We "buy" two copies of each gene from each parent, and the mutation of certain genes is the main trigger for hereditary diseases.
The first on the list is high cholesterol, for which we can completely "blame" the family, claims American geneticist Shivani Nazaret.
"One in 500 people has a genetic mutation that is the cause of familial hypercholesterolemia - a hereditary heart disease that can be the cause of a premature heart attack or stroke," reveals Nazaret and adds that patients with familial hypercholesterolemia cannot regulate cholesterol, which therefore accumulates in the veins.
Not even a rigorous diet or physical activity helps, because in this case the genes have done their work, says Nazaret.
And while both parents can be to blame for high cholesterol, breast cancer is inherited from the father.
Namely, every person is born with the BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes, which do not cause health problems until they are mutated. But women who inherit a mutation of one or both BRCA genes from their father have a higher risk of developing breast cancer.
Dr. Nazaret clarified that the mentioned genes are not dangerous for men's health because breast cancer is a rare phenomenon among the male population, while the same cannot be said for women.
If you blame your hair loss on the male side of the family - you are looking at the wrong address. The gene that plays a key role in baldness is located on the X chromosome, which men always inherit from their mothers, while women inherit the same gene from both parents.
Type 2 diabetes is most often to blame for a disorderly lifestyle, but research shows that as many as five percent of young people have signs of this disease even though they are not obese and exercise regularly. Here, too, the problem is a genetic mutation, so it is a form of diabetes that scientists have named MODY.
Early recognition of patients with the MODY subtype of diabetes is very important, because they need a different therapy that can control the disease for years without complications, says Dr. Nazaret.
But lifelong complications occur with lactose intolerance.
Congenital lactose intolerance is a rare disease caused by a mutation in the gene that produces the enzyme lactase. It is manifested by severe watery diarrhea that occurs shortly after the first meal of milk (breastfeeding). The loss of nutrients is significant, so that the newborn does not progress, resulting in dehydration, hypoglycemia and acidosis.
After the introduction of a lactose-free diet, the diarrhea stops, the child gains weight, growth and development normalize. The condition is lifelong and requires a permanent lactose-free diet.
Congenital intolerance to lactose occurs rarely, but 65 percent of adults have experienced indigestion after consuming dairy products, Nazaret claims, adding that most people's sensitivity to lactose decreases with age.
The family tree plays a big role in the inheritance of diseases, Nazaret warns. In this way, you can record all the diseases that have affected members of your immediate and extended family and thus recognize genetic predispositions for certain conditions. However, some diseases can remain "hidden" for several generations, so it is impossible to detect them with this method.
LONG-TERM HEADACHES ARE HEREDITARY
The tendency to long-lasting and severe headaches accompanied by nausea is hereditary in as many as 70 to 80 percent of cases, claims Dr. Kate Henry from New York University. Scientists have discovered that a gene called TRESK causes migraines, and it is often inherited from parents.
HEART DISEASES WE GET FROM MOTHERS
If your mother had heart problems, you are 20 percent more likely to have them too, four separate scientific studies have found. The way in which a mother's heart attack affects our tendency towards it is not fully understood, but it is still obvious, according to experts.
WE ARE NOT SPARE OF MENTAL ILLNESSES
There is a 10 percent chance of inheriting a tendency to suffer from depression, the American Institute of Mental Health found. Experts explain that depression is just one of the mental illnesses that can be inherited, along with bipolar disorder and schizophrenia, reports 24 hours.
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