The need for precision nutrition, genetic variation and resolution in Covid-19 patients

The health of the individual and the population in general is the result of interaction between genetics and various environmental factors, of which diet/nutrition is the most important. The focus of this paper is on the association of high n-6 PUFA or low n-3 PUFA due to genetic variation and/or dietary intake, with changes in specialized pro-resolving mediators (SPMs), cytokine storm, inflammation-resolution and Covid-19. Human beings evolved on a diet that was balanced in the n-6 and n-3 essential fatty acids with a ratio of n-6/n-3 of 1–2/1 whereas today this ratio is 16/1. Such a high ratio due to high amounts of n-6 fatty acids leads to a prothrombotic and proinflammatory state and is associated with obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and some forms of cancer. In addition to the high intake of n-6 fatty acids that increases inflammation there is genetic variation in the biosynthesis of n-6 linoleic acid (LA) to arachidonic acid (ARA) and of linolenic (ALA) to eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). Present day humans have two common FADS haplotypes that differ dramatically in their ability to generate long-chain fatty acids. The more efficient, evolutionary derived haplotype increases the efficiency of synthesizing essential long-chain fatty acids from precursors and could have provided an advantage in environments with limited access to dietary long-chain fatty acids ARA, EPA and DHA. In the modern world this haplotype has been associated with lifestyle-related diseases, such as cardiovascular disease, obesity, diabetes, all of which are characterized by increased levels of inflammation. African Americans and Latino populations have increased susceptibility and higher death rates from SARS-CoV-2 than whites. These populations are characterized by increased numbers of persons (about 80%) that are fast metabolizers, leading to increased production of ARA, as well as poor intake of fruits and vegetables. The combinations of fast metabolism and high n-6 intake increases their inflammatory status and possibly susceptibility of SARS-CoV-2. In vitro and human studies indicate that the specialized pro-resolving mediators (SPM) produced from the n-3, EPA and DHA influence the resolution of inflammation, allowing the tissues to return to function and homeostasis. The SPMs each counter-regulate cytokine storms, as well as proinflammatory lipid mediators via NFκB and inflammasome down regulation and reduce the proinflammatory eicosanoids produced from ARA. The nutritional availability of dietary n-3 fatty acids from marine oils enriched with SPM intermediate precursors, along with increasing local biosynthesis of SPMs to functional concentrations may be an approach of value during SARS-CoV2 infections, as well as in prevention, and shortening their recovery from infections. It is evident that populations differ in their genetic variants and their frequencies and their interactions with the food they eat. Gene-nutrient interactions is a very important area of study that provides specific dietary advice for individuals and subgroups within a population in the form of Precision Nutrition. Nutritional science needs to focus on Precision Nutrition, genetic variants in the population and a food supply composed of Nutrients that have been part of our diet throughout evolution, which is the diet that our genes are programmed to respond.