The BioCertica Blog

Food preferences - who to blame for my sweet tooth

Peanut allergy symptoms

A person's genetic predisposition to risk for peanut allergy is determined by their DNA, specifically the presence or absence of certain gene variations. These gene variations can affect how the body responds to peanuts and increase the likelihood of developing a peanut allergy.

Vitamin A deficiency

Vitamin A deficiency is a condition in which a person does not have enough vitamin A in their body. Vitamin A is a fat-soluble vitamin essential for maintaining healthy vision, a strong immune system, and healthy skin. It also plays a role in the growth and development of the body, as well as in reproduction and lactation.

Do you suffer from hay fever? Here's why.

A genetic predisposition, also known as genetic susceptibility, is the likelihood of a person developing a certain condition or disease based on their inherited genetic makeup. In the case of hay fever, also known as allergic rhinitis, a person may have a genetic predisposition to develop an allergic reaction to certain substances, such as pollen or dust.

Gluten intolerance

Gluten sensitivity, also known as non-celiac gluten sensitivity or non-celiac wheat sensitivity, is a condition in which a person experiences negative symptoms after consuming gluten, a protein found in wheat, barley, and rye. These symptoms can range from digestive issues, such as bloating and abdominal pain, to fatigue, brain fog, and skin irritation.

What is fat taste sensitivity?

A person's genetic predisposition to fat taste, also known as fat taste sensitivity, is determined by their genes. People who are genetically predisposed to fat taste sensitivity are more likely to enjoy the taste of fat and are more likely to seek out and consume fatty foods.

Why does your body need Calcium?

Calcium is an essential mineral vital for the human body's proper functioning. It is involved in many physiological processes, including forming and maintaining strong bones and teeth, blood clotting, and muscle contraction. While calcium is readily available in various foods, some individuals may be genetically predisposed to having low levels of this mineral.

Everything you need to know about gut microbiota

Given the important role of the gut microbiome in human health, it is not surprising that researchers have begun to investigate the genetic factors that influence its composition. Studies have shown that a person's genetic makeup can influence the types of bacteria present in the gut. Some individuals are more prone to certain types of bacteria than others.

The importance of Vitamin B12

Despite its importance, a significant number of people are deficient in vitamin B12. This deficiency can lead to a range of symptoms, including fatigue, weakness, constipation, loss of appetite, and weight loss. In severe cases, it can even cause nerve damage and cognitive decline.

The Systems of low Vitamin E

Vitamin E is an essential nutrient found in many foods and is important for maintaining good health. However, some people may be genetically predisposed to having low levels of vitamin E in their bodies, which can lead to a variety of symptoms. In this article, we will discuss what vitamin E is, the symptoms of vitamin E deficiency, and how a genetic test can help determine if you are at risk for having low levels of this nutrient.

What happens when you have iron overload in your body?

Iron overload, also known as hemochromatosis, is a condition that occurs when there is too much iron in the body. This can lead to a number of serious health problems, including liver damage, heart problems, and even diabetes. Fortunately, a genetic test can determine whether or not a person is at risk for iron overload.

Why does your body need Iron

Iron is a crucial mineral that plays a vital role in the human body. It is necessary to produce hemoglobin, a protein that carries oxygen from the lungs to the body's tissues, and myoglobin, a protein that helps store oxygen in muscle cells. Without enough iron, the body cannot produce enough healthy red blood cells, leading to a condition known as iron deficiency anemia.

Vitamin B6 Deficiency

Vitamin B6 is a water-soluble vitamin that plays an important role in many bodily functions, including the metabolism of proteins, carbohydrates, and fats. It is also involved in the synthesis of neurotransmitters and red blood cells, and it helps to maintain a healthy immune system.

Ability to cope with alcohol flush reaction

An alcohol flush reaction is a condition in which a person experiences a red flush or rash on their face and neck after drinking alcohol. A genetic deficiency causes this reaction in an enzyme called alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH) and aldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH), which are responsible for breaking down alcohol in the body.

Ability to remove chemicals in smoked and charred meats

Smoked and charred meats contain various chemicals and toxins, including polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and heterocyclic amines (HCAs). These chemicals can be harmful to the body and have been linked to an increased risk of certain types of cancer.

Do you have low levels of Antioxidants?

Some people are genetically predisposed to low levels of antioxidants in their bodies. This means that their bodies may need more antioxidants on their own, or they may need help to use the antioxidants they produce effectively. This can make them more susceptible to the damaging effects of free radicals.

High vs Low Estrogen Levels

Estrogen is a crucial hormone in the development and maintenance of female reproductive and sexual health. It is produced primarily in the ovaries, and to a lesser extent, in the adrenal glands and fat cells. Genetic variation can affect a person's estrogen levels and response to the hormone. Some individuals may have higher or lower estrogen levels than others, which can lead to a range of symptoms.

