Description

Epigenetic Testing for Those Over 65

Clear Bridge Biomedics offers at-home epigenetic testing for patients 65 and older. When you order this test, we will send the testing kit directly to your doorstep. Simply follow the instructions included in the kit and perform a cheek swab. Then package up your genetic sample and return it by mail to our lab. A team of expert medical scientists will test your sample for the relevant genes and return the results to you and your medical professional as soon as possible.

What is Epigenetic Testing?

While you probably learned about genetics from high school or college biology, you may not have heard of epigenetics before. Most people think that your genes are unchangeable once you are born. This is, actually, untrue. Some of your genes change over your lifetime, changing how they express themselves in your body, called gene expression. Epigenetics is the study of these changes in genes, and epigenetic testing is a way to find out how your genes have or can change.

There are various ways epigenetic testing can be used. The first is similar to other genetic tests on the market: disease diagnosis and treatment. There are several diseases that can present themselves in the realm of epigenetics. Some of the more common epigenetically influenced diseases include some cancers like leukemia and colorectal cancer as well as some mental disabilities such as fragile X syndrome. Epigenetic testing is a way to test the attributes of effected genes, especially when a standard genetic test might not pick up a change in the DNA sequence. With epigenetic diseases, the actual sequence of DNA, the genetic information that usually causes genetic disease through mutation, is intact, but some of the attributes of the DNA, such as the methylation that helps the DNA carry information, is significantly different from normal.

The other use for epigenetic testing is growing with the public: epigenetic testing for health information. Epigenetics is the study of how our environment can affect our genes, and epigenetic testing gives us that information at a personal level. Many people are using epigenetic testing to learn what their body specifically needs! Knowing how your food intake, exercise routine, stress levels, and more can effect your gene expression is invaluable. Through epigenetic coaching, or learning how to tell your genes to express themselves through diet or exercise, you can turn on or off certain gene expressions to live a longer, healthier life. There is no better time to get started!

Who should get an Epigenetic Test?

That’s easy! Anyone looking to improve their overall health! Unlike most genetic tests, which are prescribed by a doctor in an effort to diagnose a suspected disease or help treat a known disease, epigenetic testing can benefit anyone. We all have epigenetic changes in our gene expression. That’s simply how our bodies are built: able to adapt to many different ways of life. Taking an epigenetic test and knowing how to choose to adapt is an easy way to ensure longevity  and a healthy, happy life.

Additionally, epigenetic tests can help inform you on how to manage any diseases or conditions you might be struggling with. While taking an epigenetic test might not allow someone to ever completely recover from any condition, knowing what your genes are saying can be a way to help make the condition far more livable. Epigenetic testing can be part of certain types of gene therapy, as it can help you know how to change your gene expression without much more than a newer diet or lifestyle change.

Diabetes Genetic Testing FAQ

Is Epigenetic Testing Safe?

Yes, epigenetic testing is safe. There are no physical risks to taking an at-home epigenetic test. Usually, the most discomfort you will have when taking an epigenetic test is a cheek swab. There may be mental and/or emotional risk to taking an epigenetic test, just like any other genetic tests. There may be information you do not want to know in terms of possible disease risk. If you are concerned about the results of an epigenetic test, talk to your doctor or a genetic counselor before ordering genetic testing.

How do I know what my results are?

You will have your results returned to you when the test is concluded at Clear Bridge Biomedics, but you might not know what to do with them. Most experts recommend contacting a genetic counselor before, during, and after your decision to take a genetic test for several reasons. 1) while there are no inherent physical risks to genetic tests, you may not actually want to know the results. The choice to know is sometimes a difficult one and should be considered thoroughly. 2) Genetic information is very complicated and not easily understood by the average person looking at a results spreadsheet. Genetic counselors help everyday people interpret the results in helpful and relevant ways, leading to informed medical decisions.