Survival Of The Sickest Book Report

25.A: A team of scientists at Duke University conducted an experiment on two groups of agouti mice. One group was fed vitamin supplements while the other was fed a regular diet. The agouti gene gives the mice a distinctive pale coat and tendency towards obesity. However, the mice that were fed vitamin supplements produced thin brown babies. This proves that certain genes can be turned off when conditions are

In chapter one it talks about how hemachromatosis is a hereditary disease and it’s the most common genetic disease for people of European descent, in which the body can't register that it has enough iron. So it keeps absorbing as much of it as possible, and this can have very, serious side effects (including death). Iron is very important for bacteria, cancer, and other things to grow. The way this disease is most easily treated is blood letting. Looks like all those crazy blood-letting, leech-sticking doctors weren't mistreating everyone. What is the author's argument for why this disease stuck around? To really simplify things: during the black plague in Europe, people with more iron in their system were more likely

There are two types of hemochromatosis, primary and secondary. Primary hemochromatosis is a genetic disorder passed down through families. It occurs at birth. People with this condition absorb too much iron through their digestive tract. Iron builds up in the body, especially the liver. You are more likely to get this disease if someone else in your family has or had the condition. Secondary hemochromatosis is due to other blood-related disorders such as thalassemia or certain anemia’s. Sometimes it occurs in people with long-term alcoholism and other health conditions.

“What doesn’t kill us, makes us stronger” (p. 28). In the scientific novel Survival of the Sickest by Sharon Moalem with Jonathan Prince, self-acclaimed “Medical Maverick” Dr. Moalem makes in-depth analyses of current human diseases that, ironically, may have led to the survival of mankind in the past. He presents a novel concept that greatly contradicts what have been universally accepted beliefs surrounding biology and the process of human evolution for a long time. With the use of myriad scientific studies and research, he formulates surprising theories about a positive correlation between disease and humanity. Moalem narrates the scientific world’s findings that strongly exemplify his assertions, however arbitrary they may seem at first. Three of the diseases that he examines, hemochromatosis, Type 1 diabetes, and favism, could have been particularly useful for resistance against other illnesses and survival in a historically harsh environment.

Hemochromatosis, also called iron overload, is a disease when the body absorbs too much iron from the food we eat and most often affects the liver, heart, pancreas, and skin. It is usually caused by genes in the body that mutate keeping them from working. Some signs and symptoms of this disease are weakness, joint pain, low libido, and/or if the disease has progressed to far diabetes or heart failure. Hemochromatosis is one of the more difficult diseases to diagnose because many symptoms are nonspecific and usually many people don’t show as many symptoms except elevated iron levels in their blood. Most will be treated with blood transfusions until the normal level of iron is reached. If diagnosed early the prognosis is excellent with possible checkups or phlebotomies.

One thing about natural selection that many people do not understand that natural selection does not increase the odds of survival for a species, but for individuals in that species. This makes sense when someone considers humans. Humans live in many social cultures, where for instance, the odds of survival in a group can be improved by the selection of certain traits that does not improve an individual’s odds of survival. Coyne states, one never sees the type of adaptations that benefit the group to the detriment of an individual (p.122).

Dr. Sharon Moalem has conquered the scientific arts of diseases, neurogenetics, and biotechnology. In ‘Survival of the Sickest: The Surprising Connections Between Disease and Longevity’ Moalem shares with us the importance of biological change and relationship between lifeforms of all sizes as he unravels the astounding connections between evolution, disease, and human health.. Moalem attempts to tackle the questions that drive the biological world’s exploration of evolutionary disease. Is the human relationship with disease not a simple case of parasitism, but a that of commensalism or as far as mutualism? Does the way the scientific community view desease change our knowledge of history and evolution? Could disease itself be what fuels change in not only our past but our future? In Moalem efforts to

Pooja Patel Human Genetics 2400 Discussion # 14- Tom March 11, 2015 Survival of the Sickest- Book Review Survival of the Sickest, an intriguing myth buster novel written by Dr. Sharon Moalem, is an outstanding piece of literature for those who are searching for answers about the evolution of health and sicknesses. Moalem successfully demonstrates the influence of evolution, the environment, and human interactions on the health and medicine structure of society. General questions about our everyday health are answered through various series of historical case studies that support ideas about the longevity of illnesses, their causes, and how some have a direct relationship to an evolutionary pathway. Not only does Moalem take a stance historically throughout the novel, but she also keeps the consistent company of historical and modern day science.

Typically, when a human body has a sufficient amount of iron, it will reduce its intake of iron. However, within certain bodies, it is always under the impression that there isn’t enough. Thus, it continues to absorb more iron and this iron overload is the result of a disease called hemochromatosis. Generally, the excess iron builds up in the joints, liver, heart, and other organs which can lead to symptoms that include physical difficulty, joint pain, and an irregular heartbeat. However, the symptoms alone is not enough when it comes to diagnosing hemochromatosis. Therefore, taking part in blood, liver, and/or DNA testing will be more accurate. After diagnosing hemochromatosis, people can undergo treatments such as the medical procedure called bloodletting. By

Interestingly, the adaptation of humans to disease may date all the way back to the bottleneck that would eventually change our ancestors into behaviorally modern humans. A theory has been proposed that the activation of two genes that affect the human immune system created the modern human around 100,000 years ago. According to the study’s theory, humans have been adapting to disease for thousands of years. Clearly, disease and the adaptations of humans are correlated to their environment (LaFee, S., 2012).

Earth is a quintessential mecca for approximately nine million different species of plants, animals, reptiles, bugs, and more. These creatures have modified to adapt to changes in environment in a process called evolution. This natural flow of life is related to natural selection, a term coined by Charles Darwin, and should not be tampered with. Medicine has been able to save countless people from death and should be regarded as both a beneficial and malevolent savior. Due to the leaps and bounds made in medical advancements, more specifically in terms of human medicine, natural selection has been put on the proverbial back-burner of the grill by humans’ moral values for preservation

Another disease explained is G6PD deficiency is a hereditary enzyme disease. Also known as favism, signs of G6PD deficiency are yellowing of the skin, dark urine, fatigue, rapid breathing, and a weak, fast pulse. G6PD - an acronym for glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase - is found to be in every cell, and is a necessary component in red blood cells for protection. The function of the G6PD is to prevent free radicals, an atom with unpaired electrons, from killing red blood cells by eliminating them. Thus, to have G6PD deficiency means that red blood cells are vulnerable to free radicals, and the patient is prone to hemolytic anemia: when red blood cells die off too quickly, and the body is unable to produce them fast enough to replace them. If

Fat sick and nearly dead is about a guy named Joe who has a disease and has chronic joe fears masquitoes because when he comes in contact with someone or gets bit by one he breaks out bad and Joe is also overweight

with iron overload disorders or family disposition for hemochromatosis, hemosiderosis; or at risk for iron overload from iron poisoning, or recent blood transfusions

Abstract evolution has occurred in humans for millions of years; however, in a modern society many scientists and evolutionists are now debating whether or not it is still occurring, and if it follows the same rules. With all of the new technology humans have created, some experts believe that humans have essentially conquered nature, and no further evolutionary changes will occur. Still, others hold opposing views; some experts believe that evolution is still occurring, but modern societal advancements have changed the rules. These experts say that the changes in evolution are a result of recent medical advancements that allow doctors to perpetuate genes that would not have lasted years ago. Additionally, others maintain that evolution is