SOD1 Gene: Your Antioxidant Defense System
Our body has built-in antioxidants that fight against cellular stress. The superoxide dismutase enzyme fights against oxidative stress in your cells.
Detoxification & Medication Metabolism
We break down toxins and medications using specific detoxification pathways and enzymes. Genetic variants (SNPs) in detoxification genes can cause some people to be more sensitive to environmental toxins or medications. The goal here is to understand which phase 1 and phase II detoxification genes may cause problems for you in conjunction with exposure to toxicants, heavy metals, or medications.
Where to start?
- Start with the Phase I and Phase II Detoxification Overview
- Interesting: Are you a fast or slow metabolizer of caffeine (CYP1A2 gene)?
- Reacting to everything? Check out multiple chemical sensitivity.
- Worried about endocrine disruptors like phthalates or BPA?
Members: Start with the Detoxification Topic Summary Report for a quick overview of all your genetic variants related to how you detox or metabolize different compounds.
Latest articles on Detoxification & Metabolism of Medications:
CYP3A4 Gene: Impacting Prescription Drugs
The CYP3A family of genes is involved in metabolizing about half of the drugs on the market today. Check your genes to see if you carry variants that impact the speed at which you metabolize medications.
CYP2C9: Genetic Variants and Drug Metabolism
Have you ever wondered why certain medications don’t work well for you? Genetic variants can change how fast or how slow the medication is broken down in your body. Learn how the CYP2C9 variants impact quite a few prescription medications.
CYP2A6: Breaking down nicotine and other medications
How many cigarettes a day a person smokes – and how hard it is for them to quit – is at least partly dependent on the CYP2A6 gene. This enzyme also metabolizes several important cancer drugs.
CYP1A1: Detoxifying Cigarette Smoke and Estrogen
This phase I detoxification gene is important in the breakdown of the hydrocarbons produced in smoke and air pollution. It also affects the metabolism of estrogen.
Should you eat organic? Detoxifying Neonicotinoids
Is buying organic worth the extra cost? Pesticides that are sprayed on conventionally grown foods affect people differently. Some people carry genetic variants that decrease their ability to detoxify specific pesticides, others may be more resilient. This is Part One in a multipart series on pesticide detoxification. (Member’s article)
Tamiflu: Genetic reasons it may not work for you
Genetic variants impact how well the flu antiviral medication, Tamiflu, works for an individual. Learn how your genes impact this medication. (Member’s article)
Allergy Medicine: Why Fexofenadine Works Better for Some People
Ever wonder why a certain medication may work great for a friend and do nothing for you? One reason could be the genes involved in transporting the medication into and out of your cells. This article looks at the research studies on fexofenadine and the Multidrug Resistance Protein variants.
Alcohol Genes: Alcohol Metabolism Rate
Wondering why you don’t react the same way to alcohol as your friends do? Some people metabolize alcohol faster leaving a build-up of acetaldehyde. Learn more about why this can be a health problem for some.
Will statins give you muscle pain?
Statins are one of the most prescribed medications in the world. One side effect of statins is myopathy, or muscle pain and weakness. Your genetic variants are significant in whether you are likely to have side effects from statins.
BPA: How Your Genes Influence BPA Detoxification
BPA, a chemical found in some plastics, has been linked to a variety of health issues in people. Learn more about BPA and the research into genetic responses to this chemical.
Should you eat organic? Genes that influence pyrethroid metabolism.
Pyrethroids are commonly found in household insecticides. Genetic variants can impact how fast or slowly you break down the chemical. Learn more about this chemical in part 3 of a pesticide series.
Should you eat organic? Detoxifying Organophosphates
Is buying organic worth the extra cost? There isn’t a one-size-fits-all answer to that question. Pesticides that are sprayed on conventionally grown foods affect people differently. Some people carry genetic variants that decrease their ability to detoxify specific pesticides, others may be more resilient. This is Part Two in a multipart series on pesticide detoxification.
Opioid Receptors: Variants and addiction
Genetic variants in the ORPM1 gene impact both the amount of pain someone experiences and their response to opioid drugs. These variants are also important in susceptibility to opiate addiction. (Member’s article)
Gulf War Illness: Genetic susceptibility and current research
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.
Is the nootropic drug modafinil likely to work for you?
Modafinil is being used as a nootropic drug that increases alertness and gives a sense of well-being — to some users. Like most drugs, individual results seem to vary. Discover if this could be a viable option for you.
Detoxification Summary Report
Utilize our Detoxification Topic 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)
NAT1 and NAT2: N-acetyltransferases and Phase II Detoxification
N-acetyltransferase is a phase II detoxification enzyme that gets rid of several types of toxicants. It helps your body eliminate aromatic amines, drugs, cigarette smoke, and carcinogens.