FAQ

This group contains very diverse tests. The main ones are nutrigenetics tests, pharmacogenomics tests, carrier status tests, and predictive tests. Nutrigenetics tests are becoming quite widespread here in Italy, too, and offer the possibility of personalizing one's diet and lifestyle by adapting them to one's genetic profile. Pharmacogenomics tests are designed to help determine the optimal dose for certain drug categories: the same amount could be insufficient for one person and toxic for another, depending on their genes. Carrier status tests address hereditary recessive diseases, such as Mediterranean anemia and cystic fibrosis. This type of analysis is often performed on couples wishing to have a child, in order to prevent the child from inheriting one "defective" allele from the mother and one from the father. Finally, predictive tests are based on genome-wide association studies in which the genomes of large groups of affected people are compared with those of healthy individuals, with the aim of highlighting point variants (SNPs) more frequently present in the affected group, and therefore potentially associated with the pathology.

DTC is an acronym that indicates a method of selling a genetic test that does not require the intermediation of a doctor or genetic counselor: the user purchases the service (usually online), receives a DNA collection kit to return to the sender, and then receives the test results with their interpretations. Naturally, direct-to-consumer genetic tests are not suitable for everyone: to approach them with confidence, you need to be aware of their limitations, have a basic understanding of genetics, and not be psychologically fragile. If you don't think you have these characteristics, do-it-yourself genetics isn't for you.

Absolutely not. With rare exceptions, diseases never have a single genetic cause: many genes contribute to determining susceptibility to a disease, and in most cases we don't even know all of these genes. Furthermore, even if we know every genetic factor, down to the smallest detail, the environmental component still plays a huge role. Depending on our lifestyle, our diet, where we live, and our experiences, these genetic factors can be activated or silenced. Genes load the gun, but it's the environment that pulls the trigger.

Yes. With parental consent.

It is useful for prevention, or if you want to check for any intestinal inflammation or infection. Furthermore, microbiota testing is useful if you have insulin resistance, a slowed basal metabolism, autoimmune diseases, gastrointestinal disorders, food intolerances, irritable bowel syndrome, cardiovascular problems, or suspected gluten sensitivity.

Lipophilic hormones circulate predominantly bound to proteins (in conjugated form) in the blood, while they are predominantly present in their free form in saliva. The free portion corresponds to the bioavailable portion of the hormones. Saliva analysis therefore represents a more accurate and easily measurable index of hormonal activity than the free concentration of the same hormones in serum.