23andme cannabis information provides insights into dependency and side effects that this drug could possibly bring about. According to the National Survey on Drug Use and Health, 22.2 million people used it in a month in the U.S. This makes it the most popularly used contraband drug in the world, and the most widely used among the younger population. Certain estimates state that 1% of the European population use cannabis every day.
Why is using 23andme data for identifying the response to Cannabis important?
Cannabis is now being introduced in a few states for medicinal purpose. To better manage the problems associated with cannabis use, the 23andme cannabis data can be used for
Finding out the risk of addiction will help in putting together effective management strategies that will restrict use, solely for medicinal purpose.
What are some of negative aspects of cannabis use?
The regular use of cannabis can lead to
Understanding the heredity pattern of 23andme cannabis dependence
There have always been speculation that cannabis and other narcotic drug use runs in the family. There have been moderate parent-child and sibling association with cannabis dependence.
A study by Merikangas et al.showed that there was increased risk for cannabis use disorders among children and siblings. A meta analysis of twin studies conducted showed that genetic influence on cannabis use was
The same study showed that the genetic influence on problematic cannabis use was
CB1 and CB2 receptors - cannabis binding receptors
The cannabinoid receptor 1 is a G protein-coupled receptor and is known to modulate the effects of cannabis. A high concentration of this receptor is expressed on axons and terminals of neurons and glial elements, via the central nervous system. These receptors are also found in thyroid, liver, pituitary and fat cells, apart from the spinal cord.
One of the important roles of the CB1 receptor is to modulate the release of neurotransmitters which are known to maintain homeostasis by preventing excessive neuronal activity in the central nervous system. The body produces certain cannabinoids, known as endocannabinoids, that bind to these receptors to keep the excitatory neurotransmitters under control. Certain studies have also shown that these receptors are associated with the regulation of food intake, and thereby, in obesity.
The other cannabinoid receptor, CB2, has been associated with a number of disease conditions including atherosclerosis, neurodegenerative disease, neuropathy and cancer. This receptor is found in certain neurons and, largely, in immune cells. Specifically, these receptors are present on T and B cells of the immune system, as well as in the peripheral nervous system, gastrointestinal system and in the central nervous system.
Use your 23andme cannabis data to find your cannabis response
In a study conducted by Hopfer et al, among people of different ethnicities Caucasian, Hispanic and African-American, people with the G allele for rs806380 were found to have a protective effect.
Upload your 23andme raw data or your Ancestry DNA raw data to find the variant of rs806380 that you carry.
| Genotype | Phenotype |
|---|---|
| AA | [Advantage] More likely to have decreased risk of cannabis dependence |
| CT | More likely to have moderately decreased risk of cannabis dependence |
| TT | Normal |
Ancestry raw data can be used to identify variants in multiple genes that have been shown to be associated with initiation of cannabis use or symptoms of dependence. Of significance are rs806368 (CRB1), rs1406977 (CNR1), rs1049353 (CNR1) rs2501432 (CRB2), rs324420 (FAAH) and more.
Can 23andme cannabis data be used to identify craving and withdrawal symptoms?
Research studies have shown that the genetic variants carried by an individual can be used to determine the following
Craving for cannabis: The mesocorticolimbic dopamine transmission, modulated by CB1 binding, has been associated with feelings of cannabis craving. Craving and absence of control over drug use can lead to severe addiction.
Withdrawal symptoms: There is a decrease in mesocorticolimbic dopamine transmission, which is mediated by lowered CB1 binding
Cannabis sensitivity: Sensitivity to cannabis is associated with genetic variants carried, with positive reactions during early teens associated with greater risk of dependence later.
In a study conducted by researchers from Mind Research Network, Yale, showed that people with the C allele of FAAH C385A had greater craving for cannabis on abstinence, more severe withdrawal symptoms and increased positive association and fewer negative association on cannabis use.
How will finding out 23andme cannabis variant help?
Our body produces its own version of cannabis: Endocannabinoids like anandamide are synthesized by the body which can be used to produce the positive feeling and reduce cravings among people at high risk.
