It’s not wrong to want to “lie down”, the “lazy cancer gene” is innate!

Reviewer: Ji Shi

Life Field Observer

A quarter of the year has passed, but do you still feel like you haven't gotten back into the swing of things? You don't want to start working, exercise, or think. You just want to stay lazy.

Source: Internet

But do you enter this state of laziness occasionally, or do you maintain it 24/7?

In human society, we always emphasize the need to be diligent, hardworking, creative, adventurous, and goal-oriented. In fact, this just shows that "laziness" is the norm for people, and it is something we must remind ourselves to overcome at all times.

We can reasonably suspect that from the perspective of survival, it is not necessarily a bad thing. In fact, many mammals still continue this "laziness" and develop it into their own population advantage.

The fact that these "kings of laziness" can survive to this day can at least prove one thing, that is, "extreme laziness" is a philosophy of survival.

Giant pandas, the "lazy cancer" in nature, sleep 10 hours a day, and spend the rest of the time hanging on trees and staring blankly; dormice, which generally live for 5 years, sleep all their lives, hibernating for 6-9 months each year, and if they don't have enough fat stored during hibernation, they may die of hunger in their sleep; koalas can sleep 20-22 hours a day...

Dormouse Source: Carleton

Finally, the sloth is the "weird one" among the lazy ones. It is so slow that it has reached the pinnacle of the biological world. Even if it encounters a natural enemy, it will only fight back slowly and symbolically, which is meaningless. Its laziness can even be seen from its mossy body, because living in the tropics, it is too lazy to produce heat.

The monkey snatched the food away, but the counterattack was very slow Source: Sohu

In nature, the logic of this way of survival can help reduce the probability of encountering predators and increase the chances of survival.

Human beings have entered the civilized world, and most people are not in danger of so-called "natural enemies" or food shortages. Why do they fall into an irresistible laziness?

Is there a genetic explanation for laziness? In life, people have the desire to eat and reproduce, but some people find it troublesome to think about complicated things, so they just "lie down". But there is indeed another group of people in society who are full of energy every day, have strong mobility, and like adventure and extreme sports (whisper: even win an Olympic trophy or something).

Source: Internet

So, is laziness regulated by genes?

First, in 2009, scientists conducted an experiment using the mouse running wheel. All the mice in the experimental group were asked to run in circles. Some mice were more active and could run an average of 5-8 miles a day, while some mice were lazier and could only run 0.3 miles a day.

Comparison between active mice and lazy mice Source: NetEase

Then, the researchers mated extremely active individuals with each other, and mated extremely inactive mice with each other, and let them reproduce for more than ten generations. The results showed that after more than ten generations of breeding, the children of the athletes had become ultimate sports fanatics, running an average of 7 miles a day, but the offspring of the "lazy cancer" mice exercised very little and even developed metabolic syndrome.

Similar to metabolic syndrome effect, mouse obesity source丨Sohu

Ultimately, the researchers found that in 75% of the active mice, the activity-promoting gene was dominant, which means that activity is indeed an innate drive in animals, and it may be determined by multiple genes, each of which has a different effect.

The first is the gene that affects muscle energy supply. The researchers found that two genes are related to an important protein, AMP-activated protein kinase. When this protein is defective in the muscle, the level (number) of mitochondria in mouse cells is much lower than that of normal mice. This damage will weaken the ability of muscle cells to use blood sugar during exercise, making it impossible for cells to obtain energy sources quickly and sufficiently.

The second is to affect the conduction of dopamine signals. Dopamine is a neurotransmitter that is related to your desires, motivations, and addictions. Insufficient secretion will cause loss of muscle control, and will also make people unable to be happy and lose their desire for things. Researchers have discovered a mutation in the SLC35D3 gene that causes the dopamine receptors of mice to accumulate in brain cells instead of being transported to the surface of cells where they function normally. Therefore, the signal stimulation related to dopamine will be greatly reduced, and mice will have no energy to exercise.

When dopamine receptors are blocked, mice become less active

Source: Cell Metabolism

However, this is a mouse experiment after all. Generally speaking, although they are all mammals, genetic differences often lead to huge differences. However, when it comes to laziness, humans can really resonate with each other. Many people try to get rid of this state, so they become intermittently ambitious and continuously eat whatever they want..., so there is a high probability that similar genetic changes will occur in the human body.

Source: Internet

Of course, "laziness" can be divided into physiological and psychological factors. Some people's laziness is just a fear of difficulties, which will gradually become less serious as they grow older and experience more things. In addition to the above-mentioned genetic problems, laziness due to physiological factors may also be related to physical fitness.

From a medical point of view, people who are particularly lazy generally have two characteristics:

1. Extremely high body fat (especially visceral fat) and low muscle content;

2. Zinc deficiency.

First of all, people with high body fat have a lot of fat covering their internal organs, which may lead to organ dysfunction and disorder the body's ability to transport and digest nutrients, thereby affecting the body's overall energy. A lack of zinc in the body will cause loss of appetite and lethargy.

Therefore, don't feel too guilty about your laziness, but don't use laziness as an excuse when things happen. It may not be the best state of life, but it is certainly not the worst. Some people say that lazy people are the driving force behind scientific and technological progress, and sometimes lazy people are blessed.