Glossary

Lexicon / Glossary

Frau liest entspannt auf dem Sofa am Handy, Tasse Tee daneben

Search, filter and discover the technical terms from our tests and articles - from allele to cellular respiration. 75 terms, each with a short definition and what it means for your body.

Popular:
75 Terms

A

AbsorptionNutrients & nutrition · Metabolism & energy

Uptake of a substance into the body, usually from the gut into the bloodstream.

What this means for you

How well your body absorbs vitamins, minerals or fats depends on your gut, other substances in your meal and, in part, your genes. A nutrient only counts once it reaches your blood.

Also searched as: Uptake · resorption · absorption

Related terms

AlkaloidNutrients & nutrition

Natural plant compound that usually tastes bitter and has an effect on the body.

What this means for you

Caffeine is the best-known alkaloid. How quickly you break it down is partly determined by your genes, which is why some people can handle an espresso in the evening and others cannot.

Also searched as: Caffeine · plant compound · bitter compound

Related terms

AlleleGenes & heredity

One of several possible variants of a gene at the same position on a chromosome.

What this means for you

You carry each gene twice, once from your mother and once from your father. If both alleles are the same, you are homozygous at that position; if they differ, you are heterozygous. Blood type and hair color result from such differences.

Also searched as: Gene variant · homozygous · heterozygous · alleles

Related terms

Amino acidNutrients & nutrition · Muscles & sports

Building block the body uses to assemble proteins.

What this means for you

There are 20 different ones. Your body cannot produce nine of them, so they are considered essential and must come from food. Which amino acid is incorporated where is encoded in the DNA as a sequence of three nucleotides, such as GCU for alanine.

Also searched as: Protein building block · protein component · essential amino acid · alanine

Related terms

AnticarcinogenCell protection & detoxification

Term for a substance that research credits with having a protective effect against cancer.

What this means for you

You may encounter the word when reading about secondary plant compounds in vegetables, fruit and tea. It describes observations from studies, not an effect you can rely on.

Also searched as: Anticarcinogen · anticancer · secondary plant compounds

Related terms

AntioxidantsCell Protection & Detoxification · Nutrients & Nutrition

Substances that capture free radicals and thereby protect cells from oxidative stress.

What this means for you

Vitamin C, vitamin E, and many plant compounds belong to this group. Your body also produces its own protective enzymes; how well they work is partly genetically determined.

Also searched for as: Free radical scavengers · Oxidative stress · Vitamin C · Vitamin E · Antioxidant

Related terms

Types of fatFats & Blood Fats

Fats differ in their structure: saturated, monounsaturated, polyunsaturated, and trans fats.

What this means for you

Animal fats are mostly saturated, while plant oils are mostly unsaturated. How your body handles each type of fat is partly determined by genetics.

Also searched for as: Fatty acids · Types of fat · Kinds of fat

Related terms

ArteryBody & Organs

Blood vessel that carries blood away from the heart to the body. The largest is the aorta.

What this means for you

Blood fats such as LDL cholesterol tend to build up in artery walls. That is why arteries are mentioned in almost every text about the heart and circulation.

Also searched for as: Artery · Aorta · Blood vessel · Vessels

Related terms

B

Dietary fiberCarbohydrates & Blood Sugar · Nutrients & Nutrition

Indigestible carbohydrates from plants, such as cellulose, lignin, and pectin.

What this means for you

They promote a feeling of fullness, slow the rise in blood sugar, and nourish gut bacteria. The German Nutrition Society recommends at least 30 grams per day as a guideline.

Also searched for as: Dietary fibers · Cellulose · Pectin · Lignin · Dietary fiber

Related terms

BMIMetabolism & Energy · Body & Organs

Body mass index: body weight in kilograms divided by height in meters squared.

What this means for you

BMI does not distinguish between muscle and fat. An athletic person can have a high BMI without being overweight. It is a guide, not a diagnosis.

Also searched for as: Body mass index · BMI · kg/m² · body mass index

Related terms

C

ChromosomeGenes & Heredity

Rod-shaped, coiled DNA molecule on which hundreds to thousands of genes are located.

What this means for you

Each cell nucleus contains 22 pairs of chromosomes plus two sex chromosomes, 46 in total. DNA wraps around proteins called histones so it can fit inside the cell nucleus.

Also searched for as: Chromosomes · Histones · Genetic material carriers

Related terms

Chromosome (autosomal)Genes & Heredity

Each of the 22 chromosome pairs that does not determine sex.

