Genetic testing is an effective tool to reveal your individual risks and predispositions. What are different reasons to have your genetics tested? What types of DNA tests exist, and how accurate are they? Read on.
Thanks to genetic testing, you can understand your genetic predisposition or risks of developing diseases. These tests analyze changes that occur in your DNA and could either develop into a disease or put you at risk of developing one. To improve your longevity, you should assess both your DNA and your lifestyle.
What is DNA testing?
DNA testing is a type of test we do to identify changes in your genetic material by examining your blood or tissue sample (1). These changes could affect a particular organ, a group of organs, or your whole body. Genetics testing analyzes changes that occur in (2):
- Genes: This kind of test identifies mutations (changes) in genes (regions of the DNA that encode a function) that cause or increase your risk of getting a genetic disease.
- Chromosomes: This type of test analyzes your chromosome (structures that are made of DNA and found in your cell nucleus. A chromosome contains many genes).
- Proteins: In this type, biochemical tests help determine the amount or activity of abnormal proteins, which could indicate DNA changes that could result in disease.
At the Healthy Longevity Clinic, we have a suite of the best genetic predisposition tests that examine your genes and other factors. Thanks to that, you can gain unique insights about your health risk and potential. These tests will also help us determine your genetic predisposition to conditions that could impact your longevity. Book a free consultation to learn more.
What are the different types of genetic tests?
Currently, there are numerous genetic tests that analyze changes at different levels of genes and their products. Your healthcare provider should choose the most suitable type for your case because some tests are more specific than others. It all depends on whether there is a precise diagnosis of the condition or not, along with symptoms (1). There are several types of genetic tests, including:
Molecular tests
These tests look for changes in the DNA that occur in one or more genes (3). Thanks to these tests, we can determine the order of nucleotides (DNA building blocks) within genes. Several types of these tests exist, depending on their extensiveness, ranging from a single change in one gene to several genes, among others (2).
Chromosomal tests (cytogenetic testing)
These tests analyze long DNA sequences to detect large-scale changes, like extra or missing copies of a chromosome. In other words, these tests examine chromosomes to detect abnormalities (3).
Biochemical tests
These tests do not analyze DNA in genes. Instead, they check the amount and activity of proteins produced by genes. This is because changes in gene products mean that there is an abnormality in the DNA (3), and thanks to this test, we can reveal it before it’s too late.
At Healthy Longevity Clinic, we offer many tests that check your genetic predisposition to diseases and detect if there are any abnormalities in your DNA. This way, you can act on diseases before they show any symptoms, and promote your longevity! Book a free consultation with a longevity specialist to find out more.
Genetic testing and longevity
Studies show that multiple factors influence longevity – for example lifestyle, environmental components, and genetics (4, 5). Studies show that genetics contribute to about 25–40% of longevity, making it an important piece of the puzzle. Therefore, understanding the genetic factor in the longevity plan is critical for your success.
- Tip: Do you want to know what else influences aging and longevity? Read our article about the nine hallmarks of aging.
Why do people undergo genetic testing?
There are several reasons to do a genetic test, including (1, 6):
- To confirm a diagnosis, like in the case of Huntington's disease.
- To detect any conditions that might run in your family before they show symptoms, such as detecting your risk of developing colon cancer.
- To help guide a treatment decision or determine the treatment dose most suitable for your case.
- To help determine how likely you will pass a condition to your offspring.
In all cases, the best genetic testing for disease predisposition is the one that is personalized and tailored to your health and life situation. At Healthy Longevity Clinic, you can choose from several programs, all of them highly personalized.
How well can different genetic tests predict diseases?
Not all genetic tests have the same predictive value. This is because the predictive accuracy depends on whether the disease is caused by a single gene or chromosomal abnormality (7).
Why is this important? Because it relates to something called penetrance, which is a way to link the extent of genetic changes to disease and symptoms in a quantifiable manner. Higher penetrance means a higher risk of developing diseases. We can classify genetic tests based on their predictive value (7):
Presymptomatic testing
Presymptomatic testing is a type of test that we do on people who don’t show symptoms of a disease but are at risk of getting it. This test checks for rare conditions caused by a single gene with high penetrance. This means that the overwhelming majority of people (>90%) who return positive results for these tests have a high chance of developing the disease in their lifetime. However, the age at which the disease shows and disease severity may vary. An example of presymptomatic testing is the test for Huntington's disease (a condition that causes a gradual breakdown of nerves in the brain).
