Nutrigenomics

Genomics is changing the future of health and medicine. Developments in genetic testing enables us to look in detail at our DNA – the chemical instructions present in every body cell that make us who we are and drive every body function. 

This biological code doesn’t just impact gender, height, and eye colour. It tells the body how to do everything, including how well you absorb and use specific nutrients like vitamins, affecting your nutrient needs. It impacts production of sex hormones, reproduction and fertility, and neurotransmitters, influencing thinking and emotional wellbeing. It regulates how well your cells can grow and repair, even how efficiently they produce energy, or how readily you store excess energy as fat. In short, it’s the very code of life.

But we are not all the same. Common variations in our genetic code, called SNPs (Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms), result in small but important differences in function, affecting, for example, how much of a chemical in the body is made, how well it works or how our cells respond to it. These SNPs don’t create ill-health in themselves, but in combination they can affect our energy, mental wellbeing, detoxification and beyond, impacting health and contributing to development of specific health conditions. Looking at your genetic differences unlocks a personal health blueprint, offering a detailed insight into your unique biological strengths and weaknesses and a deeper understanding of your health.

Of course the environment plays a big part too. What we do and what we are exposed to interacts with our body’s ability dynamically. If we are not very good at processing caffeine, it does not matter if we’re not exposed to caffeine. But if we are, understanding that can help us reduce our intake of coffee perhaps, or support the system to handle it more effectively.

Nutrigenomics looks at how these nutrition and lifestyle factors impact our genetic potential. We can’t change our genes, but we can change what we do to make them less significant. Nutrigenomic testing gives us an understanding of how our life choices interact with what makes us tick, so we can make positive changes that align with our genetics and optimise our health and wellbeing.

There are thousands of potential genes and SNPs we could look at and many companies offering to test your genes. But this is complex stuff, and your genetic information is precious. We can test your genes and provide you with thousands of lines of complex data, but that would not be useful. So as well as providing a DNA Test Kit, we also interpret the data for you through our unique Nutrigenomics Reports.

More information can be found in our Common Nutrigenomics Testing Questions support document.