A wellness genetic test is a non-diagnostic DNA analysis that examines gene variants associated with individual differences in areas such as nutrition, skin, exercise, immunity and ageing. The results describe predispositions and tendencies, not a diagnosis; the aim is to base lifestyle decisions on personal data rather than guesswork.
What is wellness genetics?
99.9% of the human genome is shared; the remaining one-tenth of a percent is spread across millions of single-nucleotide variants (SNPs) that influence a wide range of traits, from lactose tolerance and caffeine metabolism to vitamin D levels and the pace of skin ageing. Wellness genetic tests read these well-characterised variants and explain what your genotype means for each trait.
Lue GEN wellness tests are performed by DNA genotyping on a blood sample; results are reported in 18 days and delivered with a consultant physician's interpretation. All six tests, or the ones you choose, can be run together from a single blood draw.
What it tells you, and what it does not
Knowing the strengths and limits of these tests is a prerequisite for using the results correctly:
| It tells you | It does not tell you |
|---|---|
| Your genetic tendency towards lactose, gluten and caffeine tolerance | Whether you are allergic to a specific food (this requires clinical testing) |
| Which vitamins and minerals you may need in higher amounts | Your current vitamin levels (this requires a blood test) |
| Your skin's tendency towards photoageing, pigmentation and sensitivity | The current state of your skin, or a dermatological diagnosis |
| Endurance versus power predisposition, injury and recovery tendency | Which sport you will excel at |
| Polygenic risk tendency for common diseases (high/average/low) | A disease diagnosis, or certainty that you will become ill |
Six wellness tests at Lue GEN
- Lue DERM — skin ageing, sun sensitivity, pigmentation, hair loss and response to skincare ingredients
- Lue EAT — response to macronutrients, lactose, gluten and caffeine tolerance, vitamin and mineral needs
- Lue FIT — muscle type, endurance, recovery, injury tendency and exercise response
- Lue IMMUN — immune response, inflammatory tendency and antioxidant capacity
- Lue AGE — biological age estimate from telomere length
- Lue RISK — polygenic risk scores for common diseases
What is the scientific basis?
The level of evidence in wellness genetics varies by trait. Single-gene effects such as lactase persistence (MCM6/LCT), caffeine metabolism (CYP1A2), coeliac predisposition (HLA-DQ2/DQ8) or alcohol metabolism (ALDH2) rest on decades of replicated studies. For polygenic traits such as dietary response, exercise performance and common disease risk, the effect of each variant is small; these are combined into polygenic scores and reported as a tendency.
For this reason, our reports state the level of evidence for each trait and present recommendations as a “starting point” rather than a “hard rule”. Genetic predisposition takes on meaning together with your age, lifestyle, environment and current state of health.
How are the results used?
Your report comes with concrete recommendations in each area: which foods to increase, which type of exercise to focus on, which ingredients may work for your skin, and which screening and follow-up steps to discuss with your physician. Our consultant physicians go through the report with you and relate it to your current state of health. Genetic results remain valid for life; the interpretation is updated as science advances.
Limits and honest caveats
Wellness tests do not make a medical diagnosis, do not determine treatment and do not replace a physician's examination. Polygenic risk scores describe a tendency relative to the population average; “low risk” does not mean you will not become ill, and “high risk” does not mean you will. If you suspect a disease, the right place to turn is diagnostic testing and your physician. Under KVKK (Turkish Personal Data Protection Law), your genetic data are classed as special categories of personal data and are not shared without your explicit consent.
Questions about wellness tests
Do I need a physician's referral for a wellness test?
No. Wellness tests are requested individually; prices are transparent and can be selected directly on the appointment form. Results are nonetheless delivered with a consultant physician's interpretation.
Are the results valid for life?
Your DNA does not change; genotype results remain valid for life. However, the interpretation of the variants and the recommendations are updated as scientific knowledge develops.
Can I have more than one test at the same time?
Yes. All six tests, or the ones you choose, are run together from a single blood draw; reports are ready in 18 days.
Does it also show the diseases that run in my family?
Lue RISK reports polygenic tendency for common diseases; it does not look for single-gene disorders such as hereditary cancer. If there is a history of cancer in the family, the right choice is a hereditary cancer panel such as OncoSeq.