Differential bitterness perception associated with genetic polymorphism in the bitter taste receptor gene taste 2 receptor member 38 (TAS2R38) may influence an individual's food preferences, nutrition consumption, and eventually chronic nutrition-related disorders including cardiovascular disease. Therefore, the effect of genetic variations on nutritional intake and clinical markers needs to be elaborated for health and disease prevention. In this study, we conducted sex-stratified analysis to examine the association between genetic variant TAS2R38 rs10246939 A > G with daily nutritional intake, blood pressure, and lipid parameters in Korean adults (males = 1,311 and females = 2,191). We used the data from the Multi Rural Communities Cohort, Korean Genome and Epidemiology Study. Findings suggested that the genetic variant TAS2R38 rs10246939 was associated with dietary intake of micronutrients including calcium (adjusted p = 0.007), phosphorous (adjusted p = 0.016), potassium (adjusted p = 0.022), vitamin C (adjusted p = 0.009), and vitamin E (adjusted p = 0.005) in females. However, this genetic variant did not influence blood glucose, lipid profile parameters, and other blood pressure markers. These may suggest that this genetic variation is associated with nutritional intake, but its clinical effect was not found. More studies are needed to explore whether TAS2R38 genotype may be a potential predictive marker for the risk of metabolic diseases via modulation of dietary intake.

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• Bitter taste sensitivity is minimally associated with adult food preferences and intake, with a negative association to carbohydrate consumption: A systematic review and meta-analysis
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• Exploring the Interplay of Genetics and Nutrition in the Rising Epidemic of Obesity and Metabolic Diseases
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• TAS2R38 bitterness receptor genetic variation is associated with diet quality in Koreans
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• Genetic variation in TAS2R38 bitterness receptor is associated with body composition in Korean females
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Direct-to-consumer genetic testing (DTC-GT) provides a means for consumers to gain insights into their genetic background and how it relates to their health without the involvement of medical institutions. In Korea, DTC-GT was introduced in 2016 in accordance with the legislation on Paragraph (3) 2 of Article 50 of the Bioethics and Safety Act. Only 12 genetic test items involving 46 genes were approved at first, but the approved items were expanded to 70 in November 2020. However, the genetic test items of DTC-GT services in Korea are still restricted to the wellness area, and access to disease risk related information is only permitted to medical institutions. Further, studies revealing the relationship between genotype differences and responses to nutrients, food components, or nutritional status are increasing, and this association appears to be robust for some genes. This strong association between genetic variations and nutrition suggests that DTC-GT can be used as an important tool by clinical nutritionists to gain insights into an individual's genetic susceptibilities and provide guidance on nutritional counseling and meal planning based on the patient's genetic information. This review summarized the history and current status of DTC-GT and investigated the relationship between genetic variations with associated phenotypic traits to clarify further the importance of DTC-GT in the field of clinical nutrition.

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Hypertension is a major health issues globally. Multiple genetic and environmental factors are involved in hypertension etiology. Solute carrier family 35 member F3 (SLC35F3) is a type of transporter uptakes thiamin across the cellular and mitochondrial membrane. Recent studies suggested that variations in SLC35F3 are associated with the risk of hypertension; however, studies are limited in Koreans. This study examined the association of the genetic variations in SLC35F3 and the risk of hypertension in Koreans using the Korean Genome Epidemiology Study (Ansan/Ansung study). A total of 8,298 Koreans (males 3,983, females 4,315) were analyzed for their general characteristics, dietary intake, and blood pressure. Twenty-four tagging variations in SLC35F3 were selected and investigated for their association with the risk of hypertension using a sex-stratified approach. Findings suggested that, in males, rs12135117 A allele carriers were at the lower risk for hypertension (adjusted odds ratio, 0.859; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.740–0.998). In females, rs10910387 TC genotype tended to increase the risk 1.172-fold for hypertension (95% CI, 1.002–1.370). Multiple linear regression models exhibited that rs12135117 A allele was negatively associated with blood pressure in males, and rs10910387 TC genotype had a positive association with blood pressure in females. However, statistical significance for these genetically modified effects was in lacked (Bonferroni's corrected p > 0.002). In conclusion, genetic variation in SLC35F3 is not a decisive prediction marker for hypertension risk in Koreans. Given the rarity of data, more studies are required to evaluate the role of SLC35F3 and thiamin in the hypertension etiology.

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