What this means for you

One chromosome in each pair comes from the father and one from the mother. Most of the genes examined in a DNA analysis of nutrition and metabolism are located on these autosomes.

Also searched as: autosome · autosomes · autosomal chromosome

Related terms

ChylomicronFats & blood lipids

Transport particle that carries fats from food from the intestine through the lymph into the blood.

What this means for you

Chylomicrons contain mainly triglycerides and only a little cholesterol. After a high-fat meal, they circulate in the blood for several hours, which is why blood lipid levels are often measured after fasting.

Also searched as: chylomicrons · dietary fat transport · lipoprotein

Related terms

CofactorMetabolism & energy · Nutrients & diet

Non-protein helper that an enzyme needs to function, such as a vitamin or mineral.

What this means for you

Magnesium, zinc, and many B vitamins are cofactors. If the helper is missing, the reaction slows down even though the enzyme is present. This is one reason micronutrients matter for metabolism.

Also searched as: coenzyme · cofactor · co-factor

Related terms

D

DiabetesCarbohydrates & blood sugar · Body & organs

Chronic disorder of blood sugar regulation: The pancreas produces too little insulin, or the body no longer responds to it adequately.

What this means for you

Type 2 diabetes usually develops over several years as a result of insulin resistance. Genes can influence blood sugar regulation, but only a doctor can make a diagnosis, for example using HbA1c and fasting glucose.

Also searched as: diabetes · diabetes mellitus · type 2 · blood sugar · type 2 diabetes

Related terms

DimethylationGenes & inheritance

Attachment of two methyl groups to a molecule, such as DNA or histones.

What this means for you

Methyl groups act like switches: They can silence or activate genes without changing the code. This is the field of epigenetics, which lifestyle and diet can also influence.

Also searched as: dimethylation · methylation · epigenetics · methyl group

Related terms

DNAGenes & inheritance

Molecule in the cell nucleus that carries the organism’s blueprint, made up of four nucleotides arranged in a double helix.

What this means for you

Two complementary strands twist around each other: A always pairs with T, and C always pairs with G. Your DNA is the same in every cell and does not change over the course of your life, which is why a DNA analysis is a one-time test.

Also searched as: DNA · genetic material · deoxyribonucleic acid · double helix · hereditary substance

Related terms

E

Monounsaturated fatsFats & blood lipids

Fatty acids with a single double bond, found abundantly in olive oil, rapeseed oil, avocados, and nuts.

What this means for you

They are considered beneficial for blood lipids when they replace saturated fats. Genes influence how strongly your body responds to this change.

Also searched for as: Oleic acid · Omega-9 · MUFA · Olive oil · Monounsaturated fatty acids

Related terms

DetoxificationCell protection & detoxification · Metabolism & energy

The breakdown and elimination of substances the body does not need or that are harmful to it, mainly through the liver and kidneys.

What this means for you

The liver works in two phases using its own enzyme families. How quickly these enzymes work is partly genetically determined for caffeine, alcohol, or medication. This has nothing to do with “detox cleanses.”

Also searched for as: Detox · Detoxification phases · Liver detoxification · Detoxification

Related terms

EnzymeMetabolism & energy

A protein that speeds up a chemical reaction in the body by lowering the required activation energy.

What this means for you

Few processes would happen quickly enough without enzymes, such as breaking down starch into glucose. Many gene variants from a DNA analysis involve these very enzymes, and therefore affect how quickly you metabolize something.

Also searched for as: Catalyst · Digestive enzyme · Lactase · Enzymes

Related terms

Essential fatty acidsFats & blood lipids · Nutrients & nutrition

Fatty acids that the body cannot produce on its own and must obtain through food: linoleic acid (omega-6) and alpha-linolenic acid (omega-3).

What this means for you

They are found in plant oils, nuts, flaxseed, and fatty fish. How well your body converts them into the longer-chain omega-3 forms EPA and DHA varies genetically.

Also searched for as: Essential fats · Omega-3 · Omega-6 · Linoleic acid · EPA · DHA

Related terms

F

FatsFats & blood lipids · Nutrients & nutrition

A macronutrient and source of energy: one gram provides around 9 kilocalories, more than twice as much as carbohydrates or proteins.

What this means for you

Fats transport the fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E, and K and help build cell membranes and hormones. So it’s not about avoiding fat, but about the type of fat.

