Tested biological functions and processes:

Lipid metabolism

Diet and especially the metabolism of dietary fat play important role in the prevention of cardiovascular diseases. By determining how the fats in your diet interact with your genes, you can alter your diet and achieve optimal cardiac health.

Metabolism of Vitamin B

Group B vitamins, especially folate, play a major role in: energy metabolism; DNA synthesis and repair; cardiovascular disease and cancer prevention; neural tube defects. In addition, Group B vitamins provide significant part of the chemical compounds needed to protect our genes from DNA damage by the invasive processes occurring during the cell’s normal life. These vitamins, which include folate, vitamin B6 and B12, help synthesize new DNA for the constantly dividing and renewing cells.

Your body’s effectiveness of metabolizing these vitamins can be altered by your gene variations, thus, potentially you may need increasing the required daily doses.

Detoxification

Gene variations that affect the enzyme functions in phase 1 and 2 of detoxification can be identified. On the basis of the test results, malfunctions or deficiencies in the performance of these functions can be identified, which can be compensated by the intake of certain nutrients or additives.

Oxidative stress

Antioxidants protect the human body from free radicals. Free radicals are normal residual products of energy processes in the body. However, these molecules can damage DNA and proteins and are associated with many chronic diseases. Antioxidants are present in the body in the form of enzymes or other low-molecular-weight compounds but can also be consumed as part of variety of food products when needed, in the event of a genetic variation that impedes their function.

Bone Strength

The human body continually breaks down and rebuilds bone tissue. Your genes, diet and lifestyle (including exercise, smoking and alcohol consumption) are important factors in these processes. By determining how your genes affect the metabolism of calcium and vitamin D in your body, you can change your diet and lifestyle to keep your bone strength.

Inflammation

Inflammation represents the way the body reacts to injury, infection or allergies. Inflammatory processes are controlled by genes which are activated and deactivated when necessary. Sometimes, however, gene variations can cause a gene to remain active longer than necessary. Poor inflammation for an extended period of time is associated with cardiovascular diseases, obesity and diabetes. Certain nutrients may suppress the expression of similar genes.

Insulin resistance

Insulin resistance syndrome is a term that describes combination of diseases that have a common characteristic – anomalies in the way the body uses insulin to metabolize carbohydrates. These diseases include obesity, type II diabetes, hypertension, hypercholesterolemia and heart diseases.

In the case of insulin resistance, the body’s cells have reduced ability to react to the hormone insulin, which normally removes glucose from the bloodstream by regulating its penetration into the cells. The frequent occurrence of type II diabetes in some families is an indication of the genetic origin of this disease. However, environmental factors such as obesity and stagnant lifestyle are usually needed to unlock the expression of these genes.

Reaction to food and metabolism of iron

Different nutrients and food components in food can affect people in variable ways. New research in genetics suggests that certain genes can be tested to determine how one responds to a given food component. The areas of food reactions in this panel include: lactose intolerance, polyunsaturated fat metabolism (PUFA), caffeine susceptibility and iron overload.

Problems with iron metabolism can lead to both deficiency and iron overload in the human body. Iron deficiency occurs when the amount of iron after depletion of reserves is not sufficient to cover functional needs or when there is insufficient iron release from the reserves due to a particular chronic disease. Iron overload, on the other hand, may be due to too much iron intake or genetic predispositions causing hemochromatosis.

Tested genes function

Lipid metabolism

• LPL – Removes lipids from the blood stream by hydrolyzing triglycerides into free fatty acids.
• CETP – Plays key role in the metabolism of HDL-cholesterol and promotes the exchange of lipids between lipoproteins.
• APOC3 – Plays important role in cholesterol metabolism.
• APOE – Of great importance for the normal catabolism of triglyceride-rich lipoprotein components and affects the body’s need for antioxidants.
• PON1-192 – Encodes the glycoprotein enzyme paroxonase and its decreased activity is associated with metabolic syndrome and risk, atherosclerosis and coronary heart disease.

