Genetic heritage of the Denisovans may have left its mark on our mental health
sciencedaily.com
sciencedaily.com
I finally got my doctors to give me a zinc test and I was deficient even though I was eating oysters, nearly daily and taking zinc supplements. So I have this transport problem with zinc and slc30a9, but also I have several genes that seem to need zinc more than other people. (PNP for one)
I’ve compared my genetics with a group of 12 other peoples genetics who are friends of mine so I know how much of an oddball I am.
I am bragging here, because I found this out by myself. My haplotype is a very ancient haplotype, which originates around 50,000 years ago, and this links me with the Denisovans as well.
Just vague statements that it "affects zinc transport" and "causes a new zinc balance within the cell".
Maybe this variant increases survival rates with an otherwise zinc deficient diet, by essentially allocating more zinc to basic survival needs and less zinc to fluff like mental wellbeing?
That's interesting idea, it sounds plausible but I'm not an expert in this area. I'd like to add that in the article paper they talk about "hard selective sweeps" for this gene variant, which implies that the variant had especially strong influence on survival. AFAIK these selective sweeps often bring on some secondary traits which are a "side product" (spandrel) of the primary trait.
So now, those of us who carry this variant and are eating a lower zinc diet get way too deficient to easily.
I had an order in with nebula genomics, but it fell through.
I guess I should use the raw data explorer and enter SLC30A9, but what should I expect to see if I have this issue?
I have decent consumption and decent sun and yet wind up deficient every couple of years
https://medlineplus.gov/genetics/gene/cyp2r1/#:~:text=The%20....
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4145306/
When I was first found deficient , I took 200 mg of zinc sulfate which has 50 mg of elemental zinc for quite a few weeks, and there was no change. It wasn’t until I changed my fatty acid intake that my levels got up to .81.
Also, I found that Zand zinc lozenges, which contain, zinc, methionine, will raise my zinc faster than a lot of tablet supplements. It may be that I get more absorption in my mouth, then in my gut.
But before doing this, you should get both your zinc and copper tested. Zinc will inhibit copper absorption and can end up in a deficiency after a while.
I still eat a lot of muscles since they’re very well balanced in zinc and copper.
Most people don’t realize that we make our own endogenous cannabinoids and they’re made from omega-3. No need for the weed!
This is a really important finding. I think it's not obvious to most modern humans that the majority of Human life has been spent in relatively cold temperatures [1]
But it’s a really really huge finding for more natural cures to both mood disorders and immune disorders. If zinc deficiency was tested more regularly in the population, with schizophrenia and bipolar disorder, we would probably find a lot of people would be helped by taking zinc and possibly some other supplements.
Incorrect. Northeast Asians had to deal with arguably harsher cold climates than northern Europeans. Some examples of research on this subject (just the first couple I found through search):
* Extreme climate, rather than population history, explains mid-facial morphology of Northern Asians (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24374801/)
* Searching for Signatures of Cold Climate Adaptation in TRPM8 Gene in Populations of East Asian Ancestry (https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fgene.2019.0075...)
Not to mention, this article on the zinc metabolism gene variant explicitly states:
>Although the variant was established in Asia as a result of interbreeding between Denisovans and sapiens, it also spread to European and native American populations.
https://evolution.berkeley.edu/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/ev...
The ice age you’re talking about and what I’m talking about are different. The age I’m talking about is the one that caused that split. And it happened 400,000 years ago.
https://cdn.serc.carleton.edu/images/eslabs/cryosphere/timel...
These are extremely ancient cold adaptive genes.
From the study:
“ Given the essential role of the mitochondria in skeletal muscle thermogenesis, we propose that the derived G allele, which we have shown provides better protection to the mitochondria, may have been positively selected to facilitate adaptation to cold while providing higher susceptibility to neuropsychiatric traits. This is a plausible scenario for a case of archaic adaptive introgression, as Denisovans and Neanderthals were probably already well adapted to the local environmental conditions modern humans encountered when expanding across Eurasia.”