DNA raw data can be used to identify cannabis dependence, craving, withdrawal symptoms and sensitivity which will help in moderating intake based on effect. Information on cannabis response is provided as part of Xcode’s substance dependence report.
References:
A lot of websites restrict their list to a comparison between the big four: 23andme, Ancestry DNA, Family Tree DNA (FT DNA), Geno 2.0 (National Geographic). We have expanded our list to include more companies who are doing equally good work offering reports on not just ancestry but other aspects of your lifestyle like fitness, nutrition, health, allergies and many more
DNA based reports can be broadly classified as being obtained from clinical genetic tests and consumer genetic tests.
Clinical DNA tests
These tests are done clinical genetic conditions and are FDA regulated. These tests form the second line of diagnosis for diseases like cancer. It may be done for 2 major reasons. Firstly, you have been screened by various preliminary tests and the results point to a suspected genetic condition like cancer, Alzheimer's or other degenerative or chronic/acute conditions. A genetic test will confirm the mutation you harbor so that the appropriate targeted treatment can begin. For example, HER2/neu gene mutation is associated with a particularly aggressive form of breast cancer. However, when detected early using tests like Fluorescent in situ Hybridization (FISH) or real-time PCR, patients who test positive for the mutation actually have a good prognosis. They can be started on the monoclonal antibody drug called Trastuzumab or Herceptin. The second reason stems from pedigree analysis. When you have a family history of particular conditions like cancer and Alzheimer's it is best to get screened for those mutations and start early treatment if necessary. Clinical DNA tests many a time require samples from specific regions of your body like blood, bone marrow aspirates, tissue biopsies etc.
Consumer DNA tests
Consumer DNA tests are basically for anyone who wants to know more about themselves. These reports are not FDA regulated. There are a variety of reports to chose, ranging from ancestry to nutrition and fitness reports. Such tests are now popular due to the option of home DNA test kit that enables the customer to collect their own sample in the comfort of their home. Mostly saliva samples suffice and the samples do not have to be tissue/organ specific. Some of the popular home DNA test kit are discussed below.
Autosomal DNA is that DNA that does not contribute to gender; in other words, the first 22 pairs of chromosomes. It does not rely on the 23rd chromosome, hence these tests are applicable for all sexes. When it comes to ancestry testing, autosomal DNA test is routinely employed. The results are indicated as percentages of your genetic match with various ethnicities listed in a reference database.
Y chromosome is found in males. Y chromosome is exclusively passed on from father to son and so on without intermixing with genetic material from mother. Hence, Y chromosome testing is used to trace the paternal lineage in men. All the way back to the Y chromosome “Adam” who is considered the closest male ancestor.
The mitochondria is another organelle in the cell of body that contains the genetic material. The mitochondrial DNA is transferred from generation to generation through the mother. During the process where the egg and the sperm unite, only the head of the sperm penetrates the egg. The mitochondria that are found in the sperms is left out. Consequently, we get the mitochondrial DNA only from our mothers. Mitochondrial DNA testing is used to locate your living relatives even if they are the most distant of your cousins.
Family Tree DNA
Family Tree DNA was established in 2000. A veteran in the genealogy reports business, they have the longest history of offering genetic genealogy information to consumers and professionals alike. They are currently the leading choice among professional genealogists when it comes to getting genealogy information. They are the official testing partner for the Genographic Project of National Geographic. They offer all three kinds of genealogy tests, namely, the autosomal DNA test, Y chromosome report for tracing your paternal lineage and mitochondrial DNA based report for tracing your maternal lineage. In comparison to companies like 23andme and Ancestry DNA, they have a smaller database. They do not offer any other kinds of wellness reports.
