Long term vegetarianism can lead to genetic mutations which raise the risk of heart disease and cancer, scientists have found.
Populations who have had a primarily vegetarian diet for generations were found to be far more likely to carry DNA which makes them susceptible to inflammation.
Scientists in the US believe that the mutation occured to make it easier for vegetarians to absorb essential fatty acids from plants.
But it has the knock-on effect of boosting the production of arachidonic acid, which is known to increase inflammatory disease and cancer. When coupled with a diet high in vegetable oils - such as sunflower oil - the mutated gene quickly turns fatty acids into dangerous arachidonic acid.
The finding may help explain previous research which found vegetarian populations are nearly 40 per cent more likely to suffer colorectal cancer than meat eaters, a finding that has puzzled doctors because eating red meat is known to raise the risk.
Researchers from Cornell University in the US compared hundreds of genomes from a primarily vegetarian population in Pune, India to traditional meat-eating people in Kansas and found there was a significant genetic difference.
“Those whose ancestry derives from vegetarians are more likely to carry genetics that more rapidly metabolise plant fatty acids,” said Tom Brenna, Professor of Human Nutrition at Cornell.
“In such individuals, vegetable oils will be converted to the more pro-inflammatory arachidonic acid, increasing the risk for chronic inflammation that is implicated in the development of heart disease, and exacerbates cancer.
“The mutation appeared in the human genome long ago, and has been passed down through the human family.”
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/science/science-news/12206669/Long-term-vegetarian-diet-changes-human-DNA-raising-risk-of-cancer-and-heart-disease.html
To make the problem worse, the mutation also hinders the production of beneficial Omega 3 fatty acid which is protective against heart disease. Although it may not have mattered when the mutation first developed, since the industrial revolution there has been a major shift in diets away from Omega 3 – found in fish and nuts - to less healthy Omega 6 fats - found in vegetable oils.
"Changes in the dietary Omega 6 to Omega 3 balance may contribute to the increase in chronic disease seen in some developing countries,” added Dr Brenna.
“The message for vegetarians is simple. Use vegetable oils that are low in omega-6 linoleic acid such as olive oil.”
The mutation is called rs66698963 and is found in the FADS2 gene which controls the production of fatty acids in the body.
Previous studies have shown that vegetarianism and veganism can lead to problems with fertility by lowering sperm counts.
Separate research from Harvard University also found that a diet high in fruit and vegetables may impact fertility because men are consuming high quantities of pesticides.
Many vegetarians also struggle to get enough protein, iron, vitamin D, vitamin B12 and calcium which are essential for health. One study found that vegetarians had approximately five percent lower bone-mineral density (BMD) than non-vegetarians.
However other research suggests vegetarianism lowers the risk of diabetes, stroke and obesity.
The new research was published in the journal Molecular Biology and Evolution.
>>35326
How is it that eating too much meat raises the risk of Cancer and Heart Disease while, according to this, the EXACT OPPOSITE raises the same risks?!
>>35335
>But it has the knock-on effect of boosting the production of arachidonic acid, which is known to increase inflammatory disease and cancer. When coupled with a diet high in vegetable oils - such as sunflower oil - the mutated gene quickly turns fatty acids into dangerous arachidonic acid.
We should all just die.
Seems like the most optimal answer.
>>35342
That's what we have Anthropogenic Global Warming for...
>>35335
Hmm...I'm going to go out on a limb here and suggest, that maybe, as omnivores, we were probably intended to eat a mixed/varied/balanced diet?
>>35335
Because if you only eat meat, you are improving your risk of heard disease and even cancer. The meme that red meat is bad should be put to rest.
http://ajcn.nutrition.org/content/86/2/276.full
http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1467-789X.2008.00518.x/abstract
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2716748/
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12097663
>>35335
Dude, your genes aren't going to change just from your diet. This was a genetic mutation that occurred over generations, probably selected for because the individuals with it survived famines better. Either you have the gene or not, like any other cancer related genetics. You can still make lifestyle decisions that affect your chance of developing cancer, wear sunscreen.
That shit about infertility is kinda BS if it's supposed to be a knock against vegetarianism. They should stop using pesticides that fuck our health up and everyone should be eating their fruits and veggies anyway.
You can be perfectly healthy whether you eat meat or not, just eat a balanced diet. Most people just eat shit and don't exercise enough.
