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Potatoes may have given Indigenous Andeans a digestive superpower

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Potatoes may have given Indigenous Andeans a digestive superpower
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The Gist

“The rise of potato cultivation in the Andes thousands of years ago may have led to a genetic adaptation in Indigenous Andeans, giving them a digestive superpower. Research suggests that natural selection favored individuals with higher numbers of a starch-digestion gene, allowing them to process starch more efficiently and gain a survival or reproductive advantage.”

The rise of potato cultivation in the Andes thousands of years ago may have had a profound impact on the digestive health of Indigenous Andeans. By favoring individuals with higher numbers of a starch-digestion gene, natural selection may have given them a unique advantage in processing starch.

Key Insights

Indigenous Peruvians carry exceptionally high numbers of the AMY1 gene, which is involved in starch digestion and is more common in Andean populations than in other populations. This genetic adaptation may have allowed them to thrive on a starch-rich diet, providing a survival or reproductive advantage.

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