Genetic Testing

Research has put forward that an individual’s genes can put them at risk for weight gain and the ability to lose weight through regulating energy expenditure, appetite, and fat metabolism. This concerns explicitly their DNA’s metabolic processes that correlate to insulin sensitivity, snacking, binge eating, their response to exercise, and more. This helps to explain why there is no “one-size fits all” approach to weight loss and why some people may become obese in the same environment where others do not.

DNA DIET focuses on thirteen well-researched and clinically useful gene variations (or SNPs) that impact a person’s obesity risk and weight management. By analyzing an individual’s DNA DIET, we can recommend the best tailored and individualized diet plan just for them. Why? We consider not only your personal history, dietary partners, preferences, and relationship with food but also your DNA! 

 Oestrogen hormones, or estrogen hormones, impact all women in multiple ways. They affect the growth, differentiation, and function of target tissues, as well as the synthesis of steroid hormones, and assist in liver detoxification. Unfortunately, they also play a role in the progression of oestrogen-dominant conditions, such as endometriosis, PMS (premenstrual syndrome), uterine fibroid tumors, or where there is a family history of breast, uterine, or ovarian cancer. Therefore, considering an individual’s variability with these hormones is essential in the possible development of diseases. 

The Nordic DNA lysis Oestrogen Metabolism and Detoxification test highlights 12 gene variations involved in estrogen biosynthesis and metabolism and phase I and II liver detoxification. These results provide insight into sub-populations of women with higher lifetime exposure to estrogens, oestrogen metabolites, and other carcinogens and guide them on personalized diet, lifestyle, hormone, and nutraceutical recommendations. 

 Unsurprisingly, our DNA can correlate to our athletic performance, training responsiveness, and ability to recover from exercise training and injury-related traits. Using genetic insights, athletes and their trainers can determine optimal training patterns that allow athletes to benefit as much as possible from training sessions, exploit potential advantages, and identify weaknesses that need to be worked on. Furthermore, they can implement tailored nutritional choices to optimize athletic recovery time, prevent athletic injury, and perform at one's athletic best. 

It is important to note that a person's predisposition to athletic success in their DNA will not make them an Olympic athlete from sitting on a couch. Athletic performance is based on genes and environmental factors. Therefore, the athletic phenotype is complex and should be considered multifactorial – One should consider their genes, lifestyle, and nutrition to express their inherited athletic genes to perform their best.

This test is broken up into three categories related to sports performance: 

1) Injury susceptibility

2) Recovery

3) Power and endurance performance

 The heritability of mental health disorders is significant, and a person’s genetic predisposition to these disorders should be considered. There are multiple genetic variations (or SNP) that are involved in the processes of mental health disorders that can give immense insight into the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of these diseases. 

DNA Mind tests analyze 37 gene variations that are significantly associated with mental health disorders of the following:

1) Neurodegenerative disorders, such as mild cognitive decline & late-onset Alzheimer’s disease

2) Mood regulation, such as depression, bipolar disorder, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress disorder

3) Addictive behavior, such as alcohol/nicotine/cannabis/opioid dependence, eating disorders (binge eating), psychosis response from cannabis use, and adrenaline-seeking/risk-taking behavior. 

These genes relate to key biological processes involved in lipid metabolism, inflammation, methylation, stress response, Wnt and cell signaling, the endo-cannabinoid pathway, and hormonal pathways. Understanding a person’s individual genotype will offer biochemical insights to achieve efficient interventional strategies for mental health disorders.