Egg allergy symptoms

Egg allergy is an adverse reaction to proteins found in egg whites or yolks. It is a common food allergy in children but can also affect adults. Genetic risk for egg allergy is determined by the presence of certain genes that can increase an individual's likelihood of developing the allergy.

Think you might have a cockroach allergy?

Cockroach allergy is a common type of allergy that occurs when a person's immune system reacts to proteins found in the saliva, feces, and shed skins of cockroaches. These proteins can cause symptoms such as sneezing, nasal congestion, and itchy eyes, nose, and throat. In some cases, the allergy can also cause asthma attacks.

Symptoms of Vitamin C Deficiency

Vitamin C deficiency is a condition in which a person does not have enough vitamin C in their body. Vitamin C is an essential nutrient that is important for many functions in the body, including the production of collagen, the maintenance of healthy skin and connective tissues, and the absorption of iron.

Folate

Genetic predisposition to folate is an inherited trait that increases an individual's likelihood of developing folate deficiency and related health issues. Folate is a B vitamin essential for the proper functioning of the body, including the production of red blood cells, DNA synthesis, and the conversion of food into energy.

Body Type Explained: Ectomorph, Mesomorph, and Endomorph

Delve into the world of body type. Find out your unique body type - ectomorph, mesomorph, or endomorph - and customize your fitness routines for optimal results.

BioCertica Fitness results invaluable to Taylon Bieldt.

“I'm truly astonished to see how accurately the fitness traits reflect my situation. I now have in-depth knowledge of how my genetics affects my training and can identify areas of improvement. This is what athletics is all about, constant improvement.” - Taylon.

Sports injury: Random accident, or could your DNA be your early warning?

Training program errors, inadequate muscle strengthening, imbalanced biomechanics (ineffective movement patterns), and genetics are among the factors that contribute to the risk of chronic injuries.

Activity and Energy levels - what your DNA has to say

One way to make exercise less torturous is to exercise according to your genetic preferences, i.e., do the types of training for which your body is naturally built. If your genes make you less likely to engage in spontaneous physical activity, exercise must be as enjoyable as possible. Otherwise, chances are you won’t increase your physical activity levels.

Endomorph, Mesomorph, or Ectomorph? Discover your body type and how it relates to your DNA

Unlock the power of your body with a DNA test! Discover how understanding your body type (ecto, meso, endo) can optimize your health, sports performance, and nutrition. Tailor your routine to maximize your potential!

Testosterone, genes and athletic performance

Genes play a crucial role in determining an individual's testosterone levels, which can significantly impact athletic performance. Testosterone is the primary male sex hormone but also plays a vital role in muscle development, bone density, and red blood cell production. In athletes, testosterone levels can be a predictor of their physical performance.

Human growth hormone, genes, and athletic performance

Genes play a crucial role in determining various physiological processes in the human body, and growth hormone levels are no exception. Growth hormone (GH) is produced by the pituitary gland that stimulates the growth and reproduction of cells in the body. It is essential for the development of bones, muscles, and other tissues and plays a key role in athletic performance.

Hip and knee osteoarthritis

Osteoarthritis is a chronic joint disorder that affects millions of people worldwide. It is characterized by gradual wear and tear of the cartilage, the soft cushioning material between bones, leading to pain, stiffness, and reduced mobility. While age, obesity, injury, and repetitive joint use are some of the well-known risk factors for developing osteoarthritis, recent research has shown that genetics also play a significant role in the development of the disease.

Body fat percentage

Thus, your genetic predisposition to a higher or lower body fat percentage may be important when considering which sporting activities to invest your time and effort into. However, it's also important to note that while genetics may impact body fat percentage, it is not a determining factor. With the right diet and exercise regimen, anyone can improve their body fat percentage and reach their fitness and health goals.

Power (the ACTN3 gene)

The ACTN3 gene, also known as the 'sprinter gene,' has been the subject of much research in the field of sports science. This gene is believed to play a key role in determining athletic power and sports performance potential.

Lean body mass

Lean body mass is an important metric in the sports and fitness world. However, few realize it is also crucial for general health and well-being. Lean body mass refers to all your mass, excluding your fat mass. Thus, it includes the mass of your bones, organs, connective tissue, blood, muscles and other tissues. Your muscles make up most of your lean body mass and are responsible for most of the interpersonal variability.

Hand grip strength

Handgrip strength is an important predictor of athletic performance potential. While training and nutrition play a big role in handgrip strength, it's also influenced by our genes. Research has shown that there are specific genes that are associated with handgrip strength and muscle mass, both of which are important factors in athletic performance.

Left ventricular stroke volume and endurance

Athletic performance is a complex and multi-faceted aspect influenced by various factors, including cardiovascular function. One important aspect of cardiovascular function is left ventricular (LV) stroke volume, which refers to the amount of blood the heart pumps out with each beat. This can greatly impact athletic performance, especially endurance performance.