Ancestry DNA
By far the most popular company providing genetic genealogy based information, Ancestry DNA has a database of over six million reference sets of DNA results for comparison. Owing to their vast customer base they have also amassed a strong genealogical community. They offer the service of connecting people according to their DNA matches through anonymous email and message system. You can link your DNA results to your online family tree. They store your genetic data indefinitely. Ancestry DNA used to offer analysis of mitochondrial DNA and the Y chromosome lineage separately. However, they no longer offer that service. Members of the ancestry DNA genealogy community have the option of opting out of sharing their DNA results. This may not sound too good for those of you who are eager to find your family or learn about additions to them. Ancestry DNA does not allow raw data uploads from other websites. Requires an ongoing subscription to the site to use their online family tree functionality. Does not allow raw data uploads from other sites
23andMe
23andMe is another popular ancestry genetic report service provider. In addition to this, they also offer health and wellness reports. They have a large database of more than one million reference datasets predominantly from customers in Western countries. Due to this, their references to other populations like the East Asian populations are not detailed. They even mention this in their reports and discourage such customers from buying their kit. They have an online chromosome browser for comparing results. Compared to the other websites like Ancestry DNA they have a limited genealogical community and thereby limited ability to contact matches. They do not allow upload of raw data from other sites. They also offer health and wellness reports, unlike the other major companies. However, this is not part of the basic fee and will need to be purchased separately.
Living DNA
Living DNA ancestry genetic reports are known for their detailed breakup of the regions into many more groups than any other company in the world. For example, they have about 21 regional categories for Britain and Ireland alone and about 80 around the world. They do not have any separate autosomal DNA test, so theirs is the highest overall price (Disclaimer: Companies tend to change their pricing. Please visit their website for the most recent price). They do not have any database or any other way to find or contact matches.
National Geographic
National Geographic’s Genographic project known as Genos 2.0 has been doing rounds for quite some time. They have partnered with Family Tree DNA. They provide autosomal, Y chromosome and mitochondrial DNA tests. Their pricing is affordable, but only if you are willing to be a participant in their global research effort. Their paternal lineage test is limited. They do not offer a stand-alone autosomal DNA-only ancestry report. They do not provide you with features to find your matches among their genealogical community. They do not accept raw data uploads from other companies. They provide only home DNA test kit.
Also, read:
Analyze Ancestry DNA Raw Data: 7 Reports You Do Not Want to Miss
23andme Raw Data Analysis: 10 Amazing Tools for Health Reports
Xcode Life
Xcode Life generates reports using DNA raw data files from all the ancestry test providers listed above and several more. Check out the complete list here. Xcode covers more than 50 traits between Nutrition and Fitness alone. Personalized reports on Health, Skin, Allergies and Precision Medicine are generated both from DNA raw data and from saliva samples. More than 500 genetic variants are analyzed for the diet and fitness modules. A quick TAT of <24 hours for reports from the raw data. The expert-curated topical reports are based on publicly available literature from a range of resources like SNPedia, UK Biobank, Clinvar, OMIM, and leading scientific journals to name a few.
DNA Fit
Is is a UK-based personalized fitness genetics company. They provide DNA test kits and accept raw data only from 23andMe. They also accept buccal swab samples. Offer more than 20 traits for nutrition and fitness measuring more than 45 genetic markers. Reports from DNAFit aim at giving insights on both nutrition and fitness. The reports are structured and easy to understand. They have a general turn around time of 2 weeks. They do not allow you to download your raw data. They have a non-disclosure of data policy that protects customers against third-party agents. It has recently been acquired by Prenatics
Fitness Genes
Does not accept raw data from other companies. Focus mostly on fitness around 10-12 fitness traits. They measure around 40 genetic markers. Have a 2 week turnaround time. Cannot download your raw DNA data. Have a non-disclosure of data policy.
Athletigen
Raw data 23andme and Ancestry DNA is accepted. They cover around 30 traits of nutrition and fitness. Have a 6 week turnaround time. However, their recommendations are designed for people who are professional athletes. The report might be an overkill for an average individual looking to stay fit and healthy.
Pathway Genomics
A popular genomics company, which provides reports from their own saliva test. They do not accept raw data from any other company. More than 30 traits are covered for nutrition and fitness. Measure more than 50 genetic variants. Focus on nutrition, fitness, and skin. Have a 2 week turnaround time
As you may have gathered by now, there is no “best” company. Every company has its place depending upon your needs and requirements. Do consider these factors before making your decision. And most importantly it is very important to define for yourself as to what you want out of these tests. Once you have these figured you can make the best use of the DNA information in your life using the home DNA test kit.
