We all know how important it is to take care of your health and well-being. In fact, you’ve probably noticed the benefits of taking the right supplements and sticking to a diet and exercise regimen. Whether you have increased energy, better sleep, improved digestion, or the ability to maintain a steady weight, the benefits of living a healthy lifestyle are easy to see.
But how do you know if the lifestyle choices you’re making today are benefitting your future self?
Unfortunately, we don’t have a crystal ball, but we do have our DNA, also known as our genetics. Our genetic information makes up who we are, and everyone’s DNA is different and unique. Because of this, there’s no one-size-fits-all solution when it comes to improving health and preventing disease.
Based on your DNA, you may have an increased risk of developing certain health conditions
later in life, and DNA wellness tests like the APOE genetic test offered at Noble can give you a heads up.
Instead of waiting to get an illness, why not make small changes today to prevent the disease altogether?
Before we dive into exactly what this test is, we need to take it back to elementary school and review the basics of genetics. I’ll try to make it a bit more interesting this time around!
DNA and Genes: What’s The Difference?
Believe it or not, we have about 3 billion pairs of DNA¹ and 20,000 genes in our body!²
DNA is found in every single living thing, and it’s essentially a set of instructions that our bodies need to make proteins and cells. If we compare our bodies to a house, DNA would be the blueprint needed to build the house.
Genes are sections of DNA that give specific instructions to the body on a certain trait, such as hair color. So, again, if we were a house, you would have a specific gene with instructions on how to paint the kitchen.
But how do we know what color the kitchen is going to be? Well, each of us have different forms of genes called alleles. This is why we all have different physical traits and different risks for certain illnesses. So back to our analogy: if we were a house, an allele for the kitchen paint gene could be a blue kitchen, a white kitchen, etc.
When we inherit genes from our parents, they can either be active and express a certain physical trait or illness, or they can remain inactive. Whether or not genes become active and express themselves depends largely on your environment – something that we have the power to control and change.
What’s the APOE Gene?
Now that you’ve had a refresher on genetics, let’s talk about the gene in question: the APOE Gene. Formally known as apolipoprotein E, this gene is responsible for telling your body how to break down and metabolize fats and proteins in the body.⁴ We all have two copies of the APOE gene – one from each parent.
And just like “the kitchen paint gene,” there are different versions (alleles) of this gene. The APOE gene alleles include:
- APOE2
- APOE3
- APOE4
So depending on what you inherit from your parents, you can have any combination of the alleles. This could be an APOE2 and APOE3 gene, two APOE3 genes, an APOE3 and APOE4 gene…and so on and so forth.
And depending on what combination of alleles you have, your body will metabolize fats and proteins differently, which can increase your risk of developing certain diseases.
So, how do you find out what APOE alleles you have?
The APOE Genetic (DNA) Test
In order to find out the versions (alleles) of APOE genes you have, you have to have a genetic test done. Thanks to advancements in genetic testing, these types of wellness tests can be done in the comfort of your own home.
With a simple blood draw or sample of saliva, you can get personalized insights into your health within a matter of days. No fasting, driving to a laboratory, or long wait times are needed.
While the APOE genetic test has many uses in medicine, it’s used at Noble as a screening metric for disease. It’s not intended to diagnose an illness. Instead, the test provides your risk of developing certain health conditions.
Research has shown that people with at least one copy of APOE4 have an increased risk of developing two diseases:
- Late-onset Alzheimer’s Disease⁴
- Atherosclerosis, which can lead to a heart attack or stroke⁵
If you learn that you have an increased risk of disease, you can work with a healthcare professional to make changes today to prevent illness and potentially change your life.
What Can I Learn From My Results?
As you now know, the APOE genetic test is used to see what versions of the APOE gene you have, specifically if you have copies of APOE4. With this information, you’ll be able to learn if you have a genetic predisposition to certain health conditions.
We mentioned earlier that genes can either be active or inactive. So if you find out that you have a copy of APOE4, what causes it to become active?
Well, scientists have known for decades that it’s what’s in our environment that influences when and how much our genes express themselves.⁶ Our environment is made up of:
- Where we live
- The air we breathe
- What we eat and drink
- How we move our bodies
So by learning what APOE alleles you carry, you can make changes to your environment to keep these genes from becoming activated and causing disease.
Risk of Alzheimer’s Disease
Depending on what APOE alleles you have, you may have an increased or decreased risk of developing late-onset Alzheimer’s Disease. This illness is one of the main causes of dementia – an illness that affects our brain’s function and ability to make and store memories. The symptoms of late-onset Alzheimer’s Disease begin after the age of 65 years.⁴
Being a carrier of APOE4 doesn’t mean you’re definitely going to get Alzheimer’s Disease. Instead, it means that you have an increased risk. And the more copies you have, the higher your risk is. One copy of APOE4 shows a 20-25% lifetime risk, and two copies increases the lifetime risk to 30-55%.⁷
On the other hand, if you’re a carrier of APOE2, you may have a decreased risk of developing late-onset Alzheimer’s Disease.⁴
Risk of Heart Attack and Stroke
If you’re found to be a carrier of APOE4, you may also have an increased risk of having a condition called atherosclerosis, which can lead to a heart attack or stroke. Atherosclerosis is a condition where plaque builds up in the blood vessels. These plaques can break off and block blood flow to the heart or the brain, which is what causes many types of heart attacks and strokes.
One of the main causes of atherosclerosis is high cholesterol. Compared to APOE3, APOE4 has been linked to higher levels of cholesterol, which increases the risk of atherosclerosis earlier in life. On the other hand, carriers of APOE2 have been shown to have lower levels of cholesterol.⁵
How Can I Get A Genetic Test Kit?
Finding out your APOE gene type is easy and can be done right at home. At Noble, we offer two options including a blood test and a cheek swab test kit.
Both options provide accurate results in only 10 business days. The APOE genetic test is offered separately or as an add on to our Optimization Consultation – a service that looks at your entire healthscape with a bird’s eye view.
Instead of treating each individual illness and symptom separately, we take a step back to look at your symptoms as a whole. We’ve found that by doing this, we can get to the root cause of many chronic and undiagnosed illnesses. And once we discover the cause, the healing process can begin.
Learn more about our Optimization Consultation here.
The ApoE genetic test is just one piece of the puzzle. But starting here allows you to work with a functional medicine expert to create a personalized health plan, which allows you to make informed decisions about your health and wellness.
A Chance to Discover Your Genetic Risk and Prevent Disease
When used as a part of our Optimization Consultation, the APOE genetic test helps you gain insights into your health and helps you discover if you may be at risk of developing certain conditions later in life.
Why wait to be diagnosed with an illness when you can prevent it today?
To learn more about our Optimization Consultation and sign up to receive your APOE genetic test kit, contact us today.
References:
1. Mapping and Sequencing the Human Genome – (nih.gov)
2. Gene – (genome.gov)
3. Genes and Chromosomes Quiz – (proprofs.com)
4. Apolipoprotein E and Alzheimer disease: pathobiology and targeting strategies – (nih.gov)
5. APOE Gene Variants in Primary Dyslipidemia – (atherosclerosis-journal.com)
6. New Horizons in Health: An Integrative Approach – (nih.gov)
7. Alzheimer’s Disease and APOE: What You Should Know – (youtube.com/user/ClevelandClinic)
