gene variant

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Omega-3 Story Gets 'Intriguing New Twist'

Unless you live in the Arctic, researchers say

(Newser) - One in 10 Americans take fish oil supplements thanks in part to decades-old research. The Inuit—who consumed a diet mainly of whales, seals, and fish—rarely had heart attacks, and researchers speculated in the 1970s that omega-3 fatty acids found in fish guard against them, reports the New York ...

Secret to Long Life Found in ... Smokers?

A select group of people have genes that might actually repair cell damage

(Newser) - If you smoke for most of your life and still live to a ripe, old age, you might have more than luck on your side. Though smokers can generally expect to live 10 years less than non-smokers, this is by no means a hard and fast rule. Jeanne Calment, for...

DNA Screening May Help Beat Ovarian Cancer

55% of women carry variant placing them at a higher risk

(Newser) - An international coalition of geneticists has discovered a DNA variant in women with ovarian cancer that could lead to earlier detection and lower mortality rates, reports the Guardian. More than half of women exhibit the genetic trait, which increases the likelihood of ovarian cancer by up to 40%. The researchers...

'Happyhour' Gene Decides How Fast You Get Drunk

Cancer drug could be used to lower humans' alcohol tolerance

(Newser) - What if your genes determined how much of a tolerance you had to alcohol—and you could take a drug that would turn those genes on or off? That scenario may not be far from reality: researchers studying fruit flies have discovered a gene called "happyhour" that renders...

Hypertension Gene Found Among Amish

Researchers find hypertension gene

(Newser) - A genetic study of Pennsylvania's reclusive Amish community has led to the discovery of a gene that may trigger high blood pressure, a major risk factor for heart attacks and stroke. The gene variant, dubbed STK39, regulates sodium levels leading to greater blood volume and high blood pressure, reports Health ...

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