammation
70 | tags_id == 210
70 | tags_name == STAT3 Gene
70 | tags_id == 196
70 | tags_name == Ulcerative Colitis
70 | permissions_favorite == False
70 | permissions_rate == False
70 | 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;"><strong>Note:</strong> If you're curious to learn more about the many different genetic factors that can influence chronic inflammation -- and what you can potentially do to counteract them -- we highly recommend checking out SelfDecode's <a href="https://get.selfdecode.com/gene-reports/inflammation/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong><em>Inflammation DNA Wellness Report</em></strong></a>, which will you give you personalized analysis of many key inflammation-related genes!</td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <p style="text-align: justify;">&nbsp;</p> <h2 style="text-align: justify;"><strong>What Is The <em>STAT3 </em>Gene?</strong></h2> <p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">The </span><a href="../../gene/stat3/"><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">STAT3</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;"> gene</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> codes for one member of a family of proteins called </span><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">s</span></em></span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">ignal </span></em><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">t</span></em></span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">ransducer and </span></em><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">a</span></em></span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">ctivator of </span></em><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">t</span></em></span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">ranscription</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;">, or just &ldquo;STAT&rdquo; for short. STAT proteins are activated by other proteins (such as </span><a href="../../gene/jak2/?utm_source=seo&amp;#38;utm_medium=selfhacked&amp;#38;utm_campaign=id00002"><span style="font-weight: 400;">JAK</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">), which causes them to bind to DNA in order to turn certain genes &ldquo;on&rdquo; or &ldquo;off&rdquo; [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4524500/"><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;">When it comes to the STAT3 protein specifically, its main role is to control the expression of genes involved in the growth, development, and activation of immune system cells. This process is triggered by &ldquo;messenger molecules&rdquo; called </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">cytokines</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;">. While STAT3 responds to many different cytokines, the main ones include </span><a href="https://selfhacked.com/blog/interleukin-6/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">IL-6</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="http://selfhacked.com/blog/il-10/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">IL-10</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, IL-11, </span><a href="../../gene/il15/?utm_source=seo&amp;#38;utm_medium=selfhacked&amp;#38;utm_campaign=id00002"><span style="font-weight: 400;">IL-15</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, and IL-22 [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5050093/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2733795/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4628878/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4426323/"><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;">STAT3 </span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;">gene encodes a protein that either activates or blocks the expression of genes required for the function of immune cells, depending on how the protein is activated.</span></span></p> <h3 style="text-align: justify;"><strong>STAT3 and Immunity Regulation</strong></h3> <p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">The immune system protects us from infections and cancer under normal circumstances, but can also cause allergies and inflammatory/autoimmune disorders when imbalanced! STAT3 responds to cytokines that either activate or block the immune response &mdash; in other words, it is one of the mechanisms your body uses to fine-tune the immune system.</span></p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">On the one hand, STAT3 contributes to the development and function of the cells that:</span></p> <ul style="text-align: justify;"> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Promote inflammation and kill microbes (</span><a href="https://selfhacked.com/blog/neutrophils/"><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">neutrophils</span></em></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">) [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11239451/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2858484/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">]</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Present infectious particles to T-cells (</span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">dendritic cells</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;">) [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3507145/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">]</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Produce antibodies (</span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">B-cells</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;">) [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1895520/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1895906/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3396759/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">]</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Fight off infections, but which may cause autoimmune and inflammatory disorders if overactivated (</span><a href="https://selfhacked.com/blog/th17/"><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">Th17</span></em></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">) [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17277312/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17404271/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2435016/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">]</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Quickly respond to repeated infections that the body has already developed immunity against (</span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">memory T-cells</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;">) [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3228524/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3431922/"><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;">STAT3 also blocks the immune response by reducing the production of immunosuppressive T-cells (also known as &ldquo;</span><a href="http://selfhacked.com/blog/treg/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Tregs</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">&rdquo;) [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3441059/"><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;">On the other hand, STAT3 can also act as an immunosuppressant by:</span></p> <ul style="text-align: justify;"> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Increasing the expression of its own blocker (</span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">SOC3</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;">) [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC22025/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/14975238/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12754505/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">]</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Preventing the development of </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">dendritic cells</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;"> [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15356132/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">]</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Blocking the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines by </span><a href="https://selfhacked.com/blog/how-to-increase-and-decrease-white-blood-cells/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">white blood cells</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> (</span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">neutrophils</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">macrophages</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;">, and </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">dendritic cells</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;">) [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10023769/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12193690/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3099405/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">]</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Producing the B-cells (commonly known as &ldquo;Bregs&rdquo;) that suppress defense and autoimmunity [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4048323/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">]</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Helping Tregs block </span><a href="https://selfhacked.com/blog/th17/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Th17</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> development [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4408196/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3088485/"><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;">The STAT3 protein plays a fine-tuning role in the immune system, as it can both stimulate or suppress the immune response under different circumstances.</span></p> <h3 style="text-align: justify;"><strong><em>STAT3</em>&rsquo;s Dual Role in Inflammatory Bowel Disease</strong></h3> <p style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://selfhacked.com/blog/ibd-ulcerative-colitis-crohn-genetics-lifestyle-stress-infections/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Inflammatory bowel disease</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> (IBD) is a group of related disorders with chronic inflammation of the digestive tract that causes symptoms such as diarrhea, abdominal </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;">, bleeding, and </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;">. There are two main types of IBD [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22914295/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22914296/"><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 that can affect the whole digestive tract, especially the small and large bowels.</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><strong>Ulcerative colitis:</strong><span style="font-weight: 400;"> inflammation and sores in the colon and rectum.</span></li> </ul> <p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Regardless of the type, a typical feature of IBD is the constant activation of STAT3 in both immune and gut lining cells. STAT3 activation can either worsen or improve IBD depending on which cells it is active in, and which messenger molecules are stimulating it [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12615922/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15654782"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19926618"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4426323/"><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;">STAT3 activation promotes the survival and development of T-cells &mdash; especially Th1 and Th17. These cells maintain inflammation and immune system activation, which could further worsen IBD [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10802717/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10779797/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/9794394/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17981790/"><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 contrast, STAT3 activation in the gut lining promotes wound healing by producing proteins that stimulate the growth and survival of its cells, as well as killing infectious bacteria and reducing inflammation [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2715097/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2157567/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20160497/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15120652"><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;">All in all, it&rsquo;s not yet clear whether STAT3 is better when it&rsquo;s higher or lower &mdash; in fact, whether it is good or bad highly depends on exactly </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">where</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;"> in the body it is, and in what type of cells. Nonetheless, some SNPs in the </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">STAT3</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;"> gene have been associated with IBD (or certain forms of it), which we&rsquo;ll discuss in the next section.</span></p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: 400; background-color: #e8ebfc; border-left: 2px solid #4569fa; display: block; padding: 20px;">STAT3 activation is a typical feature of IBD that can have either positive or negative effects on this condition depending on where and how it is activated. It may worsen inflammation if the protein is activated in T-cells, but may promote wound healing when it is activated in gut lining cells.</span></p> <h2 style="text-align: justify;"><strong><em>STAT3 </em>Variants and Inflammatory Bowel Disease</strong></h2> <p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">The most widely-studied </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">STAT3 </span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;">polymorphism is </span><a href="../../snp/rs744166/"><strong>rs744166</strong></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">. Although its mechanism remains unknown, some researchers have suggested that certain alleles may alter the structure of the STAT3 protein, which changes how it responds to cytokines [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4186844/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">]. This could disrupt the normal way that the body regulates immune system activity, which may partially explain why this SNP has been associated with an inflammation-related disorder such as IBD.