Also searched for as: Lipids · Dietary fat · Fatty acids · Fat

Related terms

Free radicalsCell protection & detoxification

Unstable molecules with an unpaired electron that can attack cell components.

What this means for you

They are constantly produced by metabolism, exercise, UV light, or smoking. In moderation, they are part of cell signaling; in excess, this is known as oxidative stress. Antioxidants and the body’s own enzymes counteract them.

Also searched as: Oxidative stress · Radicals · ROS · Free radicals

Related terms

G

GeneGenes & inheritance

A section of DNA that carries the information for a protein or a regulatory function.

What this means for you

Humans have around 20,000 genes, and you inherit one copy from each parent. A DNA analysis does not read the entire gene, but specific locations in it where people differ.

Also searched as: Hereditary factor · Genes · Gene segment

Related terms

Genetic analysisGenes & inheritance

An examination of selected locations in the genetic material to see which variants you carry.

What this means for you

mybody®x does not perform complete genome sequencing, but a targeted analysis of SNPs from a saliva sample. The results describe predispositions related to nutrition, metabolism, and exercise, not diseases.

Also searched as: DNA test · DNA analysis · Genetic test · Gene analysis · Saliva test

Related terms

Genetic makeupGenes & inheritance

Informal term for genotype: the set of gene variants a person carries.

What this means for you

The term usually refers to the sequence of DNA building blocks in a gene, and sometimes to the region in the genome where the gene is located.

Also searched as: Hereditary factors · Predisposition · Genetic prerequisites

Related terms

GenomeGenes & inheritance

The complete DNA of an organism, that is, all its chromosomes together.

What this means for you

The human genome comprises around 3 billion base pairs. Two people are about 99.9 percent identical in this respect; the differences lie in the remaining positions, such as SNPs.

Also searched as: Genetic material · All genes · Genomes

Related terms

GenotypeGenes & inheritance

The combination of the two alleles you carry at a gene location, for example AA, AG, or GG.

What this means for you

Genotype is what the analysis measures. What becomes visible, the phenotype, also depends on lifestyle and environment.

Also searched as: Genotypes · Allele combination · AA AG GG

Related terms

TanninNutrients & nutrition

A plant-based polyphenol with a bitter, astringent taste, also called a tannin.

What this means for you

Tea, red wine, coffee, and dark chocolate contain tannins. They can slow the absorption of iron from plant-based foods when consumed with the same meal. How intensely you taste bitter flavors is partly genetic.

Also searched as: Tannin · Tannins · Polyphenol · Tannins

Related terms

Saturated fatsFats & blood lipids

Fatty acids without double bonds, found mainly in butter, meat, sausage, cheese, coconut oil, and palm oil.

What this means for you

Colloquially called “bad fats” because a high proportion is associated with higher LDL levels. How much your LDL responds to them varies from person to person, including for genetic reasons.

Also searched as: SFA · animal fats · butterfat · saturated fatty acids · bad fats

Related terms

Sex chromosomeGenes & heredity

The 23rd chromosome pair: women have XX, men XY.

What this means for you

The Y chromosome is inherited only from the father and determines biological sex. Some genes on the X chromosome have a more direct effect in men because they lack a second copy.

Also searched as: X chromosome · Y chromosome · sex chromosome · XX · XY

Related terms

GlucoseCarbohydrates & blood sugar

Dextrose, the most important simple sugar and the “blood sugar” measured in lab results.

What this means for you

The brain and red blood cells depend on glucose. Insulin moves it from the blood into cells; fasting glucose and HbA1c show how well this works.

Also searched as: glucose · blood sugar · dextrose · glucose · HbA1c

Related terms

Glycemic loadCarbohydrates & blood sugar

Measure that combines the glycemic index with the actual amount of carbohydrates in a serving.

What this means for you

It describes the rise in blood sugar more realistically than the index alone. The term appears in the DNA report when discussing your genetic predisposition to blood sugar regulation.

Also searched as: glycemic tolerance · GL · glycemic load · glycemic burden

Related terms

Glycemic indexCarbohydrates & blood sugar

Measure of how much 50 grams of carbohydrates from a food raise blood sugar, compared with glucose.

What this means for you

It does not take into account how much people typically eat. Watermelon has a high index but few carbohydrates per serving. That’s what the glycemic load is for.

Also searched as: GI · glycemic index · blood sugar index · glycemic

Related terms

GlycogenCarbohydrates & blood sugar · Muscles & exercise

Storage form of glucose in the liver and muscles.

