Your genes influence how well your cells absorb, transport, and utilize nutrients. We are all genetically different, and your genes give you unique dietary needs and strengths. Genetic data can give you a starting point to know where you may need more – or less – of a specific nutrient. It can also point to problems with specific foods, like dairy, or with a component of foods, like histamine or tyramine.
Here you will find the tools you need to dial in your nutrition. This isn’t a one-size-fits-all approach! No protocols here… Instead, you’ll learn which nutrients are likely important for you, and then pick from possible solutions in the Lifehacks section.
Members: Check out your Vitamins & Nutrients Summary Report
Latest articles:
Casein and Cow’s Milk Allergies
Cow’s milk allergy can be due to your immune system responding to casein or β-lactoglobulin. Genetic variants in immune-system genes increase susceptibility – along with environmental factors.
Vitamin K: Bone Strength, Blood Clots, Calcification, and Genetics
Genetic variations cause people to have higher or lower levels of vitamin K, which can affect blood clotting. Learn more about the genes that affect vitamin K and how it relates to your genetic raw data.
Vitamins & Micronutrients
Vitamins and micronutrients interact with genetic variants related to their absorption, transport into cells, conversion into their active form, and
Vitamin K: Bone Strength, Blood Clots, Calcification, and Genetics
Genetic variations cause people to have higher or lower levels of vitamin K, which can affect blood clotting. Learn more about the genes that affect vitamin K and how it relates to your genetic raw data.
Vitamin B6: Genetics, Absorption, and Deficiency
Vitamin B6 is an important co-factor in hundreds of different enzymatic reactions. Low levels of B6 are linked to an increased risk of diabetes, cardiovascular disease, neurodegenerative diseases, and cancer. B6 is also essential for reducing oxidative stress and inflammation.
Manganese: Genetic Interactions, Diet, and Supplements
Manganese is an essential mineral needed in the right amount. It is important for health as an antioxidant cofactor, but too much is neurotoxic.
Which Type of Choline Works Best with Your Genes?
Choline is an often neglected nutrient essential to a healthy diet. Your genes are important in how much and which types of choline you need.
MTHFR Mutation: What is it? How to check your raw data.
The MTHFR gene is important for how your body utilizes folate (vitamin B9) for creating neurotransmitters, detoxifying toxicants, and maintaining a healthy heart. Check your 23andMe or AncestryDNA data for the MTHFR C677T and A1298C variants.
MTR and MTRR Genes: Vitamin B12, Homocysteine, and Methylation
There are several genes that can influence your absorption, transport, and need for vitamin B12. Some people need higher amounts of B12, and some people thrive on different forms of B12. Take a look at your genetic data to see if you should up your intake of B12.
Wilson’s disease: ATP7B Gene Mutations and Copper Accumulation in the Brain
Mutations in ATP7B can cause copper dysregulation and Wilson’s disease. People carrying one copy of the mutation may also have subtle changes.
Magnesium Deficiency? Genes that Impact Magnesium Levels
Are your magnesium levels low? Understanding your genes can help you decide whether you may need more magnesium in your diet or via supplements.
Vitamin C: Nutrigenomics, Transport, and Genetic Deficiency
Like most nutrients, our genes affect how vitamin C is absorbed, transported, and used by the body. It can influence your risk for certain diseases and make a difference in the minimum amount of vitamin C you need to consume each day.
Thiamine: Genomics, Cellular Energy, and Cognitive Function
Also known as vitamin B1, thiamine is essential for energy production and brain function. Learn how your genes influence your need for thiamine.
Zinc genes: The healing power of zinc
Learn why zinc is important for your immune system and so much more. Find out how your genes impact your need for zinc and discover ways of boosting your zinc status.
Selenium and Your Genes
Selenium is a trace element found in certain foods. Learn how selenium is used in the body, why it is important, and how genetic variants can make someone more susceptible to problems with a selenium-deficient diet.
Vitamin D Genes
Your vitamin D levels are impacted by sun exposure and your genes. Learn more about how vitamin D is made in the body and how your genetic variants impact your levels.
Choline, An Essential Nutrient Impacted By Genes
An essential nutrient, your need for choline from foods is greatly influenced by your genes. Find out whether you should be adding more choline into your diet.
Vitamin E, Genetics, and Inflammation
Vitamin E, an antioxidant, is often promoted to prevent cardiovascular disease and LDL cholesterol oxidation. New research shows a genetic component to whether a person benefits from supplementation. Find out more by checking your genetic data.
Food Intolerances & Allergies
Food intolerances can be due to genetic variants that decrease specific enzymes needed to break down a food , such as lactase. Allergies are generally an interaction between genetic susceptibility and environmental factors.
Casein and Cow’s Milk Allergies
Cow’s milk allergy can be due to your immune system responding to casein or β-lactoglobulin. Genetic variants in immune-system genes increase susceptibility – along with environmental factors.
Histamine Intolerance: Genetic Report, Supplements, and Real Solutions
Genetics plays a big role in how well your body breaks down histamine. You can use your genetic data to figure out if your genes are part of the reason why you have histamine intolerance.
Fructose Intolerance: Hereditary or Dietary?
Fructose intolerance can be due to a rare mutation in the ALDOB gene or it can be due to reduced intestinal absorption.
Nickel Allergy: Genetics, causes, natural solutions
Nickel allergy can cause sensitivity to foods that contain nickel. Learn about how genes increase susceptibility and solutions.