</span></p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">For example, multiple studies have associated the major &lsquo;A&rsquo; allele of rs744166 with an increased frequency of Crohn&rsquo;s disease [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2574810/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4047544/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22065112"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4186844/"><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;">Additionally, among people already diagnosed with IBD, some research also suggests that carriers of the &lsquo;A&rsquo; allele for this SNP tend to have more severe cases of IBD than people with other genotypes. For example, two studies observed increased attachment of white blood cells (</span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">neutrophils</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;">) to the gut lining, as well as increased activation of STAT3 in immature immune cells (CD4+ and innate lymphoid cells) in people with the &lsquo;A&rsquo; allele [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6610725/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3996847/"><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;">However, this link is stronger in Caucasians. Two studies on Sri Lankan and Jewish populations failed to associate this allele with Crohn&rsquo;s disease or its symptoms &mdash; so it&rsquo;s possible that the above effects may only apply to certain ethnic groups [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6288502/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3212904/"><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 &lsquo;A&rsquo; allele of rs744166 has also been associated with ulcerative colitis in several studies [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22269120"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18438405"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20200543"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3164287/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18836448"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].&nbsp; Nevertheless, two European studies couldn&rsquo;t associate this variant with ulcerative colitis, so the evidence is still a bit mixed [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2574810/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22065112"><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;">Another polymorphism with an unknown mechanism is </span><a href="../../snp/rs2293152/"><strong>rs2293152</strong></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">. Its minor &lsquo;G&rsquo; allele has been associated with increased frequency and severity of IBD (Crohn&rsquo;s disease, </span><a href="https://selfhacked.com/blog/ibd-ulcerative-colitis-crohn-genetics-lifestyle-stress-infections/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">ulcerative colitis</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, or both) in three different studies [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2788098/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27852544"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24781989"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">]. Only one study (in Malaysians) failed to link this polymorphism to IBD [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23408403"><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 minor (&lsquo;G&rsquo;) allele of </span><a href="../../snp/rs4796793/"><strong>rs4796793</strong></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> reduces </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">STAT3 </span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;">expression. In a Chinese population, this allele was less common among people with Crohn&rsquo;s disease [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17602083"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4047544/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27022745"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">]. This variant was, however, not associated with ulcerative colitis in the same population [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24781989"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">]. Therefore, it is possible that this SNP might only affect certain specific types of IBD, and more research will be needed to clarify this further.</span></p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Finally, the major alleles of two less widely-investigated polymorphisms (&lsquo;A&rsquo; at </span><strong><a href="../../snp/rs9891119/">rs9891119</a></strong><span style="font-weight: 400;"> and &lsquo;T&rsquo; at </span><strong><a href="../../snp/rs3816769/">rs3816769</a></strong><span style="font-weight: 400;">) were associated with Crohn&rsquo;s disease in two studies in Japanese and New Zealander populations [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23266558"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20109474"><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;">The &lsquo;A&rsquo; allele of rs744166 and the &lsquo;G&rsquo; allele of rs2293152 have been associated with Crohn&rsquo;s and ulcerative colitis. The major alleles of the polymorphisms rs4796793 (&lsquo;C&rsquo;), rs9891119 (&lsquo;A&rsquo;), and rs3816769 (&lsquo;T&rsquo;) have been only associated with Crohn&rsquo;s.</span></p> <h2 style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Your <em>STAT3 </em>Results for Inflammatory Bowel Disease</strong></h2> <p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">You can see your genotype for several </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">STAT3</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;"> SNPs in the table below. However, keep in mind that these results are based on association studies suggesting that certain genetic variants are more common in people with IBD, and more research will be needed to know what role (if any) these variants play in actually </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">causing</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;"> these disorders. Also, many different factors, including other genetic and environmental factors, can influence the risk of inflammatory bowel diseases: therefore, just because you have one of these genotypes does not necessarily mean you are at increased risk of developing IBD!</span></p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>*9541438750991353*</strong></p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Primary SNP: </strong><strong><em>STAT3 </em></strong><a href="../../snp/rs744166/"><strong>rs744166</strong></a><strong>:</strong></p> <ul style="text-align: justify;"> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">&lsquo;A&rsquo; = More common in people with IBD.</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">&lsquo;G&rsquo; = Less common in people with IBD.</span></li> </ul> <p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Population Frequency:</span></p> <ul style="text-align: justify;"> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Both homozygous genotypes are similarly frequent. 44% of the world population has &lsquo;AG&rsquo;.</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">In European descendants, the frequency of the &lsquo;GG&rsquo; genotype is reduced to 19%.</span></li> </ul> <p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Other Important SNPs:</strong></p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><strong><em>STAT3 </em></strong><a href="../../snp/rs2293152/"><strong>rs2293152</strong></a><strong>:</strong></p> <ul style="text-align: justify;"> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">&lsquo;C&rsquo; =&nbsp; Less common in people with IBD.</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">&lsquo;G&rsquo; = More common in people with IBD.</span></li> </ul> <p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Population Frequency:</span></p> <ul style="text-align: justify;"> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">85% of the world population has at least one &lsquo;C&rsquo; allele.</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Only 1% of African descendants have &lsquo;GG&rsquo;.