I get so depressed when people tell me about their high-priced genetic tests (try an online search for the “23andMe” genetic test, which I discouraged, but many people were desperate to believe). They think the results can somehow predict a clinical event—like a heart attack, stroke, or something else—and it’s just not true! Obviously, there are rare exceptions—breast and ovarian cancer screening for harmful genes, for example—where genetic testing may be beneficial, but most of these tests are bogus. Genetic testing to determine the dietary supplements you need should be treated with the same skepticism. Don’t get me wrong, genetics research is fascinating, and it may change the way we practice medicine someday. But so far, it’s not a great diagnostic or preventive tool. These tests only amp up your anxiety and make you buy a lot of pills!
The truth is, while you do inherit your genes, you can still change them. Genes are like light switches that can be turned on and off, or made easier to turn off and on. And your lifestyle and environment have an impact on determining whether some bad genes get expressed. For example, exercise has been shown to impact thousands of genes, even in fat cells! As a result, it’s been linked to a reduced risk of conditions, such as breast and prostate cancers, to name just a couple. In fact, if you reduce your risk of cardiovascular disease to as close to zero as possible, you can reduce your genetic risk for most conditions.
Think about it this way: Some people come into the world like expensive, finely tuned cars that never feel any bumps in the road. Others are more like a cheap, used car that could break down at any moment. But if you give that old car enough TLC, you can get 100,000 or 200,000 miles or more out of it. This is how our genes work! Although you may have inherited a bad set of genes (like me), you can improve them.
The Supplement Handbook - Mark Moyad
