Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) — Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis — is highly polygenic, with over 200 risk loci including NOD2 and IL23R shaping immune responses to gut bacteria. Genes interact with diet, smoking, and the microbiome. Learn the genetic architecture of IBD and how pathway-level insight adds context.

Dietary fat is an essential macronutrient, and the type matters more than the total. This article explains what fats do, how much to aim for, and how gene variants like APOA2, APOE, and FTO shape the way your body processes fat — plus what genetic insight can and cannot tell you.

Potassium steadies the heartbeat, supports kidney and blood-pressure control, and powers muscle contraction, yet most people fall short. Genes such as SLC12A3, WNK1, and KCNJ1 shape how your kidneys handle it. This article explains the named genes and where pathway-level genetic insight fits alongside provider-led care.

Biotin (vitamin B7) powers the carboxylase enzymes that turn food into energy and supports skin, hair, and nails. The BTD gene recycles biotin, and variants like rs13078881-C can raise your needs. Learn biotin's benefits, deficiency risks, and how PlexusDx pathway insight helps.

Genetic factors in the FADS1, FADS2, and ELOVL2 genes strongly affect how efficiently your body converts ALA (alpha-linolenic acid) into the long-chain omega-3s EPA and DHA. This article explains the key variants behind omega-3 status, why conversion varies so widely, and what a pathway-level genetic test can and cannot reveal.

Peptic ulcers are driven mainly by H. pylori and NSAIDs, but genetics shapes who is susceptible. This article explains ulcer causes and symptoms, the inflammatory genes involved — IL1B, IL1RN, TNF — and ABO blood type, plus how pathway-level genetic insight supports your provider conversation.

The CDKN2B variant rs10811661 on chromosome 9p21 is one of the most replicated type 2 diabetes signals, likely acting through pancreatic beta-cell function. Learn what this locus does, why one variant is not destiny, and how the Precision Peptide Genetic Test frames your metabolic pathway context.

Arachidonic acid levels are strongly shaped by the FADS1 and FADS2 genes, especially the FADS1 variant rs174537, which controls how efficiently you convert dietary fats into AA. Learn how diet and genes interact, why AA is essential, and how the Precision Peptide Genetic Test frames your fatty-acid pathways.

Adiponectin is a fat-tissue hormone that improves insulin sensitivity and falls as body fat rises — low levels track with type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular risk factors. This article explains adiponectin biology, the ADIPOQ gene variants that set your baseline, and how genetic insight adds metabolic context.

Chromium supports insulin action and carbohydrate metabolism, and genetics shapes it through transport proteins like transferrin (TF) and metabolic genes such as TCF7L2 and FTO. This article explains how chromium moves through the body and what pathway-level genetic insight can and cannot tell you.

Blood EPA depends on both omega-3 intake and how efficiently your genes convert it. Variants in FADS1 and FADS2, tagged by rs174537, strongly influence how much plant-based ALA becomes EPA. Learn how the omega-3 pathway works and what it means for your dietary needs.

Methionine is an essential sulfur amino acid found in meat, fish, eggs, and dairy, and it powers the methylation cycle. This article covers dietary sources, methionine's metabolic role, and how methylation genes like MTHFR, BHMT, and CBS shape how your body uses it.

Shrimp allergy is driven by IgE antibodies against tropomyosin, a shellfish muscle protein, and shaped by named genes including IL13, IL4, and FLG. This article explains the immune pathway behind shellfish reactions, the role of the skin barrier, cross-reactivity, and how genetic pathway insight fits alongside allergist-led care.

Manganese is an essential trace mineral, and genetic variants in transporters such as SLC39A8 (rs13107325), SLC30A10, and SLC39A14 shape how your body absorbs and clears it. This article explains the key named genes, the link to oxidative balance, and where pathway-level genetic insight fits alongside provider care.

The rs1050450 (Pro198Leu) variant in the GPX1 antioxidant gene depends on selenium — the mineral that partners with iodine in thyroid hormone production. This article explains what the "G" allele changes, how antioxidant genetics connect to iodine metabolism, and what a pathway-level genetic test can and cannot reveal about your biology.

Ghrelin, the hunger hormone, drives appetite, fat storage, and energy balance — and genes like GHRL, GHSR, and FTO shape how much you make and how strongly you respond. This article explains the genetic factors behind ghrelin, what the research shows, and how pathway-level insight adds context.

Phenylalanine metabolism depends on the PAH gene and the BH4 cofactor pathway (GCH1, PTS, QDPR). Learn how these variants shape how you convert this essential amino acid, how predisposition is assessed, and what the Precision Peptide Genetic Test reveals about your metabolic pathways.

Blood glycine levels are strongly genetic: GLDC runs the glycine cleavage system, while SHMT1 and CPS1 shape synthesis and clearance. Low glycine tracks with cardiometabolic risk in population studies. Learn how these named gene variants work and how pathway-level genetic insight adds context to your health picture.

Food allergy vulnerability is shaped by skin-barrier and immune genes, most notably FLG (filaggrin) plus IL13, IL4, STAT6, and specific HLA types. These variants raise susceptibility rather than guaranteeing an allergy. This article explains the atopic march, what research shows, and how pathway-level genetic insight informs a provider conversation.

Genetic differences help explain why ginseng affects people differently. Gut bacteria, CYP3A5 (variant rs776746), and COMT (rs4680) shape how ginsenosides are absorbed, cleared, and perceived. Learn what these named variants do and how pathway-level genetic context supports an informed conversation with your provider.

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) affects about one in ten people and is a real gut-brain axis disorder, not “all in your head.” With 90 percent of serotonin made in the gut, variants in SLC6A4, TNFSF15, and SCN5A are linked to IBS. Learn the genetics and how it differs from IBD.