Beyond Blood Tests: The Genetic Layer
Blood tests tell you what's happening in your body right now. DNA testing tells you what your body is predisposed to. Together, they provide a much more complete health picture.
What DNA Testing Reveals
Pharmacogenomics
Your genes affect how you metabolise medications. Key genes include:- CYP2D6 — Affects metabolism of antidepressants, painkillers, and beta-blockers
- CYP2C19 — Influences response to proton pump inhibitors and anti-platelet drugs
- VKORC1 — Determines warfarin sensitivity
- SLCO1B1 — Affects statin metabolism and side effect risk
Disease Risk Factors
Certain genetic variants increase your risk for conditions that blood tests can monitor:- MTHFR variants — May affect folate metabolism and homocysteine levels
- HFE variants — Associated with haemochromatosis (iron overload). Your ferritin and iron blood tests become much more meaningful with this context
- APOE variants — Influence cholesterol metabolism and Alzheimer's risk
- Factor V Leiden — Increases blood clotting risk
Nutrient Metabolism
Some people are genetically predisposed to:- Lower vitamin D levels (VDR, GC genes)
- Reduced B12 absorption (FUT2 gene)
- Higher homocysteine (MTHFR gene)
How DNA Enriches Your Blood Results
When you upload both blood tests and DNA data to CheckMyBloods, the AI can correlate your genetic predispositions with your actual results. For example:
- If you carry an HFE variant and your ferritin is trending up, that's more significant than either finding alone
- If you have a CYP2D6 poor metaboliser variant and you're taking a medication processed by that enzyme, your doctor should know
- If you have MTHFR variants and low folate, methylfolate supplements may be more effective than standard folic acid
Getting Started with DNA Testing
Popular DNA testing services include:
- 23andMe — Provides raw data you can download
- AncestryDNA — Also offers raw data export
- MyHeritage DNA — Another raw data option
Privacy Considerations
Your DNA is the most personal data there is. CheckMyBloods processes your genetic data securely and never shares it with third parties. You can delete your DNA data at any time.