Insulin-like growth factor 1 for your muscles

Insulin-like Growth Factor 1 (IGF-1) is a hormone that plays a vital role in the growth and development of the human body. It has a significant impact on athletic performance as it influences muscle growth and helps the body to recover from physical activity. In this blog post, we will explore how genes influence IGF-1 levels and how this affects athletic performance.

Hemoglobin concentration and endurance performance

Athletic performance is a complex and multi-faceted aspect that is influenced by various factors, including genetics. Hemoglobin, a protein found in red blood cells, is responsible for carrying oxygen from the lungs to the rest of the body. As such, a person's hemoglobin concentration can greatly impact their endurance performance.

Asthma Treatment Through Pharmacogenetics: The Future is Now

Personalizing HIV Treatment Through Pharmacogenetics: A New Horizon

Cystic Fibrosis: Personalized Treatment with Pharmacogenetics

Tailoring Heart Failure Treatment through Pharmacogenetics

Cardiac Arrhythmia: Enhancing Treatment with Pharmacogenetics

Osteoporosis: Personalized Management Through Pharmacogenetics

Rheumatoid Arthritis: Pharmacogenetics Approach

Atrial Fibrillation: Enhancing Treatment with Pharmacogenetics

Gout Management: Enhancing Treatment with Pharmacogenetics

Hyperlipidemia Treatment: The Impact of Pharmacogenetics

Stroke Treatment Customization: The Role of Pharmacogenetics

Hypertension Care with BioCertica Pharmacogenetics

Pharmacogenetic Reports: BioCertica vs. Competitor Review

If you are looking for a pharmacogenomics report, you may have noticed a few on the market. You may have already read about the benefits of BioCertica’s pharmacogenetic test, but here we will dive into the usability of our report compared to a competitor’s report.

Pharmacogenetic Testing: BioCertica vs Traditional Methods

Pharmacogenetic testing is still a relatively new field, so much progress still needs to be made for this type of testing. As you may have read, in pharmacogenomic testing, DNA is genotyped and matched to known gene-drug interactions; however, there is no standardized approach for reporting this testing. This leads to many differences in how these reports are compiled and presented. Therefore BioCertica’s approach to presenting pharmacogenetic results is different from other companies that offer this testing in South Africa. For the sake of transparency, we would like to explain the difference.

Is it worth doing a pharmacogenetics test?

Recently, we at BioCertica introduced a pharmacogenetics test as a new brand product. However, since it is a new product, it is natural to face doubts and questions about its quality, or if it is worth buying it. Whether or not someone thinks it is worth doing, a pharmacogenetics test is a personal decision that depends on individual circumstances. Therefore, we need to carefully consider all benefits and limitations that these tests may have. Here we will discuss some of them.

Pharmacogenetics Glossary

Pharmacogenetics Results: Genotype Guide

Genotypes can be homozygous or heterozygous. A homozygous genotype is when the two alleles are the same, for example TT or CC. A heterozygous genotype is when the who alleles are different, for example AT or CA. You may have noticed that in the case of heterozygous genotypes, the order in which they are written sometimes differs.

Mental Health Advancements through Pharmacogenetic Testing

Psychiatric disorders contribute to 14% of the global burden of disease and are estimated to affect nearly 450 million people, and approximately one-third of those affected are considered to have long-term disability and dependency. Sadly, about half of the patients with major psychiatric disorders are non-adherent to their treatments. Although other factors that affect medication non-adherence among them are medication side effects and efficacy [1]. So the question is: can pharmacogenetic testing impact treating psychiatric illness?

Pharmacogenetics report: List of articles

Pharmacogenetics Report: A Guide for Practitioners

Pharmacogenetics: Drug Response & Genetics

Celebrating World Science Day for Peace and Development: Science as a Path to a Better World

Explore Your Ancestral Origins with DNA Testing

Exploring Your Heritage, and How To Do It!

How DNA Ancestry Testing Unveils Your Heritage

The ethics of DNA testing: Balancing privacy

The future of DNA testing and genealogy: What to expect in the coming years?

The difference between genealogy and ancestry origin testing

Understanding different types of DNA tests: Which one is right for you?

Genomics: The Science behind it

We will tell you more about the polygenic risk scoring methodology in a bit. Before that, to underline that most of today’s genetic risk scoring reporting is based on individual genetic variants that are found to be associated with a given trait. For example, let’s say a genetic variant associated with whether you can detect bitter taste or not or similar traits controlled by single genetic variants.

How to compare your ancestry results with your child?

Polygenic Risk Scores: The Better Choice for DNA Testing

Multiple companies are offering genetic tests in the South African market - which should you choose? The table in this article gives you several factors to consider when purchasing a DNA kit, but one of the most important factors to draw to your attention is the approach: the polygenic risk scoring (PRS) approach or the single-gene approach.

