New research looks into factors beyond genes to explain what is causing the differences between the sexes<\/p>\n
It\u2019s no secret that men and women face unique health challenges because of their genes. But to truly understand and address these challenges, are we relying too much on genetic factors that affect diseases, symptoms and health results?<\/p>\n
Beyond genetics and medical factors, what role might other factors play in shaping our health outcomes?<\/p>\n
A study led by Queen Mary University of London questions the long-established reliance on genetic factors alone. To compare health risks and outcomes between the two, the researchers looked beyond genetics and medical factors. They explored a broad range of social factors, including where people live and work, education levels, lifestyle and finances. The findings were published in the journal \u2018Nature Communications\u2019.<\/p>\n
\u201cFor the first time in history, we are able to study human biology at this level of detail\u2014across genes, proteins, and more,\u201d commented lead author Mine Koprulu, postdoctoral researcher at Queen Mary\u2019s Precision Healthcare University Research Institute (PHURI), in a news release. \u201cThis is the largest study to date exploring the similarities and differences in how our genetic code regulates blood protein levels between sexes.\u201d<\/p>\n
Using data from the massive biomedical database UK Biobank and the Fenland Study, the researchers analysed the genetic links between 6 000 proteins and hundreds of diseases in 56 000 individuals, evenly distributed between males and females.<\/p>\n
Results revealed that only about 100 proteins showed significant gender differences. This finding suggests that the genetic similarities between sexes are more obvious than previously believed.<\/p>\n
\u201cOur results clearly show that with very few exceptions, protein regulating genetic variants identified so far behave in a very similar way in males and females,\u201d stated PHURI Director Claudia Langenberg, who is a professor of computational medicine at the Berlin Institute of Health at Charit\u00e9. \u201cThis provides evidence for an important implicit assumption \u2013 that insights arising from studying these variants apply to both sexes.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cOur findings highlight the need to better understand the factors that impact health differences \u2014 at the genetic level and beyond\u2014 to create more tailored and equitable healthcare for everyone,\u201d added Koprulu.<\/p>\n
\u201cDrug development pipelines increasingly incorporate information on genetic differences in protein levels and function and this has led to large investment in human cohorts, such as UK Biobank,\u201d explained Langenberg. \u201cFrom this perspective, better understanding of population differences in the regulation of proteins, such as those between males and females, is essential to guide precision medicine approaches and identify where one size may not fit all.\u201d<\/p>\n
Effectively managing the factors we can influence remains crucial. We cannot modify our genes, but we can choose to look after our health and well-being regardless of sexual orientation.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
New research looks into factors beyond genes to explain what is causing the differences between the sexes It\u2019s no secret that men and women face unique health challenges because of their genes. But to truly understand and address these challenges, are we relying too much on genetic factors that affect diseases, symptoms and health results?\u2026<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":19838,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_scj_primary_category_id":96,"_scj_featured":false,"_scj_featured_from":"","_scj_featured_until":"","_scj_featured_order":0,"_scj_visibility_class":"current","_scj_layout_family":"standard","_scj_article_style":"","_scj_display_overrides":[],"_scj_intro_image_id":19838,"_scj_intro_alt":"Study on genetics and sex differences in health outcomes published by Queen Mary University of London","_scj_intro_caption":"","_scj_intro_class":"","_scj_intro_float":"","_scj_full_image_id":19838,"_scj_full_alt":"Study on genetics and sex differences in health outcomes published by Queen Mary University of London","_scj_full_caption":"","_scj_full_class":"","_scj_full_float":"","_scj_media_type":"","_scj_media_provider":"","_scj_media_external_id":"","_scj_media_url":"","_scj_media_poster_id":0,"_scj_media_width":0,"_scj_media_height":0,"_scj_media_aspect_ratio":"","_scj_media_description":"","_scj_gallery_items":[],"_scj_related_post_ids":[],"_scj_additional_authors":[],"scj_layout_family":"standard","scj_media_provider":"","scj_media_url":"","scj_full_caption":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[96],"tags":[291,297,4551,303,191,4549,2693,2694,4547],"class_list":["post-19839","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-biotechnology","tag-genetics","tag-medical-research","tag-nature-communications","tag-precision-medicine","tag-public-health","tag-queen-mary-university","tag-sex-differences","tag-social-determinants","tag-uk-biobank"],"yoast_head":"\n