>>35372
Actually it can, as you live your life, overtime you undergo Epigenetic changes the most well understood one being methylation of DNA.
>>35357
that'll just double the risk
>>35372
This. The study is about sustained vegetarianism over generations, not personal conduct.
>>35404
The study isn't about epigenetic changes. It's multi-generational genetic change. They found that the consistently vegetarian population (due to Hindu beliefs) in India has, as a group and over hundreds of years, evolved to digest plant fats differently.
Anyone who thinks this study means an individual is harming themselves by being vegetarian is completely misunderstanding it.
It's possibly a reason why shifting the entire human race to vegetarianism would be a bad idea after a few dozen generations. But when you're looking at that kind of time scale there's far more significant things to worry about (climate change, loss of soil fertility, pandemics, global nuclear war, etc., etc.)
>>35326
proving extremism is bad either way you look at it.
>Muh vajys mayk muh lyf longr
Nope, it's just that populations who have evolved with vegetarian diets also have genes that give them more resistances to cancer.
It's not a result of their diet.
Environmentalists are such morons.
>>35502
>Nope, it's just that populations who have evolved with vegetarian diets also have genes that give them more resistances to some cancers and greater risks for other kinds.
Fixed that for you! Take care now!
>>35504
NP the point remains
>>35335
Because has omnivores we need a balanced diet, people who only eat meat are unhealthy as are vegans and vegetarians.
Eat a bit of everything, it's not that hard.
People have such a distorted view of evolution.
It's just random mutations. We don't actually evolve adaptation to our environments.
>>35559
>We don't actually evolve adaptation to our environments
We do. It's just over such a long stretch of time that it's largely irrelevant to our daily lives.
For the individual, it doesn't matter.
It might in 3+ generations, but no one has (direct) control over that.
>>35590
We might happen to mutate in such a way that it seems like an adaptation, but it's just a coincidence. You think our DNA is monitoring our environment and adjusting itself, or what? It's doesn't work that way.
Actually evolution sucks dick. We'll be better off when we can do it manually.
>>35326
no
>>35559
The scientific finding is LITERALLY the opposite of what you just typed.
>'NOOO, Logic is too mainstream for me'
>>35632
So you go from one extreme to another. instead of realising that the body is reacting to the deficiency of the fatty acids
>>35676
>>35677
>people eat a vegetarian diet, which is not ideal.
>one of these people has a random mutation that happens to make them healthier on this diet
>this guy is alpha due to thriving more than normal guy
>alpha guy fucks more women then normal guys
>alpha guys kids continue the trend
this is basic theory on how evolution works.
also these indians probably drink milk anyways, so their diet is not actually that different from a meat eaters. milk is very similar to meat.
>>35357
THIS.
Even populations with genes geared towards one side or the other will experience detrimental effects because we have a long standing past of eating fucking everything we could.Also people don't eat enough insects mushrooms or flowers IMO.
>>35326
>Be a smug vegetarian
>Get cancer
God is real
This doesn't apply for 99% of the people reading this, because they grew up in an omnivorous society. Eat all the vegetables you want.
>>35679
>alpha guy fucks more women then normal guys
>kids continue his genes
So basically, poor people are the alphas?
>have more kids than most other families
>so many they can't support them
>have more anyway
>with multiple women
>>35632
your dna actually does change and activates and deactivates certain genes based on it's environment though, not even across generations, but throughout the life of a single individual
>>35739
it's those kid's fault for not getting jobs really
why do people always blame the parents?
>>35326
>Long term vegetarian diet changes human DNA
Misleading as hell. Literally anything could be said to "change human DNA" if you define the term like that.
>>35766
You mean how we develop cancer and grey hair as we age? That's not a permanent DNA change that is passed on to children. I don't understand the technical aspects of this, but that's a different kind of mutation than OP refers to.
>>35768
You know nothing, Lena Snow.
>>35335
>How is it that eating too much meat raises the risk of Cancer and Heart Disease
>too much meat
you answered your own question.
>Separate research from Harvard University also found that a diet high in fruit and vegetables may impact fertility because men are consuming high quantities of pesticides.
am I the only one that realized this?
also
>Those whose ancestry derives from vegetarians
>Implying I come from a vegetarian background
>Implying I'll have any children to pass my genes
hahaha I win
