CYP Genes and GST Genes

They say: “Stress kills”. I only realized how true this was last year, when I was in the process of writing my first book. Outsmart your smartphoneI really understood it underlines off – for a whole month.

By the end of the month, it was like a switch had been flipped. Suddenly my body stopped working. I started my studies at university Gut health issues. I couldn’t think. I could barely stay awake. My fear exploded. And I lost almost 20 kilos in two months. (You can read more of my story here.) But “medically” nothing suited me.

So I continued to do what everyone told me to do to improve my well-being. I trained intensively four days a week. I followed a vegetarian and gluten-free diet. I drank liters of green tea. I’ve been eating an incredible amount of healthy fruits and vegetables, no sugar and no processed foods…but nothing is helping. I didn’t feel any better.
​
It didn’t make any sense. What happened?

After being sick for no apparent reason for a year, I came across research on the genetics of drug addiction. It turns out there are a number of genes that can make it difficult for some people detoxify the body– from air pollution, pesticides, perfumes, mold, estrogens and even stress hormones.

Once these genes cause problems, it can be extremely difficult to recover from. Cascading effects They occur on all parts of the body.

I wondered: Could these genes explain why I was having such a hard time staying healthy? I had to find out. So I ordered a genetic test that I could do at home, convinced that I had at least one of these “toxic genes”.
​
When I received my results, everything suddenly made sense. I had not one, but four of the key genes that make it difficult to remove toxins from the body. This discovery led me to research how to “eat for my genes” and ultimately helped me regain my health.

So what is it?toxic genes“? Well, each of our genes has two parts. We get part from our mother and part from our father. And there are a few different variations (called polymorphisms) that we can get from each parent.
​
Think of these genetic variations like Legos. Maybe I have a green Lego and you have a red Lego. They fit the same as other Legos, but are slightly different. And it turns out that some of these differences can make us more vulnerable to problems with health, well-being, personality, etc. stress.

Fortunately, we do Do We have some control over our genes. When we know which one we have (You can find out here), we can support them, for example by changing our environment (e.g. with food, situations, vitamins). This allows us to influence the expression of these genes and improve our health and well-being. So the question arises: How do we eat because of our toxic genes?

Here in the first part of this series, I will talk about the cytochrome P450 (CYP) genes and the glutathione S-transferase (GST) genes. And clean In the second part we will talk about the COMT gene (To find out even more, check out our COMT Program). Each of these genes influences our ability to detoxify ourselves and therefore our health and well-being.

What are they?
Cytochrome P450 genes (also called CYP genes) are largely responsible for phase 1 detoxification of the liver. During the first phase of detoxification, fat-soluble toxins are transformed into reactive molecules and free radicals, which may well be the case. more more harmful than the toxins themselves. In a healthy body, these reactive molecules are quickly captured and converted during the second phase of detoxification, so they cause little harm. These toxins are then eliminated from the body through urine, stool or sweat.

However, a problem arises when you have overactive CYP genes. You might think that would be good: your phase 1 detox system is fast. However, this turns out to be quite problematic, as the first phase ends quickly and reactive molecules and free radicals can build up in your body, which can cause further damage if the second phase cannot follow. (We’ll talk about phase 2 genes in a moment.)

What to do about it:

1. First, with overactive CYP genes, the weed must avoid toxins (e.g. Nitrates, smokecar exhaust, pesticides, preservatives, caffeine, alcohol, Parabensetc.) because these toxins can cause more damage to the body than a person without overactive CYP genes.
   • But in our modern world, it’s impossible to avoid toxins. Therefore, this step might not be enough to prevent poor well-being. If we want to prevent the damage that CYPs can cause, we also need to change our diet.
2. We want to move forward with overactive CYP genes Avoid foods which increase CYP activity.
3. Third, we want Eat food which reduce CYP activity.
   • For example, research suggests that ellagic acid (found in strawberries, raspberries, blackberries, cherries and walnuts, pomegranates and currants) can reduce CYP1A1 hyperactivity. Additionally, chrysoeriol is found in rooibos tea and celery. inhibits CYP1B1 Activity; Bee vegetables (carrots, parsnips, celery, dill, parsley, etc.) inhibit CYP1A2 Activity; And Grapefruit juice inhibits CYP1A2 activity. A rat study also suggests that dandelion, peppermint, or chamomile tea can be used. decrease considerably CYP1A2 activity.
4. Finally, we may want to consume more vitamin C and vitamin E to combat free radicals caused by overactive CYP genes.

​​ Important Note: This search only applies to overactive Cytochrome P450 genes.

What to do about it:

1. Research suggests you can support GST genes (and phase 2 detoxification) by consuming bitter herbs like milk thistle and dandelion, which promote liver health.
2. It is also useful to eat foods rich in vitamins Alpha Lipoic Acidwhich increases glutathione. These foods include spinach, broccoli, sweet potatoes, potatoes, yeast, tomatoes, Brussels sprouts, carrots and beets. Red meat – especially organ meats – is also a good source of alpha-lipoic acid.
3. Eat high-content foods Limonoids (Citrus fruits, especially sour fruits) also seem to support GST.

Note: If you have both overactive CYP genes and underactive GST genes, your problem is exacerbated because the toxins spend more time in your body as extremely harmful reactive molecules. In this case, compliance with a genetically modified diet is particularly important.