Your genes interact with your diet and lifestyle to influence your susceptibility to many common diseases such as diabetes, PCOS, and migraines. Learn how to use your genetic data to discover your risk for chronic conditions, find the right solutions, and prevent diseases before they occur.
Member’s: Check out the Disease Prevention Topic Summary Report for a quick overview of all your genetic variants related to disease prevention.
A genetic mutation in the SERPINA1 gene causes alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency. This increases a person’s susceptibility to COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease) and, in some cases, cirrhosis of the liver. Knowing that you carry this mutation can be a great incentive to avoid smoking and to be kind to your liver.
We often talk about diabetes as though it is one disease, but diabetes can have several different causes or pathways that are impacting glucose regulation. Tailoring your diabetes prevention (or reversal) efforts to fit your genetic susceptibility may be more effective. Use your genetic raw data to learn more about diabetes and your genetic risk.
Skin cancer is the most common form of cancer and many forms are highly treatable if caught early. Learn more about the different types of skin cancer, your genetic risks, and lifestyle changes to help reduce risk.
Utilize our Disease Prevention Summary Reports with your 23andMe or AncestryDNA genetic data to see which articles may be most relevant to you. These summaries are attempting to distill the complex information down into just a few words. Please see the linked articles for details and complete references. (Member’s article)
Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is the most common cause of blindness in the elderly. You will find supplements specifically promoted for preventing AMD. This article explains age-related macular degeneration, delves into the genetic risks, and then explains which supplements are likely to be protective and which may do more harm than good.
For some people with specific genetic variants, aspirin may help to prevent colon cancer. Learn more about what the research says and check your genes.
More than just a sleep hormone, melatonin is at the heart of many health topics. Your genetic variants play a big role in the production of melatonin. Learn how your lifestyle and diet interact with your melatonin-related genes.
Depending on their processed meat intake, people who carry certain genetic variants are at an increased risk for colon cancer. You can check your genetic data to see if processed meat will likely increase colon cancer risk.
Kawasaki disease is an excessive inflammatory response that some children have due to viral or bacterial illnesses. Several genetic variants are tied to an increased susceptibility to Kawasaki disease.
High triglycerides are linked with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease. Both genetics and diet combine to elevate triglyceride levels. Learn how your genes interact with what you eat to lower your triglycerides.
A couple of common mutations can cause you to build up iron, leading to iron overload or hemochromatosis. It is one genetic disease where knowledge is really powerful – you can completely prevent hemochromatosis through blood donations.
The APOE gene variants are tightly linked with the risk of Alzheimer’s disease. Find out whether you carry the APOE risk type for Alzheimer’s – and learn what all of us can do via diet and lifestyle to prevent this disease.
The genetic link to gallstones centers around the genes involved in regulating the absorption of cholesterol from plants and the excretion of cholesterol from the body. Learn more about the genetic variants that increase your risk.
A core circadian rhythm gene, BMAL1, influences heart disease risk, diabetes, and cancer. Check your genes and learn how to mitigate the risk.
The hypoxia-inducible factor-1 alpha (HIF1A) gene codes for a transcription factor, that responds to the amount of oxygen available to the cell. This is important in cancer prevention, and several HIF1A genetic variants alter the susceptibility to several types of cancer.
It turns out that genetics plays a larger role here than you would think. It is estimated by researchers that the ‘heritability’ or genetic component of dental caries is about 50%. (Member’s article)
You brush, you floss, and your gums still bleed… perhaps you carry some of the genetic variants associated with gingivitis? Check your genetic data to see. (Member’s article)
For some people, back pain is a daily occurrence that drastically affects their quality of life. For others, it may be an intermittent nagging problem, often without rhyme or reason. Your genes play a role in whether disc degeneration gives you back pain.
Vitamin E is an antioxidant often recommended as a supplement to prevent everything from heart disease to skin aging. But does everyone actually benefit from vitamin E supplements?
Did you know that some people are resistant to HIV? People who carry two copies of the CCR5 delta-32 mutation are resistant to *most* strains of HIV. (Still not something to test out!) Check your genes to see if you carry this mutation.
Lyme disease recovery can vary. Whether you recover quickly or have chronic symptoms that include joint pain or arthritis, it may be due to the genetic variants that you carry.
Many genetic variants have been studied for Gulf War Illness. Take a look into the research behind the illness and discover some possible solutions to help with symptoms.
The body’s circadian clock regulates many different functions over the course of a 24-hour day. The genes that code for different parts of the circadian clock have a wide-ranging effect on sleep, mood, and overall health.
A genetic variant in a gene that regulates mitochondrial biogenesis (creation) along with a low PUFA diet can decrease diabetes 2 risk. Learn more about this connection and check your data.
Osteoporosis is a degenerative bone disease facing many of us as we age. Genetics plays a big role in susceptibility to osteoporosis. The good news here is that knowing where your genetic susceptibility lies can lead you to targeted, personalized solutions for osteoporosis. (Member’s article)
The genes involved in increasing risk for type-2 diabetes indicate some of the variations in causes: insulin release, metabolic syndrome, response to sugar, and zinc deficiency. Knowing how you are genetically susceptible to diabetes may help you to modify your diet appropriately.