Predisposition testing
Predisposition testing is a type of genetic analysis that gives us information about your susceptibility to diseases. For example, predisposition testing tells your risk for developing breast and ovarian cancer. These tests check for rare forms of common conditions with an intermediate level of penetrance, where approximately 20–80% of people with the genetic alteration will develop the disorder.
Susceptibility testing
Susceptibility testing checks for common conditions caused by a complex interaction between genes or genes and the environment, where the penetrance is low (5–10% of those with the gene will develop the disease). For example, susceptibility to heart conditions is dictated by many factors, like obesity, sedentary habits, smoking, and other things. You can control many of these factors, and hence reduce the chance of disease.
How is genetic testing done?
Depending on the type of genetic testing you will undergo, several kinds of samples could be taken from you for analysis. Sample types include blood, hair, skin, or others (1). For example, a cotton swab might be rubbed against the inside of your cheek to collect a sample made of cells and analyze the DNA contained in them. This sample is then sent to a lab to analyze it and produce results.
Reveal your genetic risks and predispositions at Healthy Longevity Clinic
At Healthy Longevity Clinic, you can undergo comprehensive genetic testing for disease predisposition to assess your risk and vulnerability to several diseases. When combined with the other diagnostic tests we offer, we get clear, actionable information, just like pieces of a puzzle, to help us draft a personalized optimal longevity pathway just for you. Book a free consultation to learn more.
Thanks to genetic testing, you can understand your genetic predisposition or risks of developing diseases. These tests analyze changes that occur in your DNA and could either develop into a disease or put you at risk of developing one. To improve your longevity, you should assess both your DNA and your lifestyle.
What is DNA testing?
DNA testing is a type of test we do to identify changes in your genetic material by examining your blood or tissue sample (1). These changes could affect a particular organ, a group of organs, or your whole body. Genetics testing analyzes changes that occur in (2):
- Genes: This kind of test identifies mutations (changes) in genes (regions of the DNA that encode a function) that cause or increase your risk of getting a genetic disease.
- Chromosomes: This type of test analyzes your chromosome (structures that are made of DNA and found in your cell nucleus. A chromosome contains many genes).
- Proteins: In this type, biochemical tests help determine the amount or activity of abnormal proteins, which could indicate DNA changes that could result in disease.
At the Healthy Longevity Clinic, we have a suite of the best genetic predisposition tests that examine your genes and other factors. Thanks to that, you can gain unique insights about your health risk and potential. These tests will also help us determine your genetic predisposition to conditions that could impact your longevity. Book a free consultation to learn more.
What are the different types of genetic tests?
Currently, there are numerous genetic tests that analyze changes at different levels of genes and their products. Your healthcare provider should choose the most suitable type for your case because some tests are more specific than others. It all depends on whether there is a precise diagnosis of the condition or not, along with symptoms (1). There are several types of genetic tests, including:
Molecular tests
These tests look for changes in the DNA that occur in one or more genes (3). Thanks to these tests, we can determine the order of nucleotides (DNA building blocks) within genes. Several types of these tests exist, depending on their extensiveness, ranging from a single change in one gene to several genes, among others (2).
Chromosomal tests (cytogenetic testing)
These tests analyze long DNA sequences to detect large-scale changes, like extra or missing copies of a chromosome. In other words, these tests examine chromosomes to detect abnormalities (3).
Biochemical tests
These tests do not analyze DNA in genes. Instead, they check the amount and activity of proteins produced by genes. This is because changes in gene products mean that there is an abnormality in the DNA (3), and thanks to this test, we can reveal it before it’s too late.
At Healthy Longevity Clinic, we offer many tests that check your genetic predisposition to diseases and detect if there are any abnormalities in your DNA. This way, you can act on diseases before they show any symptoms, and promote your longevity! Book a free consultation with a longevity specialist to find out more.
Genetic testing and longevity
Studies show that multiple factors influence longevity – for example lifestyle, environmental components, and genetics (4, 5). Studies show that genetics contribute to about 25–40% of longevity, making it an important piece of the puzzle. Therefore, understanding the genetic factor in the longevity plan is critical for your success.
