PictoGene
1275 Avenue des Canadiens-de-Montréal H3B 5E8 Montreal, QC, Canada

What is pharmacogenetics? Prescribing medication in the past operated under a one-size-fits-all approach. This meant that regardless of individual characteristics, each person received the same medication. Over time, it became clear that different people elicit different responses to the same medication. One of the many reasons for this discrepancy is genetics. Genetic variations can cause changes in the function or activity of enzymes involved in drug response. These change...Continue reading

A person’s power depends on several body systems at once. First of all, of course, on the muscular system, whose characteristics have a direct impact on the strength that a person develops. The contraction and relaxation of muscles is performed with the participation of different proteins in the muscle cells (otherwise known as muscle fibers). The structural features of some of these proteins determine the division of fibers into fast and slow. The ratio of these two types in... muscles plays an important role in how strong a person can be. Genetic factors contribute significantly to a person’s power. According to various studies conducted by comparing pairs of twins, the genetic contribution to power capacity is about 50%. The other 50% of contributing factors are as a result of environmental conditions and behaviour. For instance, the ability to jump high depends 50% on genetic factors, but the ability to squeeze the handle of the dynamometer - about 60%. The impact of genes on a person’s traits occurs through proteins whose structure is encoded in the corresponding genes. For example, the NOS3 gene contains information about the structure of the protein involved in the production of nitric oxide (II) in cells from the membrane of blood vessels. An increased content of nitric oxide leads to vasodilation and an increased blood supply to the working muscle. This affects a person's ability to develop great power. Currently, about two dozen genes are known for which the relationship with power and success in power sports is proven. The most information on their relationship with a person’s power has been gathered for the genes ACTN3, ACE, AMPD1, HIF1A2, IL-6, NOS3, PPARA, PPARG and a few others. That’s why it is necessary to comprehensively assess the contribution of different genes. Learn more about your Power abilities in our Sport and Fitness report: https://www.pictogene.com/sport-and-fitness.html

Milk the principal food for baby mammals. Humans go even further, and consume milk and dairy products in adulthood as well. However, for many people, the production of lactase, the enzyme responsible for the breakdown of lactose, (the sugar present in milk, mentioned this already earlier) decreases with age. This condition is called lactose intolerance in adulthood and is caused by gradually decreasing activity (expression) of the lactase (LCT) gene after infancy, which occ...urs in most humans. LCT gene expression is controlled by a DNA sequence called a regulatory element, which is located within a nearby gene called MCM6. Some individuals have inherited changes in this element that lead to sustained lactase production in the small intestine and the ability to digest lactose throughout life. Interesting, that the prevalence of lactose intolerance is lowest in populations with a long history of dependence on unfermented milk products as an important food source. For example, only about 5% of people of Northern European descent are lactose intolerant, but more than 90% of people of East Asian descent have this condition. The key SNP for lactose intolerance in adulthood is rs4988235 in MCM6 gene, with GG genotype associated with this condition. Your rs4988235 information can be found in the Nutrition report: https://www.pictogene.com/nutrition.html

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