</span></li> </ul> <p style="text-align: justify;"><strong><em>STAT3 </em></strong><a href="../../snp/rs4796793/"><strong>rs4796793</strong></a><strong>:</strong></p> <ul style="text-align: justify;"> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">&lsquo;C&rsquo; = More common in people with Crohn&rsquo;s disease.</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">&lsquo;G&rsquo; = Less common in people with Crohn&rsquo;s disease.</span></li> </ul> <p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Population Frequency:</span></p> <ul style="text-align: justify;"> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Both &lsquo;CC&rsquo; and &lsquo;CG&rsquo; are equally frequent (41% each) in the world population.</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Less than 5% of people with American ancestry have &lsquo;GG&rsquo;.</span></li> </ul> <p style="text-align: justify;"><strong><em>STAT3 </em></strong><a href="../../snp/rs9891119/"><strong>rs9891119</strong></a><strong>:</strong></p> <ul style="text-align: justify;"> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">&lsquo;A&rsquo; = More common in people with Crohn&rsquo;s disease.</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">&lsquo;C&rsquo; = Less common in people with Crohn&rsquo;s disease.</span></li> </ul> <p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Population Frequency:</span></p> <ul style="text-align: justify;"> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Almost 46% of the world population has &lsquo;AC&rsquo;.</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Only 7% of people with American ancestry have &lsquo;CC&rsquo;.</span></li> </ul> <p style="text-align: justify;"><strong><em>STAT3 </em></strong><a href="../../snp/rs3816769/"><strong>rs3816769</strong></a><strong>:</strong></p> <ul style="text-align: justify;"> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">&lsquo;T&rsquo; = More common in people with Crohn&rsquo;s disease.</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">&lsquo;C&rsquo; = Less common in people with Crohn&rsquo;s disease.</span></li> </ul> <p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Population Frequency:</span></p> <ul style="text-align: justify;"> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Almost 45% of the world population has &lsquo;TC&rsquo;.&nbsp;</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">&lsquo;T&rsquo; is only slightly more common than &lsquo;C&rsquo; in South Asian descendants (51% vs 49%).</span></li> </ul> <p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>*3314691953026091*</strong></p> <h2 style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Standard of Care for Inflammatory Bowel Disease</strong></h2> <p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">If you think you may be experiencing symptoms of IBD, make sure to talk to your doctor so that he or she can diagnose and treat it!</span></p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">The standard of care for IBD mainly includes anti-inflammatory and immunosuppressant drugs to reduce the underlying inflammation that triggers the symptoms. Some of the standard forms of treatment include:</span></p> <ul style="text-align: justify;"> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><strong>Prescription medications</strong><span style="font-weight: 400;"> (including antibiotics, antidiarrheals, pain relievers)</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><strong>A low-fiber diet</strong><span style="font-weight: 400;"> (to prevent the bowels from becoming blocked)</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><strong>Dietary supplements</strong><span style="font-weight: 400;"> (to treat any nutritional deficiencies caused by IBD)</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><strong>Surgery</strong><span style="font-weight: 400;"> (only used in very severe cases if all other treatments fail to relieve IBD)</span></li> </ul> <h2 style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Complementary Strategies that May Help with Inflammatory Bowel Disease</strong></h2> <p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">You may consider trying the complementary approaches listed below if you and your doctor determine that they could be appropriate for improving your IBD after discussing them. However, always remember that none of these should ever be used to replace whatever your doctor has recommended or prescribed!</span></p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>*8405745589012228*</strong></p> <h3 style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Lifestyle</strong></h3> <p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Smoking is clearly associated with Crohn&rsquo;s disease. What&rsquo;s more, according to one study, smoking may even cancel out the protective effect of the &lsquo;G&rsquo; allele at rs744166. Giving up smoking may therefore reduce your risk of Crohn&rsquo;s &mdash; especially if you carry any &lsquo;G&rsquo; alleles for this SNP [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17120402"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27022745"><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;">If you are overweight and suffer from IBD, losing a few pounds may also help. In a study on obese women, </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;"> improved bowel inflammation and reduced the expression of </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">STAT3</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;"> and other genes potentially involved in IBD [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3021422/"><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 addition to these human studies, there have also been some studies on lifestyle changes which may improve gut health in animals:</span></p> <ul style="text-align: justify;"> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><strong>Avoiding stress:</strong><span style="font-weight: 400;"> chronic stress has been reported to trigger bowel inflammation in mice, possibly by disturbing the </span><a href="https://selfhacked.com/blog/how-your-gut-microbiota-can-make-you-fat-or-thin/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">gut microbiota</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> and activating STAT3 [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5879702/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27133786"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><strong>Maintaining a regular </strong><a href="http://selfhacked.com/blog/what-it-means-to-keep-to-a-circadian-rhythm/"><strong>circadian rhythm</strong></a><strong>:</strong><span style="font-weight: 400;"> in rats, disrupting the </span><a href="http://selfhacked.com/blog/what-it-means-to-keep-to-a-circadian-rhythm/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">circadian</span></a> <a href="https://selfhacked.com/blog/health-benefits-sleep/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">sleep</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> cycle increased the activation of STAT3 and other inflammatory markers in the gut [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29039977"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><strong>Drinking less alcohol:</strong><span style="font-weight: 400;"> in apes, chronic alcohol consumption has been reported to reduce the wound-healing effects of STAT3 in the gut lining [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3984381/"><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;">However, keep in mind that more research will be needed to know for sure if any of these have similar effects in humans &mdash; so make sure to take these findings with a grain of salt!