In today’s post (#23), I attempt to explain observations that I have seen in my health data as well as in that of others, through the lens of epigenetics, a less discussed but equally important cousin of genetics. Let me start by providing a simple explanation of genetics vs. epigenetics.

Our DNA (genetics) is what each of us is born with, having gotten a copy from each of our parents. It provides a set of instructions for our biological processes that lead to our distinguishing characteristics, such as what color our eyes will be, what the shape of our earlobes will be, if we are predisposed to any genetic disorder, such as Thalassemia or Spinal Muscular Atrophy, what blood type we are born with, etc. Our DNA remains the same over our lifetime, other than a few mutations that take place due to events, such as errors generated during cell division (as new cells are formed in our bodies, our DNA is replicated but sometimes there are minor errors aka mutations that happen during this process), exposure to chemicals, radiation or certain viruses, and faulty repair mechanisms (our bodies are equipped to repair any mutations caused during any of the aforementioned events but once in a while that repair mechanism goes awry). Most of these mutations happen in a part of our genome that doesn’t have any significant impact to our blueprint but every now and then it happens in a part of our genome that alters the above mentioned set of instructions in a way that leads to significant issues, such as the various cancers, genetic disorders, etc.

Epigenetics, on the other hand, don’t alter the DNA sequence itself but can modify the set of instructions provided by the DNA. It is influenced heavily by our lifestyle choices (how well one sleeps, how much stress one takes, whether one drinks alcohol or smokes, whether one eats processed food vs. fresh food, etc.). It is also influenced by one’s environment – does one happen to live in a polluted environment, sunlight and UV exposure, etc.? These changes happen on an ongoing basis and they impact our various health parameters.

Here is a simple analogy that will hopefully make the difference between the two clearer: 

Genetics (Letters of the Alphabet): Imagine that the basic letters of the alphabet represent your genetic code—the DNA sequence in your genes. These letters form words and sentences, which are like the instructions for building and maintaining your body. Just as letters combine to create meaning in language, genes combine to determine your various traits.

Epigenetics (Diacritical Marks): Now, think of diacritical marks, such as accents (é, ä, ñ), tildes, and umlauts, as epigenetic modifications. These marks don’t change the letters themselves, but they can significantly alter the pronunciation and sometimes the meaning of the words. For example, the word ‘resume’ becomes ‘résumé’ with the addition of diacritical marks, changing how we interpret and say the word. Similarly, the lack of good sleep or an extra cigarette or high stress leaves its mark as an epigenetic change, potentially changing the instructions to something unexpected and harmful.

So, why is it important to understand this topic? 

1. While every lifestyle habit and one’s environment is modifying our epigenetics slowly but surely, it is equally important to understand that these changes work both ways i.e. just as bad habits and a poor environment add in the bad markers, good habits and a healthy environment reverse those markers. My biological age, as measured by my epigenetics, has improved significantly relative to 9 years ago because of the small modifications I have made to my lifestyle. So it is never too late to start making changes to one’s lifestyle and that every habit modification, however small, plays an important role.
2. Avoid making drastic changes to your habits. E.g. While the traditional model of calories in vs calories out is viewed as the sure shot way of losing weight (have a calorie deficit i.e. calories in less than calories out), this should not be taken to an extreme by doing things like starving yourself of food or having that deficit be too large. This is because if the body notices that you aren’t getting enough nutrition, your epigenetics will modify your instruction set to store the food (typically as fat) rather than use it to power your body, because it is unsure when it is next going to get food. In observing my own data as well as that of many others, I have found that calorie deficits (or surpluses) of a couple of hundred calories a day are a more effective and sustainable way of losing (or putting on) weight than a thousand calories a day or more.
3. Incorporating strength training into one’s routine has shown to modify the epigenetics (histones and methylation patterns are terms that will show up in a more scientific article about epigenetics but I stick to terms like markers to ensure we don’t get lost in the lingo), thereby improving protein synthesis, enhancing glucose uptake into the muscle and out of the blood stream, delaying age-related muscle atrophy and increasing mitochondrial function. All of these aspects become more critical to long term strength and stability as well as improved metabolic health. My data has shown a meaningful reduction in my HbA1c that I can attribute completely to strength training given that all my other changes over the years still had me in the early prediabetic stage. Within 6 months of introducing strength training, my HbA1c dropped well into the normoglycemic range. In addition, the increased muscle mass from the strength training has allowed for fewer injuries and more pain free Monday mornings post a weekend of intense soccer. I cannot emphasize enough the importance of getting strength training into your routine 3 to 4 times a week, even if it is starting off with your body weight, resistance bands or small weights.
4. Sleep quality and duration are both important contributors to a healthy lifestyle. However, what I have found from my own data is that consistent sleep timings play an even more important role because that consistency (or the lack of it), modifies one’s epigenetics for the better (or worse). E.g. in my case, I have had better metabolic test results during the periods when I had a shorter sleep duration but at consistent bedtimes than longer sleep durations that were moving around a lot. This is, of course, a difficult-to-plan experiment because I wouldn’t go out of my way to make my sleep schedule inconsistent, but over quarters where I did see inconsistencies in my sleep routines, my markers did get impacted. Ideally work on all three aspects but the low hanging fruit would be to do your best to go to bed at about the same time most days and maintain your circadian rhythm.

Epigenetics is a fascinating topic and is the subject of excellent research papers and books for those that are interested (here is a lovely primer about epigenetics written by one of my favorite people in the world Ayush Bhandari). Meanwhile, the simple takeaway for anyone thinking about or going down the path of living healthier is that every change you make, however small, is leaving its mark and you are better off making small but sustainable changes to be effective.

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