What this means for you

The liver releases sugar from it into the blood when you go a long time without eating. Muscles use their reserves during exertion. After one to two hours of intense exercise, the stores are largely depleted.

Also searched as: sugar store · carbohydrate store · glycogen store

Related terms

H

Common variant of a geneGenes & heredity

The form of a gene that occurs at the location being studied in more than half the population.

What this means for you

In the report, it is often the reference form against which your variant is compared. “Common” describes frequency, not value.

Also searched for as: common allele · major allele · wild type · copy of a gene · common variant

Related terms

HDL cholesterolFats & blood lipids

A high-density lipoprotein that carries excess cholesterol from the tissues back to the liver.

What this means for you

Commonly known as “good cholesterol.” A higher HDL level is considered beneficial; exercise and unsaturated fats affect it. The ratio to LDL is what matters, not a single value.

Also searched for as: good cholesterol · HDL · High Density Lipoprotein · cholesterol

Related terms

Hydrogenated fatsFats & blood lipids

Vegetable oils that have been industrially hardened with hydrogen; this process can produce trans fats.

What this means for you

They kept margarine, frying fat, and baked goods firm and fresh for a long time. In the EU, the content of industrial trans fats has been limited to 2 grams per 100 grams of fat since 2021.

Also searched for as: hardened fats · hydrogenated vegetable fat · hydrogenation · hydrogenated

Related terms

HypothalamusBody & organs

A cherry-sized area in the diencephalon that controls hormones, body temperature, hunger, and thirst.

What this means for you

This is where leptin and insulin signals come together to regulate your feeling of fullness. Gene variants can affect these signaling pathways, which is one reason fullness varies from person to person.

Also searched for as: diencephalon · hormone control center · satiety center · leptin

Related terms

I

IDLFats & blood lipids

An intermediate-density lipoprotein, an intermediate stage in the breakdown of VLDL into LDL.

What this means for you

IDL remains in the blood only briefly. It is not listed separately in standard test results; it is included mathematically in the LDL or non-HDL value.

Also searched for as: Intermediate Density Lipoprotein · intermediate-density lipoprotein

Related terms

InsulinCarbohydrates & blood sugar · Body & organs

A hormone produced by the pancreas that moves glucose from the blood into cells and lowers blood sugar.

What this means for you

Insulin levels rise after every carbohydrate-rich meal. Persistently high levels slow fat breakdown, which is why insulin appears in almost every text about weight.

Also searched for as: blood sugar hormone · insulin level · pancreas

Related terms

Insulin resistanceCarbohydrates & blood sugar

A condition in which cells respond less effectively to insulin, so the pancreas has to produce more and more of it.

What this means for you

It often develops long before type 2 diabetes and goes unnoticed. Exercise, sleep, and weight affect it, as does a genetic predisposition to blood sugar regulation. It is measured using fasting insulin and glucose, with the HOMA index.

Also searched for: Insulin insensitivity · HOMA index · Prediabetes · Insulin resistant

Related terms

K

CaucasianGenes & Heredity

A collective term used in genetic studies for people of European ancestry.

What this means for you

Many frequency figures for gene variants come from study groups with this ancestry. If a report says “in Caucasians,” it means the figure applies to this group and may differ in other populations.

Also searched for: European ancestry · Population · Study population · Caucasian

Related terms

KcalMetabolism & Energy · Nutrients & Nutrition

A kilocalorie, the unit used to measure the energy content of food; in everyday speech, people usually just say “calorie.”

What this means for you

One gram of carbohydrates or protein provides around 4 kcal, and one gram of fat around 9 kcal. How much energy your body uses at rest depends on muscle mass, age, and genetic makeup.

Also searched for: Calorie · Kilocalorie · Energy content · kJ · Calories

Related terms

CarbohydratesCarbohydrates & Blood Sugar · Nutrients & Nutrition

The third macronutrient alongside fats and proteins, and the body's fastest source of energy.

What this means for you

They range from simple sugars to starch and dietary fiber. How well you tolerate larger amounts varies: for example, the number of copies of the AMY1 amylase gene influences how quickly starch is broken down in the mouth.

Also searched for: Carbs · Sugar · Saccharides · Starch · Carbohydrates · Amylase

Related terms

Complex carbohydratesCarbohydrates & Blood Sugar · Nutrients & Nutrition

Long chains of sugars, such as starch, that the body first has to break down, found in foods like whole grains, legumes, and potatoes.

