DNA Test

DNA and epigenetics

Scientists have found that genes are turned on and off depending on the environment you are in, which is called epigenetics. Epigenetics is about the fact that the environment around us can activate or deactivate the gene without changing the DNA sequence itself. You will have your DNA with you for the rest of your life, while your environment can change drastically throughout your life. We can, so to speak, influence how our genes are expressed. There are also genes that are not environment-dependent, but these are tested in hospitals if there is suspicion of an unfortunate family history and this is one of the very rare cases.

Source: Netdoktor

What is DNA testing?

DNA testing has become more popular as personalized health has gained more interest in recent years. There are several different types of DNA tests, and the quality varies enormously depending on the research behind them.

Many genetic tests on the market do not take into account how much you can practically do with the results, and how much research is in each area. The DNA tests we use at Osteonordic have clinical relevance, which means that we can use them to understand you better and who can be influenced, and the research on the genes that are included in the tests is also very heavy and well-documented. However, it must be said that new discoveries are constantly being made in the field.

DNA testing immediately makes the most sense in these cases:

• Basic lifestyle habits are in control in terms of diet, smoking, alcohol, exercise, sleep and stress.
• You are an elite athlete and want deeper insight into how you can make an extra effort.
• There is a family history of diseases that you want to reduce the likelihood of contracting or you are already sick and want to better understand why.

There may be examples where the above does not make sense and there may be other scenarios where a DNA test makes sense anyway.

DNA-tests

There are many different types of DNA tests, but below we will briefly review the two types of DNA tests that we most often use.

DNA HEALTH

DNA Health, as the name suggests, provides insight into health. It includes, among other things, lipid metabolism, which is part of the risk of cardiovascular diseases, such as blood clots, but also neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s. It is important to understand that if your DNA profile has some disadvantages in these areas, it does not mean that you will definitely be affected by specific diseases. But it does mean that it is an area where we need to be extra careful when looking at your health profile and possibly have more measures in place to reduce the risk of disease.

DNA Health highlights, among other things:

• Advantages and disadvantages
• Insulin sensitivity disorders
• Methylation
• Bone strength
• Gluten and lactose intolerance
• Inflammation
• Detoxification/biotransformation
• Diabetes
• Osteoporosis
• Cancer
• Arthritis
• Intestinal diseases

… and much more. We all have places where we are robust, and others where we are more vulnerable, and DNA HEALTH therefore provides good insight into what it is important to target treatment towards.

DNA ACTIVE

DNA ACTIVE is a combination of the DNA SPORT and DNA DIET DNA tests. It includes virtually all parameters from both DNA SPORT and DNA DIET, which is why it is often the one we suggest if clients want an insight into that part of their genetics.

DNA ACTIVE looks at your abilities in explosiveness and endurance. This means that the test looks at your potential within these categories, but also how likely it is that you can succeed in these areas. DNA ACTIVE also looks at your recovery ability, injury risk and caffeine response, just to name a few. However, the test also provides insight into how you genetically store fat, burn carbohydrates, taste sweetness, feel satiety and much more.

DNA ACTIVE is therefore a relevant test if you want some deeper explanations as to why you might respond poorly to some forms of training, seem to get injured often or have difficulty losing those extra pounds.

However, all of this must be seen in light of all the other things we know are important when it comes to what can be done for performance, weight control, recovery, etc. It therefore doesn’t make much sense to use a DNA ACTIVE if you are primarily a leisure exerciser and don’t really care much about your health – or if you want to lose a few kilos but have never tried to change your exercise or diet before.

Other DNA tests

There are other DNA tests such as DNA MIND, DNA RESILIENCE and DNA OESTROGEN, which our Functional Medicine experts at Aarhus Osteopathy are able to analyze and pass on in a scientific and responsible manner.

With the above in mind, it is therefore often necessary to have an initial consultation to determine whether a DNA test is at all relevant in the individual case or whether there are other tests that would make more sense.