</span></p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: 400; background-color: #e8ebfc; border-left: 2px solid #4569fa; display: block; padding: 20px;">Research in humans suggests that giving up smoking and losing weight may help manage the risk of IBD, or reduce its symptoms. Some animal research has also identified potential lifestyle factors that may influence IBD and overall gut health, although more research will be needed to know if these strategies will also work in humans as well.</span></p> <h3 style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Diet</strong></h3> <p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Other than going on a low-fiber diet to rest the bowels and reduce their blockage (sometimes known as a &ldquo;</span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">low-residue</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;">&rdquo; diet), no valid clinical evidence supports any dietary interventions to improve IBD. Below is a summary of the existing animal and cell-based research, which should guide further investigational efforts; however, the studies listed below should not be interpreted as evidence for any direct health benefits until more follow-up studies are done in humans!</span></p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">The following foods improved bowel inflammation and blocked the activation of STAT3 and other inflammatory markers in animal studies:</span></p> <ul style="text-align: justify;"> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><a href="https://selfhacked.com/blog/olive-oil/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Olive oil</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24445043"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">]</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><a href="https://www.selfhacked.com/blog/avocado/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Avocado</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6337306/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">]</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Navy and black beans [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29631142"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">]</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Red raspberry [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29897487"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">]</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><a href="https://selfhacked.com/blog/health-benefits-jujube/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Jujube</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/31135224"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">]</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Citrus fruits [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6067845/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">]</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Grapes [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18773974"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4458767/"><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;">Once again, keep in mind that all the above strategies are only based on very early evidence from animal and cell studies, and that a lot more research in humans will be needed before any of these can become accepted as valid treatment methods for dealing with IBD and other related disorders.</span></p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: 400; background-color: #e8ebfc; border-left: 2px solid #4569fa; display: block; padding: 20px;">Eating a diet rich in fiber, olive oil, avocado, beans, raspberries, jujube, citrus fruits, and grapes may improve IBD associated with STAT3. However, more research in humans is required.</span></p> <h3 style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Supplements</strong></h3> <p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">There are several studies reporting that some supplements may reduce gut inflammation and alter STAT3 activity. However, once again these compounds have only been tested in animals and cells &mdash; therefore we cannot conclude for certain whether their effects will apply to human users as well without additional research!</span></p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Additionally, none of these compounds have undergone the extensive testing required for FDA approval. Regulations set manufacturing standards for the people who sell the compounds, but the manufacturers don't otherwise do the full research that is required to say whether they are safe or effective. This is a big part of the reason why it&rsquo;s always important to make sure you talk to your doctor before trying out any new supplements!</span></p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://selfhacked.com/blog/probiotics-good-bacteria/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Probiotics</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> (such as </span><a href="https://www.selfhacked.com/blog/l-plantarum/"><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">Lactobacillus plantarum</span></em></a><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span></em><a href="http://selfhacked.com/blog/top-12-scientific-health-benefits-of-l-reuteri/"><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">L. reuteri</span></em></a><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span></em><a href="http://selfhacked.com/blog/l-rhamnosus/"><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">L. rhamnosus</span></em></a><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;">and </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">Clostridium tyrobutyricum</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;">) have been reported to improve bowel inflammation and repair &ldquo;leaky gut&rdquo; in animal studies by activating STAT3 only in gut lining cells [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/30134660"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6143595/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5514694/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29705796"><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;">Based on animal and cell-based studies, it has been hypothesized that people with IBD may have alterations in their </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;"> that result in lower production of </span><a href="http://selfhacked.com/blog/health-benefits-butyrate-derivatives-sodium-butyrate-phenylbutyrate-trybutyrine-butyric-acid-butyrate-prodrugs-butyrate-producing-bacteria/"><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">butyrate</span></em></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> by gut bacteria. Butyrate is a short-chain fatty acid activates STAT3 in gut lining cells, which helps preserve their ability to take up nutrients while blocking the absorption of microbes and their toxic products. Butyrate also blocks STAT3 in T-cells (and prevents them from developing into Th17), which could hypothetically reduce auto-immune reactions. All together, some of this animal research suggests that supplementing with sodium butyrate may improve IBD. However, no clinical evidence supports its use in humans, so it&rsquo;s still too early to tell for sure [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12640526"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/31498864"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5636678/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29796620"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5952406/"><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 