What this means for you

The energy is released more slowly, blood sugar rises more gradually, and you stay full longer. Simple sugars from sweet foods have the opposite effect.

Also searched for: Starch · Polysaccharides · Whole grains · Complex sugars · Long-chain carbohydrates

Related terms

PhosphocreatineMuscles & Sports

An energy-rich molecule in muscle that provides immediate energy during the first seconds of exertion.

What this means for you

Sprint, jump, heavy repetition: The first ten seconds or so rely on phosphocreatine, after which glycogen and fat take over. Creatine is therefore one of the most extensively studied sports supplements.

Also searched for: Creatine · Creatine · Phosphocreatine · ATP · Creatine

Related terms

L

LactoseCarbohydrates & blood sugar · Nutrients & nutrition

Milk sugar, a disaccharide made up of glucose and galactose.

What this means for you

The enzyme lactase breaks it down in the small intestine. In many adults, lactase production declines; this is genetically determined and can be seen in the LCT gene. Undigested lactose then reaches the large intestine and can cause bloating.

Also searched as: milk sugar · lactose intolerance · lactase · LCT · lactose

Related terms

LDL cholesterolFats & blood lipids

A low-density lipoprotein that transports cholesterol from the liver to cells.

What this means for you

Colloquially called “bad cholesterol” because high levels are associated with buildup in the arteries. Diet, exercise, and genes such as APOE affect the level.

Also searched as: bad cholesterol · LDL · low-density lipoprotein · cholesterol · APOE

Related terms

LipolysisMetabolism & energy · Fats & blood lipids

Fat breakdown: Stored triglycerides are broken down into fatty acids and glycerol and released to provide energy.

What this means for you

It is triggered, among other things, by exercise and hunger, and slowed by insulin. How readily your fat tissue releases fat again varies in part due to genetics.

Also searched as: fat breakdown · fat burning · fat metabolism

Related terms

Lipoprotein particlesFats & blood lipids

Tiny transport particles made of fat and protein that carry water-insoluble fats like cholesterol through the blood.

What this means for you

Chylomicrons, VLDL, IDL, LDL, and HDL are lipoproteins of different densities. Your blood lipid test is essentially a count of these particles.

Also searched as: lipoproteins · cholesterol transport · lipoprotein

Related terms

M

MacronutrientsNutrients & nutrition

The three nutrient groups that provide energy: carbohydrates, proteins, and fats.

What this means for you

How you distribute them isn’t a matter of belief; it depends on your goals, activity, and genetic makeup. A DNA-based nutrition plan focuses precisely on this distribution.

Also searched as: macros · nutrient distribution · macronutrients · macronutrient · proteins · protein

Related terms

Polyunsaturated fatsFats & blood lipids · Nutrients & nutrition

Fatty acids with multiple double bonds, including omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids.

What this means for you

They’re found in fish, flaxseed oil, walnuts, and sunflower oil. The ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 matters; most people eat significantly more omega-6.

Also searched as: PUFA · Omega-3 · Omega-6 · fish oil · polyunsaturated fatty acids

Related terms

MicronutrientsNutrients & diet

Vitamins, minerals, and trace elements: the body needs them only in small amounts, but metabolism cannot function without them.

What this means for you

Many act as enzyme cofactors. Blood levels show whether you are getting enough; whether you have a higher requirement may also be down to your genes, for example for vitamin D or folic acid.

Also searched for: Vitamins · Minerals · Trace elements · Nutrients · Micronutrient

Related terms

MonosaccharideCarbohydrates & blood sugar

Simple sugars, the smallest carbohydrate units: glucose, fructose, galactose.

What this means for you

All other carbohydrates are broken down into simple sugars in the intestine; only then do they enter the blood. Fructose takes a separate route through the liver.

Also searched for: Simple sugars · Fructose · Galactose · Fruit sugar · Monosaccharides

Related terms

Muscle fiberMuscles & sports

The elongated cell that makes up skeletal muscles.

What this means for you

There are slow, endurance-oriented fibers (type I) and fast, powerful ones (type II). Their distribution is partly predetermined; the ACTN3 gene is the best-known example. Training can shift this balance to a limited extent.

Also searched for: Muscle cell · Type I fibers · Type II fibers · ACTN3 · Muscle fibers · Sprint gene

Related terms

MutationGenes & inheritance

A random, permanent change in the DNA code.