Also read:
Top 5 Fitness Genetic Testing Companies
With companies like AncestryDNA, 23andme and Family Tree DNA reaching a customer database of several millions, it is safe to conclude that the public is in awe of this aspect of DNA information. DNA ancestry information is appealing to us because it connects us to our roots and tells us our own personal history. However, not all is happy and well with Ancestry DNA testing. Here are the things you must know and understand before going for an ancestry DNA test.
Several individuals experience dissatisfaction from their ancestry DNA test results. For many, the ancestry results reveal too little and tell an incomplete history. Many individuals hop from one company to another to fill this void, but experience more dissatisfaction. It helps to understand why this is the case and what can be done to get the best possible DNA Ancestry test results.
When you open a typical ancestry genetic report you are presented with a summary table containing names of populations and their proportions in percentages. You may be wondering as to how they were arrived at? These population labels are basically part of a database to which your Ancestry DNA data was compared against. Depending upon which ones you are closely matched with, your ancestry is estimated to belong to those groups. For example, if there are five populations in the table and your match 20% with population A, and 40% with population B etc., your ancestry is reported as such.
The key is the “original” reference database, which is presumed to be composed of individuals from relatively homogeneous ethnic groups. If the groups from which you derived your ancestral DNA are not part of the reference groups, then you will not find a match or find a poor or inaccurate match. Many computational parameters are involved in the process. Owing to this, the results vary depending upon which company did the analysis and how it was done. Lack of appropriate reference labels for specific populations and labeling some populations as part of other populations may be some reasons why companies like 23andme and others do not provide appropriate detailed ancestry results for Asians and other populations. For example, South Asians might broadly mean people from Afghanistan, Sri Lanka, India, Bangladesh etc.
Since humans migrated out of Africa about 4,00,000 years ago, various human populations have developed distinctive genetic signatures. As an example, people of various countries write certain English words differently though the alphabets and grammatical rules are the same. For example, the word color is spelt as colour or vice versa. Based on how differently its spelt, one may estimate the place in which it was written. In a very similar way, by looking at specific genetic signatures, one can estimate the geographical location in the past of the person carrying that signature. This in essence is ancestry testing.
All the data that is obtained from aforementioned means are cumulatively called the reference data sets. Each company has its own reference data sets and this largely depends on the customer base. The more the variety and the number of customers the more confident and detailed will be the estimates. For example a company like 23andme has detailed estimates for the European population but underrepresented South Asian data sets. Hence for a South Asian who gets a 23andme ancestry genetic test report that says 97% South Asian cannot make much of the report.
Ancestry DNA testing has become very popular worldwide. The sheer number of people interested in ancestry analysis is incredible. Sample this, Ancestry DNA sold 1.5 million ancestry DNA test kits between Black Friday and Cyber Monday. For people of mostly European ancestry, the existing ancestry DNA companies do a reasonable job. However, for people of other ancestries such as South Asian and East Asian and others, the existing tests leave much to be desired. You may want to explore niche offerings such as Xcode’s Origin which provides global ancestry composition, also present a deep dive into south asian ancestry. This is a welcome development for nearly 2 billion south asians whose needs for accurate ancestry estimates were largely unmet until the launch of Xcode’s origin ancestry analysis test. Xcode’s ancestry genetic test is the first and the only DNA based ancestry test to have a detailed South Asian population analysis. Given below is the table of all the populations and groups we consider and their labels.