Vitamins B / Methylation

• MTHFR – Targets food folate to DNA synthesis or re-polymerization of homocysteine.
• MTR – Catalyzes the re-polymerization of homocysteine ​​in methionine.
• COMT – Catalyzes the transfer of methyl group from S-adenosylmethiones to catecholamines, including neurotransmitters dopamine, epinephrine and norepinephrine.
• MTRR – Catalyzes methylcobalamin, which is vital for maintaining sufficient intracellular stores of methionine. Maintains homocysteine ​​concentrations at nontoxic levels.
• CBS – Catalyzes the conversion of homocysteine ​​into cystathionine and participates directly in the removal of the homocysteine of the methionine cycle.

Detoxification

• CYP1A1 – Encodes a phase 1 cytochrome P450 enzyme that converts pro-carcinogens from the environment into reactive messengers with carcinogenic effect. In addition, CYP1A1 is also involved in the oxidative metabolism of estrogens.
• GSTM1 – Plays key role in phase 2 of detoxification. Removes xenobiotics, carcinogens, and oxidative stress products.
• GSTP1 – Affects the metabolism of many carcinogenic substances.
• GSTT1 – Member of larger family of proteins that catalyzes the conjugation of reduced glutathione.
• NQO1 – Quinone reductase plays a major role in the detoxification of potentially mutagenic and carcinogenic quinones obtained from tobacco smoke, food and estrogen metabolism.

Inflammation

• IL-6 – Plays a critical role in inflammatory processes by regulating C-reactive protein (CRP) expression.
• TNF-α – Inflammatory cytokine secreted by macrophages and adipocytes that alters glucose homeostasis throughout the body and plays a role in obesity associated with insulin resistance and dyslipidemia.
• IL-1A, IL-1B, IL-1RN – The IL-1 gene has 3 variants, each of which is interpreted differently. Genetic variations in IL-1A, IL-1B and IL-1RN lead to a more active response to inflammation and are associated with increased risk of certain chronic diseases.

Response and sensitivity to food

• MCM6 – Associated with lactose intolerance in adults.
• FADS1 – Influenceс blood fat concentration as an effect on the efficiency of desaturase enzyme.
• CYP1A2 – Affects the ability to metabolize caffeine.
• ACE & AGT – Part of the renin-angiotensin system; regulates the reaction to salt.

Overloading with iron

• HFE – Regulates iron absorption by managing integration of the transfer receptor with transferrin. Hereditary hemochromatosis results from defects in the HFE gene.

Oxidative stress

• eNOS – Affects vascular tone and peripheral vascular resistance. It also protects blood vessels by suppressing platelet aggregation, light-cell adhesion, and proliferation of smooth muscle cells.
• MnSOD/SOD2 – Vital antioxidant role in the cell, especially in mitochondria. Destroys the radicals that are usually produced in the cells.
• GPX1 – Encodes the GPX1 enzyme that appears in almost all body tissues and catalyzes the conversion of hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) into water (H₂O) and is responsible for redox-balance.
• CAT-262 – Codes the antioxidant enzyme catalysis (CAT), which is responsible for the rapid conversion of hydrogen peroxide into water and oxygen. Plays crucial role in redox-balance; the reduced CAT activity leads to increased concentration of hydrogen peroxide and therefore to oxidative stress.

Bone strength

• VDR – Very important for bone density.
• COL1A1 – Affects the proportions of collagen-alpha chains synthesized in bone cells by affecting bone mineralization and strength.

Insulin sensitivity

• PPARG – Participates in adipocyte differentiation. It is a fatty acid-activated transcription factor involved in regulating glucose and lipid metabolism.
• TCF7L2 – Influences glucose homeostasis in blood, affecting insulin secretion and resistance.
• FTO – Affects obesity and the risk of type II diabetes.
• SLC2A2 – Facilitates the first step in insulin secretion caused by glucose and participates in the intake and regulation of food.

Bitter taste

• TAS2R38 (bitter taste – type 2 sapictive/taste receptor gene 38) – The bitter taste is based on the ability to distinguish PTH and propylthiouracil (PROP). Greater sensitivity to bitter components in food may affect the amount of sugar intake.

Metabolism of alcohol

• ALDH2 – Aldehyde dehydrogenase 2 (ALDH2) is an enzyme that is expressed in the liver and converts toxic, carcinogenic aldehydes in acetate. This enzyme plays key role in protecting against oxidative stress.