- Tip: Do you want to know what else influences aging and longevity? Read our article about the nine hallmarks of aging.
Why do people undergo genetic testing?
There are several reasons to do a genetic test, including (1, 6):
- To confirm a diagnosis, like in the case of Huntington's disease.
- To detect any conditions that might run in your family before they show symptoms, such as detecting your risk of developing colon cancer.
- To help guide a treatment decision or determine the treatment dose most suitable for your case.
- To help determine how likely you will pass a condition to your offspring.
In all cases, the best genetic testing for disease predisposition is the one that is personalized and tailored to your health and life situation. At Healthy Longevity Clinic, you can choose from several programs, all of them highly personalized.
How well can different genetic tests predict diseases?
Not all genetic tests have the same predictive value. This is because the predictive accuracy depends on whether the disease is caused by a single gene or chromosomal abnormality (7).
Why is this important? Because it relates to something called penetrance, which is a way to link the extent of genetic changes to disease and symptoms in a quantifiable manner. Higher penetrance means a higher risk of developing diseases. We can classify genetic tests based on their predictive value (7):
Presymptomatic testing
Presymptomatic testing is a type of test that we do on people who don’t show symptoms of a disease but are at risk of getting it. This test checks for rare conditions caused by a single gene with high penetrance. This means that the overwhelming majority of people (>90%) who return positive results for these tests have a high chance of developing the disease in their lifetime. However, the age at which the disease shows and disease severity may vary. An example of presymptomatic testing is the test for Huntington's disease (a condition that causes a gradual breakdown of nerves in the brain).
Predisposition testing
Predisposition testing is a type of genetic analysis that gives us information about your susceptibility to diseases. For example, predisposition testing tells your risk for developing breast and ovarian cancer. These tests check for rare forms of common conditions with an intermediate level of penetrance, where approximately 20–80% of people with the genetic alteration will develop the disorder.
Susceptibility testing
Susceptibility testing checks for common conditions caused by a complex interaction between genes or genes and the environment, where the penetrance is low (5–10% of those with the gene will develop the disease). For example, susceptibility to heart conditions is dictated by many factors, like obesity, sedentary habits, smoking, and other things. You can control many of these factors, and hence reduce the chance of disease.
How is genetic testing done?
Depending on the type of genetic testing you will undergo, several kinds of samples could be taken from you for analysis. Sample types include blood, hair, skin, or others (1). For example, a cotton swab might be rubbed against the inside of your cheek to collect a sample made of cells and analyze the DNA contained in them. This sample is then sent to a lab to analyze it and produce results.
Reveal your genetic risks and predispositions at Healthy Longevity Clinic
At Healthy Longevity Clinic, you can undergo comprehensive genetic testing for disease predisposition to assess your risk and vulnerability to several diseases. When combined with the other diagnostic tests we offer, we get clear, actionable information, just like pieces of a puzzle, to help us draft a personalized optimal longevity pathway just for you. Book a free consultation to learn more.
1. Genetic A, The New York-Mid-Atlantic Consortium for Genetic and Newborn Screening S. Genetic Alliance Monographs and Guides. Understanding Genetics: A New York, Mid-Atlantic Guide for Patients and Health Professionals. Washington (DC): Genetic Alliance Copyright © 2008, Genetic Alliance.; 2009.
2. Ishida C, Gupta V. Genetics, Molecular Testing. 2020.
3. Genetic A, District of Columbia Department of H. Genetic Alliance Monographs and Guides. Understanding Genetics: A District of Columbia Guide for Patients and Health Professionals. Washington (DC): Genetic Alliance Copyright © 2008, Genetic Alliance.; 2010.
4. Passarino G, De Rango F, Montesanto A. Human longevity: Genetics or Lifestyle? It takes two to tango. Immun Ageing. 2016;13:12.
5. Bin-Jumah MN, Nadeem MS, Gilani SJ, Al-Abbasi FA, Ullah I, Alzarea SI, et al. Genes and Longevity of Lifespan. Int J Mol Sci. 2022;23(3).
6. Franceschini N, Frick A, Kopp JB. Genetic Testing in Clinical Settings. Am J Kidney Dis. 2018;72(4):569-81.
7. Andermann A, Blancquaert I. Genetic screening: A primer for primary care. Can Fam Physician. 2010;56(4):333-9.
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