Ancient DNA Reveals Early Human Adaptation to Carbs Predates Agriculture

The AMY1 gene, crucial for starch digestion, began duplicating over 800,000 years ago, aiding early humans in metabolizing carbohydrates long before farming began.

Research indicates that the AMY1 gene, responsible for starch digestion, first duplicated over 800,000 years ago, predating the advent of agriculture.
The study analyzed genomes from 68 ancient humans, showing that pre-agricultural hunter-gatherers had multiple AMY1 copies, suggesting early adaptation to starchy diets.
Neanderthals and Denisovans also had duplicated AMY1 genes, indicating a shared ancestral trait for starch digestion among early human species.
The increase in AMY1 gene copies over the last 12,000 years correlates with the development of agriculture and a starch-rich diet in early European farmers.
This genetic variation in amylase production may have provided an evolutionary advantage, supporting dietary shifts and potentially influencing human brain development.