Our understanding and knowledge of DNA has come a very long way in a short time, though we still have much to learn. From the discovery of DNA's double helix structure in 1953, to the development of DNA testing in the 1980s, through to faster and more accurate PCR testing today, the science has moved at lightening speed.
Today we might use DNA tests for a huge variety of purposes, from paternity testing to ancestry profiling - and, of course, for health testing. When it comes to serious illnesses, DNA testing can identify mutations in your genes or chromosomes which can have profound impacts on your health. They can find out if you have a genetic condition or are at risk of developing one - or of passing one on to the next generation.
For instance, someone with a family history of breast and/or ovarian cancer might be offered a BRCA gene test. This looks for changes in the BCRA1 and BRCA2 genes which can increase the risk of those cancers.
Tests like these can't prevent a disease, but they can arm you with the information and knowledge, and the power to make decisions about what lifestyle or medical changes you might make. DNA testing is now a vital tool in diagnosing health conditions - and it can also guide healthcare professionals in knowing what medicine or treatments are right for you.
Optimising Your Wellness
But information from tests can now do much more than inform on the really big health decisions - it can bring huge benefits to everyday life. It can help you understand your own unique genetic make up, and empower you to make lifestyle changes based on those needs, whether that's boosting your Vitamin A levels to protect your eye health, or cutting back a bit on the daily coffees to adapt to an enhanced sensitivity to caffeine.
What Can a DNA Test Tell Me About Nutrition?
Generic healthcare advice tells us to aim for a specific, set amount of vitamins, minerals or antioxidants. But that advice is the same for everyone: and we aren't all the same. Far from it. Recommended Dietary Allowances (RDA's) are simply built on an average - and you aren't average.
Your DNA contains code that dictates your own ability to digest and utilise specific micronutrients. Tiny variations in that code can determine your own needs when it comes to vitamins and minerals - you may, for instance, have a higher need for specific vitamins if your body doesn't process them with peak efficiency. Understanding this, and being able to adjust and adapt your diet and supplements to suit your individual requirements can have a really important and significant impact on your quality of life.
What Can a DNA Test Tell Me About Fitness?
As with nutrients, the way we respond to different forms of fitness, different amounts of sleep or even stress is completely unique to us, so our approach to it should be unique too. DNA testing allows us to tailor our lifestyle towards the best outcome - whether that's adding more power-based work into your fitness routine or adopting new strategies to maximise your ability to recover from hard training sessions.
Our own unique genetic variations shape how our bodies respond - and that includes how we respond to the inflammation and stress that exercise causes. Testing can reveal how susceptible we are to injuries, and whether power or endurance training is more likely to be most beneficial to us. Some studies have even found a 20 fold performance improvement in 'genetically matched' training, compared to unmatched, so this knowledge can be profoundly impactful.
What Can a DNA Test Tell Me About Sleep?
We all know that good sleep is vital for our health and wellbeing. But your sleep patterns are more than just the product of a comfortable bed and a decent routine: your very genetic code can dictate your sleep quality and quantity.
Your unique chronotype - a complex trait which is influenced by numerous genes - plays a pivotal role in shaping your circadian rhythm, which in turn can affect your energy levels and mood.
Of course, some elements of our susceptibility to sleep problems may be beyond our control, but even just understanding your unique predispositions can help hugely, allowing you to adopt the right strategies. Again, personalised insight can lead us on a path to optimal health.
What Can a DNA Test Tell Me About Stress?
Stress is usually used in the negative, but without stress, we would never adapt. In fact, in 1976 endocrinologist Hans Selye introduced the concept of 'eustress' - moderate, or normal psychological stress that is actually beneficial, enhancing our resilience and indeed performance. For example, taking on a big challenge at work, or engaging in activities that are difficult but bring with them a sense of accomplishment.
But too much stress, as we all know, can have profoundly negative consequences, from high blood pressure to digestive problems or sleep disturbance. Naturally the way we as individuals respond to stress is shaped by our lives and owned lived experiences, but genetic variations also shape it.
Neurotransmitters, the chemical messaging system in our brains, play a pivotal role in stress response, and understanding how our DNA influences can shed light on the complex interaction between chemistry and our own individual ability to cope with stress. Armed with this knowledge, you can adapt to your own predisposition to stress, and take proactive measures to manage it, and even improve your resilience.
What Does the Future Hold?
Our understanding of DNA has expanded hugely since the early days of testing. DNA tests can now identify mutations, can indicate genetic conditions, and the risk of developing them, as well as helping you understand how your body responds to nutrients, from identifying food intolerances to allergies to an enhanced need for certain vitamins or micronutrients. All this would have seemed science fiction a century ago, but as far as we've come, we still have much to learn.
Explore how DNA testing can take your health to the next level at https://www.getstride.com/dna-methylation/.