| Major Population | Sub populations/Ethnic groups |
|---|---|
| Africa | Biaka Pygmy, Mbuti Pygmy, Mandenka, Yoruba, San, Bantu, Maasai, Luhya, Gambians, Mende, Esan |
| Europe | French, Sardinian, Orcadian, Italian, Tuscan, Basque, Adygei, Utah Residents (CEPH) with Northern and Western European Ancestry, Finnish, British, Iberian, Serbia, Macedonia, Bosnia, Kosovo, Montenegro, Latvian, Greece, Slovenian, Slovakia, Belarusian, Abhkasians, Balkars, Chechens, Mordovia, Nogay, Ukraine, Bulgaria, North Ossetia, Kumyks, Armenia, Georgia, Chuvash, Hungary, România, Lithuania, Azerbaijan, Estonian, Spanish |
| South Asia | Gujarati, Punjabi, Sindhi, SriLankan Tamils,Indian Telugus, Bengali, Brahmins from Uttar Pradesh, Burmese, Charmar, Dharkar, Dusadh, Ho, Kallar, Kanjar, Kol, Kshatriya, Muslims of Indo-European origin, Pulliyar, Tribe from Uttar Pradesh, Velmas, Naga |
| Central Asia & Middle East | Uzbeks, Hazara, Pashtun, Tadjik, Turkmen, Druze, Palestine, Brahui, Balochi, Makrani, Pathan, Kalash, Burusho, Turkish, Syrian, Lebanese, Iraqi, Iranian, Jordan, Saudi, Yemen, Kurd, Cyprus, Parsi, Samaritan |
| East Asia | Japanese, Han, Tujia, Yi, Miao, Oroqen, Daur, Mongola, Hezhen, Xibo, Dai, Lahu, She, Naxi, Tu, Uygur, Nonspecific Chinese |
| Southeast Asia | Dasun, Kankaney, Filipino, Malay, Murut, Cambodian, Vietnamese |
| Oceania | Melanesian, Papuan |
| America | Colombian, Surui, Maya, Karitiana, Pima, Puerto Ricans, Peruvians, Mexicans |
Being fit is good, being DNAfit is ideal! DNA testing for a variety of uses has caught on big these days and DNA fitness testing is no exception to this trend. With an enormous amount of time, money and energy invested in fitness and exercise these days, it only makes sense that you do what your body is optimally designed for.
Many aspects of your physical well-being are influenced by genetic factors and learning about what testing for DNA fitness is all about will help you choose between different fitness genetic testing companies. We had previously written a piece on the top 5 fitness genetic testing companies. Deciding between the various service providers requires you to be aware of the product features, their usefulness and of course the price. In our blog series, we try to do the homework for you, so that you can decide objectively.
A key factor to consider while choosing your DNAfit testing service provider is the number of DNAfit genetic markers tested. Some companies test only for a few fitness genes while some others carry out genetic testing for thousands of variants. Most fitness traits are multigenic, meaning there are multiple genes which could influence a single aspect of your fitness. Another important factor that should influence your decision to send your saliva sample is the way your reports are presented. Almost all genetic testing companies provide you with a sample report. You can use that to gauge how well you understand the information presented in the DNAfit report.
DNAFit is a UK based personal fitness DNA testing company that specializes in providing diet and fitness recommendations based on your DNA information both using home DNA kits and using DNA raw data from ancestry DNA test service providers like from 23andme. DNAFit is one of the top DNA fitness testing companies in the world. DNAfit provides genetic reports as well as personalized coaching through their network of coaches and trainers.
Xcode Life is a global personal genomics DNA testing company. Xcode specializes in providing detailed DNA fitness reports and actionable recommendations based on your DNA profile. Besides DNAfit reports, Xcode Life also provides nutrition, allergy, ancestry, precision medicine and health reports.