What is GWAS & how does it work?

Why do we celebrate Heritage Day?

Heritage Day on 24 September recognises and celebrates the cultural wealth of our nation. South Africans celebrate the day by remembering the cultural heritage of the many cultures that make up the population of South Africa. Various events are staged throughout the country to commemorate this day.

The Heroines of Genetics

The Sum of All Your Genes

Understanding PRS

A polygenic risk score (PRS) is obtained from a comprehensive method used to estimate the relative genetic risks of being affected by a certain condition or inheriting a certain trait. Instead of giving the results of single genes which have been identified to contribute towards certain traits.

Release of Polygenic Risk Score methodology - What does it mean to our users?

What is a polygenic risk score and how does it work?

How are genomics reports generated?

How do we select SNPs for our reports?

Genotyping: What is its output and how do we process it?

BioCertica’s Improved Personalized Nutrition and Meal Plans Feature

You may have seen the older version of this feature on your BioCertica App but it's out with the old and in with the new. We have updated the nutrition and meal plans feature to be more practical and useful. Here's a quick run-through of the new feature.

Genes influence nicotine dependence tendency

Running the risk of sunburn for a suntan

Your insomnia may be linked to genetics

Long term memory

Genetic predisposition to long-term memory is a topic that has garnered significant attention in recent years as researchers have begun to uncover the genetic basis of this complex cognitive trait. Long-term memory is a type of memory that allows us to retain information over extended periods. It plays a crucial role in our ability to learn, adapt, and navigate the world around us.

Male Baldness

Freckles are the new beauty spots

Yes or no for one more cup of coffee?

Earwax and body odor: Unwanted family members?

Your genes determine your worrier or warrior personality

Genetic determinants of muscle performance

What to know about stretch marks

With exercise recovery, less is not more

Hyperactivity: ADHD

While the exact cause of ADHD is not fully understood, research suggests that genetic and environmental factors influence the disorder. In particular, studies have shown that genetic variations can significantly affect a person's predisposition to ADHD.

Non-verbal intelligence

Intelligence is a complex trait influenced by many factors, including genetics. While it is impossible to predict a person's intelligence with certainty based solely on their genetic makeup, research has shown that certain genetic variants are associated with a higher likelihood of having higher non-verbal intelligence.

Male-pattern baldness

Baldness, also known as alopecia, is a common condition that affects many men. While some men may experience baldness due to aging or other factors, others may be genetically predisposed to the condition.

Working memory

Working memory is an essential cognitive function that temporarily allows us to store and manipulate information in our minds. The mental workspace will enable us to perform complex mental tasks such as problem-solving and decision-making. Working memory is a critical aspect of our daily lives and is closely linked to our ability to learn, reason, and pay attention.

Pair bonding and sociability

Pair bonding and sociability are important aspects of human behavior and relationships. Research has shown that there is a genetic component to these traits, which means that some people may be more predisposed to forming strong bonds with others and being more sociable than others.

Vitamin A in Skincare

Vitamin A is a vital nutrient for overall health and wellness, but did you know genetics play a role in how your body responds to and utilizes this essential vitamin? A genetic predisposition to Vitamin A in skincare can impact how well your skin absorbs and benefits from skincare products containing this nutrient.

Vitamin B12 in Skincare

Vitamin B12 is an essential nutrient that plays a crucial role in maintaining good health. It is important for the proper functioning of the brain and nervous system, as well as the formation of red blood cells. A deficiency in vitamin B12 can lead to a number of health problems, including anemia, fatigue, weakness, and nerve damage.

Vitamin B6 in Skincare

Vitamin B6, also known as pyridoxine, is an essential nutrient that plays a crucial role in maintaining healthy skin. It is involved in the production of collagen, the main structural protein found in the skin, as well as in the metabolism of fatty acids, which are important for maintaining the integrity of the skin's protective barrier.

Eating and Appetite Disorders

A Closer Look at Hyperbilirubinemia

Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease: A Silent but Serious Condition

Hypothyroidism: An Underactive Thyroid and Its Consequences

Gout: An Old Disease in New Light

Understanding Disorders of Iron Metabolism: Aceruloplasminemia and Hemochromatosis

Type 2 Diabetes: Understanding the Modern-Day Epidemic

Nontoxic Multinodular Goiter

Genetic Risk and Celiac Disease: Causes, Symptoms, and Management

Alopecia areata

Appendicitis

Dermatomyositis

IgA neuropathy (Berger's disease)

Multiple sclerosis (MS)

Myasthenia gravis

Oligoarticular juvenile idiopathic arthritis

Ankylosing spondylitis

Primary biliary cirrhosis

Lupus (systemic lupus erythematosus)

Systemic sclerosis (Scleroderma)

Takayasu's arteritis