I admit to my over generalization Only because it can get too complicated explaining it all on HN.
These people were split because of the ice age. And that’s what caused the same cold adapted genes.
From the study:
Given the essential role of the mitochondria in skeletal muscle thermogenesis, we propose that the derived G allele, which we have shown provides better protection to the mitochondria, may have been positively selected to facilitate adaptation to cold while providing higher susceptibility to neuropsychiatric traits. This is a plausible scenario for a case of archaic adaptive introgression, as Denisovans and Neanderthals were probably already well adapted to the local environmental conditions modern humans encountered when expanding across Eurasia.
Also, you just made me realize I never have actually given any thought to how much the last ice age affected climates beyond Europe.
https://www.illumina.com/techniques/sequencing/dna-sequencin...
I got my genetics from 23 and me and I’m well aware that they are using my genetic code for drug research. As far as someone getting my DNA you can pretty much get it for me anytime you want by following me around and taking a swab from a cup or whatever.
At least they genetics at 23 and me are anonymized. And I would think people can figure more out about you if they have your Gmail address then your genetics.
Without a higher public awareness of data security, severe punishment for any breaches and failures to keep data safe, and a software ecosystem that prioritizes security much higher I feel you are right expecting the worst.
Also, any companies that just send you the raw genetic data and maybe a summary report and doesn't want to provide you with a life-time "service"? That doesn't force a data breach liability on you and your family for the rest of your life? That would be great.
However, this data is ultimately valuable. Insofar it makes sense to me that who ever has such data will have incentives to use it for their own benefit, whatever that may be. Its not so much 'I have nothing to hide', but rather 'I do not want you to use my picture without my consent'.
I knew someone who worked at Grail, the problem with government is they're too conservative with the data usage. Nothing as useful can be gleaned do people choose to dump their data into private databases to get caught up on research.
I asked for money back and they delayed and delayed and delayed until I said I was going to sue them when they finally gave me my money back.
I’ve seen green tea extract (EGCG) mentioned as a promising ionophore, but there are probably way more.
I get the concept of hydrophilic membranes in the cell.
Feels crazy to target these gates with supplements without more concrete science or theory.
I do take Green Tea extract but it adds to my daily caffeine load (30-40mg) with my morning coffee.
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I supplement using Micro Zinc from Nootropics Depot.
" MicroZinc is a zinc supplement encased in large hollow spheres known as phospholipid micelles. ... The sucrester protects the sucrosome from breaking down and aids in the absorption and bioavailability of zinc "
I might've been bought into marketing here but the more I learn about the importance of our minerals, most of which I think I get from my food, the more I try to invest into higher quality mineral supplement sources.
I don't take more than 20-40mg a day. This did not help me from getting my butt kicked by my first common cold in 3 years recently. I did an all nighter which led to me being sick.
Sleep is so damn important in maintaining the immune system, I'd bet it figures into the immune systems of our ancestors in distinct ways.
Mutations that increased long-term mental illness didn't matter if nobody lived past 30. Mutations that increased attractiveness but caused issues down the road would be selected for by definition.
In this case people with this gene would be actually available as mates, as opposed to the others who presumably tended to freeze to death.
Adaptations are better if they help some offspring survive and reproduce during some window of time.
For example, if I drop dead at 30 there's less of a chance that I can help protect/guide my offspring. If I live past 30 their chances of survival (and reproduction) increase.
The people they talk about didn’t have mental illnesses in the past, we have them in the present, because our genes do not match our environment.
These called adaptive traits were beneficial in a cold environment, not so beneficial in a warmer environment. And then you have all the dietary changes, etc.
Childhood mortality was INSANE even into the 19th century, but if you made it to 20 you still had pretty good odds of making into your 50s, 60s, or even 70s.
What do you mean by this? There was less on average, or that mental illness didn't exist at all?