ABSTRACT
Biochemical individuality has been known to exist for decades, and nutrition scientists have realized that the recommendations of nutrient intakes must allow for this. Hence, the early intake recommendations were made such that nearly all people could avoid the consequences of malnutrition if they followed these intake recommendations. Now, however, scientists have come to realize that some intake recommendations are inappropriate for some people. As mentioned in the chapter on energy, a single recommendation of energy intake might be too little for one individual, while for another, it would be too much. This is perhaps the most interesting example of how nutrients and genetic heritage interact to determine the nutrient status of an individual. Other instances can be cited as well. However, before these instances are listed, it is important to consider how genes are expressed and how nutrients affect this expression.