Also read: 15 Amazing Genetic Facts About Sports, Fitness and Athletic Performance
| S.N | Feature of Comparison | Xcode Life | DNAFit |
| 1 | Overview | Offers SNP genotyping of DNA from saliva sample | Offers SNP genotyping of DNA from buccal swab. |
| 2 | Raw data accepted from | ➤23andMe ➤Ancestry.com ➤ Family tree DNA ➤ Genos ➤ DNA land ➤all other major international data providers. (full list) | Accepted only from 23andme and Ancestry DNA |
| 3 | No. Of Fitness Traits | 45+ traits for nutrition and fitness | 20+ traits for nutrition and fitness |
| 4 | No. of Genetic Variants Tested | More than 300 genetic variants | 45 genetic variants |
| 3 | Products offered | Nutrition, Fitness, Health, Ancestry, Allergy, skin | Nutrition, Fitness, Wellness |
| 4 | No. of years of service | 7 years (2010) | 4 years (2013) |
| 5 | Results turnaround | Same-day with raw data from 23andme and other companies | Same-day with raw data only from 23andme |
| 7 | Report Structure | Reports cover certain important traits. Well structured and easy to understand | Reports contain recommendations that cater mostly to elite or professional athletes. |
| 8 | Counseling services offered | One counseling session |
Two counseling sessions, one with a dietician and one with a sports scientist |
| 9 | Recommendations | ➤ Actionable recommendations provided in the report
➤ Personalized diet chart, post nutritional counseling | Recommendations provided based on genetic information, online genetically matched meal planner, online genetically matched exercise portal. |
| 12 | Cost | 20$ (with your 23andme data) | From $89 for a kit From $64 for a 23andMe or Ancestry upload |
| 13 | Raw Data | Available on request | Raw data cannot be downloaded |
Also read: 5 Biggest Misconceptions About Genetic Testing
Getting and staying fit has become a top priority for many of us given the numerous physical, mental and health benefits that come with it. However, many people find it difficult to navigate the spectrum of exercises, routines, videos, blogs, experts and a variety of other info that is now available. Not to mention the vast varieties of equipment, supplements, products, programs etc. Though many of these are a fad, there are genuine scientific advances being made in the domain of human physical performance, that can have a huge impact on your training and the results you see. One such advancement is testing fitnessgenes-, the genes that influence human physical and physiological performance.
If you are unfamiliar with how fitnessgenes influence human physical performance, I recommend reading this blog first, which lists prominent examples of fitness genes.
Picture this, individuals with a specific variant of the ACTN3 gene, which is one of the most studied fitnessgenes have muscles which contract powerfully at high speeds because they secrete a specific protein called alpha actinin. This variant is commonly seen in Olympic sprinters compared to marathoners. The nature of your muscles, whether slow or fast-twitch is 45% dependant on genetic factors like your ACTN3 gene variant. This is nearly a 50%, a figure hard to ignore.
We intuitively recognize that fitnessgenes explain the difference not only in baseline human physicality but also, influence how different bodies respond to different exercises. Thus, as an individual who is committed to investing a certain number of hours in the gym on a regular basis, it helps to understand the genetic nature of your body.
Fitnessgenes testing has become popular recently with a number of companies offering services in this domain. We recently wrote a blog comparing the top 5 fitness genetics companies in the world. In this blog we offer a one to one comparison between two leading fitness genes testing company, Fitness Genes and Xcode Life Sciences.
FitnessGenes
Fitness Genes analyses specific genes with specific characteristics associated with fitness like muscle strength, recovery, metabolism, power/endurance profile etc.
| S.N | Feature of Comparison | Xcode Life | FitnessGenes |
| 1 | Type of genetic testing | Offers SNP genotyping from saliva | Offers SNP genotyping from saliva |
| 2 | Service providers of raw data accepted | ➤23andMe
➤Ancestry.com ➤ Family tree DNA ➤ Genos 2.0 ➤ DNA land ➤ all other major international data providers. |
Fitnessgenes does not accept raw data from ancestry DNA companies |
| 3 | No. Of Fitness Traits | Fitness traits – more than 15
Nutrition Traits- more than 30 New traits are added regularly |
Around 10-12 traits |
| 4 | Genetic variants tested | 300+ genetic variants | 40 genetic variants |
| 5 | Types of products offered | Nutrition, Fitness, Health, Ancestry, Allergy, Skin
Upcoming: Methylation and Detox analysis, Personality |
Focusses on fitness gene only |
| 6 | No. of years of service | 7 years (2010) | 4 years (2013) |
| 7 | Results turnaround | same day with 23andme data | 2 weeks |
| 8 | Report Structure | Reports cover certain important traits. Well structured and easy to understand | Reports cover certain important traits. Well structured and easy to understand |
| 9 | Counseling services | one counselling session | One counseling session with an expert |
| 10 | Recommendations | 1) Actionable recommendations provided in the report
2) Personalized diet chart, post nutritional counseling |
Recommendations provided based on genetic information |
| 11 | Price | 20$ (with your 23andme data) | Varies from 499$- 199$ |
| 12 | Downloadable Raw Data | Raw data with ~700,000 data points can be downloaded | Raw data not available |
Summary:
So, there you have it. If you need an in-depth report covering a large number of genetic markers at a reasonable price, Xcode Life is the choice to make. If you want personal training program and coaching to go with your genetic report, then Fitnessgenes could be the one for you.