suggested that the following supplements (or their active compounds, in parentheses) may reduce bowel inflammation in part by blocking STAT3 production and activation in T-cells:</span></p> <ul style="text-align: justify;"> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><a href="http://selfhacked.com/blog/top-11-science-based-health-benefits-apigenin/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Apigenin</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5725014/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">]</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><a href="https://selfhacked.com/blog/top-15-scientific-health-benefits-of-resveratrol-with-references/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Resveratrol</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4458767/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">]</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Turmeric (</span><a href="https://selfhacked.com/blog/curcumin-cures-top-15-scientifically-proven-health-benefits-with-references/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">curcumin</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">) [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4189454/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23856612"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5122716/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">]</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><a href="http://selfhacked.com/blog/19-health-benefits-of-berberine-with-references/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Berberine</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26969793"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26224047"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">]</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><a href="https://selfhacked.com/blog/chinese-skullcap/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Chinese skullcap</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> (</span><a href="http://selfhacked.com/blog/baicalein-baicalin-top-7-health-benefits-flavanoid/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">baicalein</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> and </span><a href="http://selfhacked.com/blog/baicalein-baicalin-top-7-health-benefits-flavanoid/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">baicalin</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">) [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29845272"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6619857/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">]</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><a href="https://selfhacked.com/blog/benefits-rosemary/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Rosemary</span></a> <span style="font-weight: 400;">(rosmarinic acid) [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5382778/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">]</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><a href="https://selfhacked.com/blog/top-health-benefits-chaga-mushroom/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Chaga mushroom</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/30856346"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">]</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><a href="https://www.selfhacked.com/blog/perilla-oil/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Perilla oil</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5550671/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">]</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><a href="https://www.selfhacked.com/blog/chlorogenic-acid/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Chlorogenic acid</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/30165128"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">]</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Epimedium (</span><a href="https://selfhacked.com/blog/icariin/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">icariin</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">) [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23261528"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">]</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><a href="https://selfhacked.com/blog/garlic-health-benefits/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Garlic</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> extract (allicin) [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4436474/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">]</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><a href="https://selfhacked.com/blog/15-promising-thunder-god-vine-benefits/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Thunder god vine</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> (triptolide) [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20615550"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23643741"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">]</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><a href="https://selfhacked.com/blog/gynostemma-boost-immunity-energy-weight-loss-top-9-benefits/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Gynostemma</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> (saponins) [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5675642/"><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;">According to some early evidence from animal and cell studies, there are a number of probiotics and other supplements which may potentially lower bowel inflammation and/or block STAT3 production &mdash; but additional research will be needed to know if any of these are safe and effective in humans as well.</span></p> <h3 style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Drugs</strong></h3> <p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">According to at least one animal study, the anti-diabetic drug </span><a href="https://selfhacked.com/blog/uses-benefits-metformin/"><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">metformin</span></em></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> has been reported to improve bowel inflammation and block STAT3 activation in mice. However, this medication sometimes causes colitis flare-ups in people with IBD [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4567351/"><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;">Importantly, keep in mind that metformin is a prescription-only drug with specific purposes, and may have unwanted adverse effects. It may help you with IBD if you are already taking it for diabetes &mdash; but never add or change medications without first talking to your doctor.</span></p> <p style="text-align: justify;">&nbsp;</p>
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70 | content_learn_more_3314691953026091_text == Based on the variants we looked at, your STAT3 variants are somewhat associated with IBD. However, this doesn't necessarily reflect your overall risk of developing this condition — just one gene related to it! Changes in your lifestyle and diet/supplements may help you rebalance your immune system — keep scrolling to find out more.
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rsIDs = rs4796793,rs744166,rs9891119,rs2293152,rs3816769
rsStatus = rs4796793,STAT3,chr17,42390192,G,A,C,,24,0,Normal
rsStatus = rs744166,STAT3,chr17,42362183,A,C,G,,21,0,Normal
rsStatus = rs9891119,STAT3,chr17,42355962,A,C,G,T,22,9,HET
rsStatus = rs2293152,STAT3,chr17,42329511,G,A,C,T,45,0,Normal
rsStatus = rs3816769,STAT3,chr17,42346255,T,A,C,,35,0,Normal
