Are gene variations always bad?
No, not at all. Most of the time, gene variations have no effect on our body systems or our health, and in certain cases these variations can even be beneficial. However, sometimes a variation can make the gene send a slightly ‘wrongly worded’ message to the cell. Upon receiving the garbled message, the cell will manufacture a product – such as an enzyme – that doesn’t work exactly as it should; the variant enzyme may, for example, work faster or more slowly than is best for the body. Combined with an unhealthy diet or lifestyle, such a gene variation may make a person more susceptible to developing illnesses.