As always, happy DNA testing!
Also read: DNAFit and Xcode Life and how to choose between DNA testing companies
DNA Testing: Which Genetic Test is right for me?
Nutrigenomics and Nutrigenetics describe the science of how genes interact with your nutrition. Though we inherently recognize by observing that two people eating the same food can have significantly different outcomes. For example, not all individuals who consume high carbs become fat, and not all obese people consume high carbs. One can find many such anomalies that seem to contradict conventional wisdom, suggesting that something more intrinsic is involved in these outcomes than just what we eat and what we do.
Here are 15 incredible nutrigenomics facts, which are sure to pique your interest and make you want to understand your genetics:
Nutrigenomics Fact 1: Nearly 70% of people have a genetic variant in the ADORA2A gene that is associated with poor sleep on increased consumption of caffeine.
Nutrigenetics Fact 2: About 65% of people carry a variant of the MTHFD1 gene that is associated with an increased risk of fatty liver on low choline intake.
Nutrigenomics Fact 3: 60% of people have a variant of the AGT gene which is shown to be associated with an increased risk for hypertension on high salt intake.
Nutrigenetics Fact 4: Nearly 15% of people have a variant of the APOA2 gene which is shown to be associated with an increased risk for obesity on high saturated fat intake.
Nutrigenomics Fact 5: Nearly 97.5% of the African American population carries a variant of the FADS1 gene, which is associated with an increased need for plant sources of PUFA. While only 50.6% of Europeans and 0% of Central Americans carry this variant.
Nutrigenetics Fact 6: Nearly 10% of people have a genetic variant in the MTHFR gene, which is associated with an increased risk of birth defects when folate levels are low.
Nutrigenomics Fact 7: About 5% of the global population carries a genetic variant in the G6PD gene that is associated with glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase deficiency, a condition that is mostly triggered by the consumption of fava beans.
Nutrigenetics Fact 8: About 0.2% of the global population carries a genetic variant in the HFE gene and is predisposed to Hemochromatosis when its iron intake is high.
Nutrigenomics Fact 9: About 0.2% of the global population carries a genetic variant of the SI gene, which is associated with sucrase-isomaltase deficiency when their sucrose intake is high.
Nutrigenetics Fact 10: About 0.005% of the global population carries a genetic variant in the ALDOB gene, which is associated with hereditary fructose intolerance when their fructose intake is high. About 1 in 50 adults is heterozygous for a non-functional ALDOB variant and are predisposed to hereditary fructose intolerance when their fructose intake is high.
Nutrigenomics Fact 11: About 58% of Japanese men have a genetic variant in the ALDH gene, which is associated with enhanced alcohol dehydrogenase activity and enables them to have more drinks than non-carriers.
Nutrigenetics Fact 12: About 65% of the global population carries a variant in the CYP1A2 gene, which is associated with fast metabolism of caffeine and lowered the risk for heart attack by almost 52% compared to slow metabolizers.
Nutrigenomics Fact 13: About 23% of the global population carries a variant in the AMY1 gene, which is associated with low copy numbers of the gene and reduced ability to digest starch.
[or]
70% of people from agricultural populations have an AMY1 copy number variant which is shown to be associated with better starch digestion and a lower risk of obesity when compared to 37% of non-agricultural populations
Nutrigenetics Fact 14: According to a nationwide study conducted by Metropolis Healthcare on Vitamin D, Vitamin B12, and Vitamin B9 (Folic Acid), 75% of the population has shown alarming levels of deficiency.
Nutrigenomics Fact 15: About 50% of the global population have variants in the TAS2R38 gene, which is associated with increased bitter taste perception and decreased consumption of vegetables.
Updated May 13, 2023