Lactose Intolerance: How to Check Your Genetic Data
Your genes control whether you are likely to produce lactase as an adult. Check your 23andMe or other genetic data to see if you are likely to enjoy a big glass of milk.
Tyramine Intolerance: Metabolism of Tyramine
Tyramine intolerance happens when you can’t break it down. Too much tyramine can lead to a hypertensive crisis. Learn more and check your genetic raw data for results.
Mushroom Intolerance: Ergothioneine and the OCTN1 Gene
Mushrooms contain a healthy antioxidant called ergothioneine. But for people with a SLC22A4 genetic variant, this antioxidant can be too much of a good thing, leading to intestinal problems. Check your genetic data to see if you carry this mushroom intolerance variant.
Dietary Sensitivities
Dietary sensitivities include foods that you may want to be careful with due to a genetic connection to an increased risk, such as for oxalate metabolism and kidney stones.
Oxalates, Kidney Stones, & Joint Pain: Genetic Reasons to Avoid Oxalates
Green smoothies have been a health fad for quite a while now, but these health drinks can be a double-edged sword for some people due to their high oxalate content. Find out if you are genetically prone to kidney stones and what to do about it.
BChE gene: Nightshade sensitivity, Anesthesia risk
Genetic variants of the BChE gene decrease its enzyme’s activity. This can lead to various and seemingly unconnected consequences…such as an increased risk for Parkinson’s or food sensitivity to potatoes.
FADS1 and FADS2: Omega-3 and Omega-6 Fatty Acids
We all vary in how well we convert the plant-based omega-3 oils into the DHA and EPA that our body needs. Some people are really poor at this conversion and thus should either eat more fish or consider taking a DHA / EPA supplement. Learn more about how your variants might affect your health.
TRPV1 gene: Spicy foods, cold, and CBD oil
The TRPV1 receptor is activated by capsaicin in spicy foods. But there is a lot more to this story… find out how this receptor impacts diabetes, metabolic function, and more.
Short-chain Acyl-CoA Dehydrogenase Deficiency
If you have tried fasting or perhaps a ketogenic diet and felt horrible, there could be a genetic reason. You might carry a genetic mutation that causes SCADD (short-chain acyl-CoA dehydrogenase deficiency).
Caffeine Sensitivity and Your Genes
Caffeine remains the most popular ‘drug’ of choice for a large percentage of the population. Genetics determines how quickly your body processes and eliminates caffeine and whether it is likely to make you jittery or anxious.
Carbohydrate Metabolism
Genetic variants can influence how you break down and utilize carbohydrates.
Carbohydrate metabolism: Genetics, Insulin, and Carbs
Genetic variations play a role in how people react to carbohydrates in the diet. Learn about a few genes that affect insulin or glucose levels based on carbohydrate consumption. Use your genetic raw data and discover how your body handles carbohydrates.
Do you carry the Hunter-Gatherer or the Farmer Genetic Variant
Our ancient ancestors lived much differently than we do today. They were hunter-gatherers, living off of fish, meat, and plant foods that they gathered. A huge shift took place when those hunter-gatherers began farming, growing grains, and storing them so that there would be food available all year. Learn if you carry the hunter-gatherer or farmer gene variant. (Member’s article)
Digesting Carbohydrates: Amylase variants
Carbohydrate digestion begins in the mouth with an enzyme called amylase. Take a look into how the amylase enzyme works, genetic variants that impact your production of amylase, and solutions if you are low in amylase.
Glucose Response: Caffeine + Sugar + Genes
Consuming caffeine along with carbohydrates changes glucose response for people with certain genetic variants and yet it doesn’t change blood glucose levels for those without the variants. Find out more about your response. (Member’s article)
Personalized Nutrition
These articles bring together practical ways to implement personalization for your diet.
Alcohol & Histamine Intolerance: Understanding the Connection
Drinking alcohol is often a problem for people with histamine intolerance. Learn about the pathways that are involved and how to avoid alcohol-induced reactions.
SCD1: A lynchpin of metabolism
The SCD1 enzyme converts saturated fatty acids to unsaturated fats. Learn how your genes impact this enzyme, and how this relates to weight loss.
Foods rich in vitamin A – retinol form
Interested in vitamin A foods? This article focuses on foods high in the retinol form of vitamin A that your body doesn’t need to convert plus some great links to vitamin A-rich recipes.
Folate-rich recipes for MTHFR
Getting enough folate in your diet? We’ve collected some simple nutritional tools and recipes to get you on track.
Saturated Fat and Your Genes (ACE gene)
There has been a decades-long debate about which type of fat is best: saturated fat vs polyunsaturated fat. It may depend on your genes as to which answer is right for you. Learn more about this debate and find out how your genes play a part.
Is intermittent fasting right for you?
Intermittent fasting and ketosis have a lot of benefits, but they may not be right for you. Your genes play a role in how you feel when fasting.
Nutrigenomics: Use your 23 and Me data
A list of focused articles on nutrigenomics looking into background science, research studies, and related genetic variants.
5 ways to optimize your diet, based on your genes
What is right for your body? Discover the 5 quick ways to optimize your diet based on your genes.
Coffee: Benefits based on your genes
Wondering how your genes influence your reaction to coffee? Find out if you will benefit from drinking coffee and how this interacts with your genes. (Member’s article)