One thought on “The Health Edge: Nutrigenomics”

  1. Marianne

    This podcast is outstanding in highlighting key concepts that are hard for most lay persons (and also most clinicians) to get their arms around. You two provide invaluable information that strikes just the right balance in providing both the scientific underpinning and also actionable takeaways.

    I summarized below some of the difficulties people like me face in trying to access, comprehend, and use personalized health concepts that you describe in this and other podcasts.

    1. Getting genetic testing (which test, etc?), but a bigger impediment is making heads or tails of the results. 23andme reports keep changing and aren’t very user friendly. One can run the raw data from 23andme through other programs (e.g., Promethease and Rhonda Patrick’s nutrigenomics program), but interpreting those results and knowing what to do with the results are daunting and often ultimately paralyzing.

    2. Knowing what blood tests to get to identify actual problems. You mentioned the 25-hydroxy test for Vitamin D (VD), and one can also ascertain homocysteine levels (MTHFR). What about the utility of testing B12 (FUT2), Vitamin A (BCMO1), and ALA/EPA/DHA (FADS2) levels, especially for people with mutations? Some testing isn’t useful except in the event of gross deficiencies because serum levels don’t clue one into tissue concentrations.

    3. If one is able to pinpoint deficiencies through genetic and blood tests, figuring out what foods to eat, including sourcing, and other lifestyle interventions to undertake is challenging and bewildering.

    4. Figuring out thoughtful supplementation is a huge challenge. The field isn’t regulated — what suppliers, what form, what daily dosage and in what increments through the day and at what time(s), other instructions (with fats, not with certain other supplements because of shared receptors), knowing when supplementing may be contraindicated for a particular person, etc.

    John, it is terrific that you have said you’ll start consulting again one of these days. The type of service and expertise you provide is so needed and so hard to come by. The two of you should give thought to teaming up in this effort. I for one will make a beeline for the unique service you will provide and can think of many family and friends to whom I will recommend this service.

    As always, with great respect and gratitude for the wisdom you share.

    Reply

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