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Favism Research Paper

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Favism is one of the most common inherited enzyme deficiency where, 400 million people suffer from it. People who have favism and eat fava beans experience anemia that can often lead to death. Favism directly affects the circulatory system because many red blood cells are destroyed. Favism is the result of a lack of glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase, G6PD, which is supposed to get rid of free radicals in the blood. Free radicals are molecules or atoms with an unpaired electron. These unpaired electrons seek a pair with another electron from different molecules and can cause a damaging chemical reaction, which can lead to the cell’s death. Favism has multiple symptoms, which include fatigue, shortness of breath, dizziness, headache, fever, …show more content…

It was treated through the avoidance of fava beans. If favism is such a difficult disease to live with, why do many of Mediterranean descent still have it? Favism actually has helped in the past, this disease saved many from Malaria. Malaria is an infectious disease that kills more than the 1 million infected. Once infected, terrible fevers and chills, vomiting, and anemia will follow. It is especially dangerous for children and pregnant women. Malaria is caused when a parasitic protozoa enters the bloodstream through an infected female mosquitoes bite. Neanderthals used plants 60,000 years ago to begin to treat it, and Ancient Greeks used opium milk. However Favism came around, even with the potential of anemia, it protected against the threat of Malaria, which was very common in these regions and more fatal. If Favism allows for the survival of humanity and protection against even more dangerous diseases, then it will stay in the gene pool. Now a while back, most survival took place outside in fields where beans, such as fava, were cultivated for food. In addition the housing situation was not the most sanitary thus the surplus of mosquitoes whom all have the potential of carrying malaria. Malaria killed many yet people with favism managed to survive. This disease saved humanity thus it will stay in our gene

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