NUTRITIONAL EPIGENETICS

Introduction: in recent years great progress has been made in the understanding of epigenetic mechanisms in the regulation of gene expression as a consequence of gene-environment interactions. Nutrition, as well as other environmental factors, represent a crucial factor that can induce epigenetic modifications not only in directly exposed organisms, but also in subsequent generations through transgenerational inheritance of epigenetic traits. Objective: to detail current information related to epigenetic regulation, the most predominant epigenetic mechanisms, the influence of nutrition on the epigenetic state, as well as related patterns, behaviors and properties. Methodology: a total of 52 articles were analyzed in this review, including review and original articles, as well as clinical cases, of which 31 bibliographies were used because the other articles were not relevant to this study. The sources of information were PubMed, Google Scholar and Cochrane; the terms used to search for information in Spanish, Portuguese and English were: epigenetics, nutrition, genes, methylation, DNA. Results: epigenetics studies heritable changes in gene expression that do not alter the DNA sequence, but rather its regulation. These changes, such as DNA methylation and histone modifications, affect health and the development of diseases such as cancer and metabolic disorders. Environmental factors, such as diet, influence epigenetic regulation. Nutrients such as omega-3 fatty acids and polyphenols can modify these mechanisms, promoting protective effects against chronic diseases. Thus, nutritional epigenetics becomes a key area for the development of therapies and preventive strategies. Conclusions: epigenetics shows how environmental factors, such as diet and lifestyle, influence gene expression without altering the DNA sequence, through mechanisms such as DNA methylation, histone modifications and gene silencing. These processes explain how cells with the same DNA can have different phenotypes. Nutrients present in diets such as Mediterranean or DASH, as well as bioactive compounds such as polyphenols, carotenoids, omega-3 fatty acids and selenium, modulate epigenetic regulation and have protective effects against chronic diseases such as cancer, cardiovascular disease and obesity. These advances offer new therapeutic possibilities, highlighting the potential of nutritional epigenetics in the prevention and treatment of diseases, as well as in the improvement of health and healthy aging. KEYWORDS: epigenetics, nutrition, genes, methylation, DNA.