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What You Eat Affects Your Genes

purkinje writes "Tiny bits of genetic material, called microRNAs, can make their way from the food you eat into your blood stream, and change how your genes are expressed, according to a new study. A team of Chinese scientists found tiny bits of white rice microRNA floating around in people's blood after a meal. When they looked at what was happening on a cellular level, they found that the microRNAs were changing gene expression, decreasing levels of a receptor that filters out LDL (bad) cholesterol. When the scientists gave mice both rice and a chemical to block the microRNAs, their levels of that receptor returned to normal — showing that the microRNAs weren't just swimming through the blood stream, but acting on genes in the animals' cells."

11 of 249 comments (clear)

  1. And your..... by jimpop · · Score: 5, Funny

    ... Jeans

  2. If this were done in an English speaking country.. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

    ...they probably would have used a different pairing of test subjects besides "mice" and "rice"

  3. no problem by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Funny

    I eat lot of junk food, so only my junk dna is affected. And my sweatpants don't fit anymore. But that's ok; my virtual girlfriend still says I look good.

    1. Re:no problem by Dunbal · · Score: 4, Funny

      No, if you eat a lot of junk food only your junk DNA is expressed...

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      Seven puppies were harmed during the making of this post.
    2. Re:no problem by hedwards · · Score: 4, Funny

      Wow, eating a lot of junk food makes your junk bigger. You heard it here first.

  4. Re:Sodium Benzoate by Rob+the+Bold · · Score: 3, Funny

    But it comes with a free frogurt.

    Never mind, that was potassium benzoate.

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    I am not a crackpot.
  5. Re:Duh... by GameboyRMH · · Score: 5, Funny

    I'm going to start eating cats, to make me faster and cuter. I will become the king of Quake 3, and girls.

    Sorry kittehs but I must consume you for your positive attributes.

    --
    "When information is power, privacy is freedom" - Jah-Wren Ryel
  6. Re:chaneloutlet by siddesu · · Score: 3, Funny

    You'll have to contact Hugo Boss. Ask for the Schutzstaffel catalog.

  7. Re:Duh... by jasno · · Score: 4, Funny

    While it's true that eating lots of pussy could make you king of the girls, I doubt it'll help your Quake 3 skills.

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    http://www.masturbateforpeace.com/
  8. Re:Who Knew? by CharlyFoxtrot · · Score: 3, Funny

    That's strange, I don't remember eating any sexy beasts.

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    If all else fails, immortality can always be assured by spectacular error.
  9. Re:If this were done in an English speaking countr by oodaloop · · Score: 3, Funny

    No, I think a fox and lox. But I would not eat it in a box.

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    Tic-Tac-Toe, Global Thermonuclear War, and relationships all have the same winning move.