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Q&A with Australian Health Practitioners
Is G6PD deficiency preventable?
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Arlene Normand
Dietitian
Arlene is a registered practising dietitian, with a private practice in the Eastern Suburbs of Sydney, and has built a strong business over the last … View Profile
G6PD is a genetic condition so cannot be prevented when you are diagnosed.
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Dr Simon Easterbrook-Smith
Health Professional
My research interests include immunology and the mechanisms of amyloid formation. The latter has implications for people who are dealing with Alzheimer's Disease, Parkinson's Disease … View Profile
Adding to what Arlene wrote, the gene for G6PD (the full name of G6PD is glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase) is found on the X chromosome so G6PD deficiency is far more common in men than in women.
This is because a woman with a defective form of the G6PD gene on one of her X chromosomes will be fine because the normal form of the gene on her other X chromosome. She will be a carrier for G6PD deficiency - her male children have a 50% chance of having it.
The frequency of G6PD deficiency varies a lot, depending on ethnic background - it is particularly common in people whose ancestors came from parts of Africa, the Mediterranean and South Asia - for example it affects about 10% of African-American males.Report this post
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