What if it’s that simple?
There are hundreds, if not thousands, of articles explaining how to get healthy. But have you ever stopped and wondered about why certain diets, exercise regimes and medications work?
Science gives great insight on not only what works and what doesn’t but also why. Let’s say you eat vegetables because they’re good for you. You might be surprised to learn that some are better than others, or that the method of cooking them makes a big difference. Fitness is just as complex. What kind of exercise, for how long for the best results?
Medication isn’t one size fits all. Drug-drug interactions are widely recognized as a major cause of adverse reactions. Researchers studying how people process medications and nutrients have proven that there are two important types of interactions also exist: drug-gene interactions and drug drug gene interactions. A drug gene interaction occurs when a patient’s genetic type -slow metabolizer -affects that patient’s ability to clear a drug. A drug drug gene interactions occurs when patient’s genotype and another drug - inhibitor affect the individual’s ability to clear a drug.
Antidepressants are some of the most popular drugs in the United States, and their usage shows no signs of waning. According to the National Center for Health statistics 13% of people 12 years and older took antidepressants. Nearly 92 million U.S. adults, or about 38 percent of the population, took a legitimately prescribed opioids.
The key to patient empowerment is education If medication is ordered, understand the benefits and risks, how long you will be on the medication, and what are the alternatives to the medication being prescribed.
Nutrition a key element in our health; offers practical nondrug strategies for people in pain. For an example, Magnesium and vitamin D can reduce perception of pain and some B vitamins fuel the neurotransmitters that put the brakes on pain. Same goes for physical activity, strengthening muscle tone and flexibility alleviates pain.
For generations, we’ve all taken the same drugs and supplements at the same dosage for our various ailments, but our genes have a big influence on the effect that medication or supplement has on our body. Often, an effective drug response is found in a few patients treated, while most benefit little or not at all. Much could be gained if we could select the optimal drug for the individual patient before treatment begins.
What if there were a way to know if a depressed patient would respond to an antidepressant before it was prescribed? Or provide patients with better pain control and increased quality of life while taking opioids.
The current available evidence predict enzyme activity level based on specific genotypes.
Phenocopy is a free genetic interpretation tool to help you learn and understand how your body process medications. Learn more→
Happy learning.
This article is not intended to take the place of the care and attention of your personal physician or other professional medical services. Our aim is to promote active participation in your care and treatment by providing information and education. Questions about individual health concerns or specific treatment options should be discussed with your physician.