What this means for you

Nucleotides can be lost, added, or replaced. Most mutations have no consequences. When a change has spread through the population, it is called a polymorphism.

Also searched for: Gene mutation · Deletion · Insertion · Substitution · Mutations

Related terms

MyoglobinMuscles & sports

A protein that stores oxygen in the muscle and delivers it where it is burned.

What this means for you

It makes muscle tissue red. Endurance training increases myoglobin levels, which is why trained muscles can use oxygen better.

Also searched for: Muscle pigment · Oxygen store · Muscle protein

Related terms

N

NucleotideGenes & inheritance

Basic building block of DNA, made of sugar, phosphate, and one of the four bases: adenine, thymine, cytosine, and guanine.

What this means for you

The order of these four letters, A, T, C, G, is the genetic code. An SNP is nothing more than a single letter being swapped.

Also searched for: Base · Base pair · Adenine · Thymine · Cytosine · Guanine · Nucleotides

Related terms

O

Osmotic pressureBody & organs · Metabolism & energy

The pressure exerted by dissolved particles as they draw water across a cell membrane.

What this means for you

Salt and sugar bind water. That’s why salty food makes you thirsty, and why undigested lactose draws water into the gut. Your body keeps the osmotic pressure in your blood very stable, mainly through sodium.

Also searched as: osmosis · water balance · electrolytes · sodium

Related terms

P

Phenotypic traitGenes & heredity

A visible or measurable trait, such as eye color, height, or a blood test result.

What this means for you

Phenotype is the result of genotype and environment. Two people with the same gene variant may look or respond differently because diet, exercise, and age also play a role.

Also searched as: phenotype · trait · appearance · phenotypic

Related terms

PolymorphismGenes & heredity

A gene variant found in more than one percent of the population.

What this means for you

The difference from a mutation is how common it is: a polymorphism is a common, normal variant. Almost everything a DNA analysis reads for nutrition and exercise consists of polymorphisms.

Also searched as: gene variant · variant · genetic variation · polymorphisms

Related terms

Probiotic yogurtNutrients & nutrition

Yogurt with added live bacterial cultures, usually Lactobacillus or Bifidobacterium strains.

What this means for you

Whether and how the cultures colonize the gut depends on the strain, the amount, and your own gut flora. A microbiome analysis shows which types of bacteria are present in your gut.

Also searched as: probiotics · yogurt cultures · lactic acid bacteria · gut flora · Lactobacillus · Bifidobacteria

Related terms

R

RefinedNutrients & nutrition · Carbohydrates & blood sugar

Industrially purified and processed, such as white flour, white sugar, or refined oils.

What this means for you

Refining removes fiber, minerals, and plant compounds. Refined carbohydrates raise blood sugar faster than their whole-grain counterparts.

Also searched as: white flour · industrial sugar · processed · refined sugar · refining

Related terms

Reactive oxygen speciesCell protection & detoxification

Highly reactive oxygen compounds produced as byproducts of cellular respiration; most free radicals belong to this group.

What this means for you

In small amounts, they act as signaling molecules, including during exercise. In excess, they damage cell membranes, proteins, and DNA. You’ll encounter the abbreviation ROS in many texts about longevity.

Also searched as: ROS · reactive oxygen species · oxygen radicals

Related terms

RiskGenes & inheritance

In a DNA report: a statistically higher or lower probability, for example of needing more vitamin D or being prone to obesity.

What this means for you

Genetic risk is a statement about population groups, not a prediction for you personally. Predisposition is not destiny; your lifestyle affects what happens.

Also searched for: predisposition · predisposition · probability · risk variant · genetic risk

Related terms

S

Less common gene variantGenes & inheritance

The form of a gene that occurs less frequently at the location being studied in the population, that is, in fewer than half of people.

What this means for you

In a DNA report, it often appears as a “variant” or as a different letter from the common form. Rare doesn’t mean bad, just less common.

Also searched for: rare allele · minor allele · risk allele · copy of a gene · rare variant

Related terms

SNPGenes & inheritance

Single Nucleotide Polymorphism: a location in the genome where people differ by a single DNA building block, such as A instead of C.

What this means for you

Many millions of SNPs are known in the human genome. They explain why people process caffeine, lactose, and fats differently. A DNA analysis specifically reads the SNPs for which the link is well established.

Also searched for: snip · single nucleotide polymorphism · point variant · Single Nucleotide Polymorphism · SNPs

Related terms

MetabolismMetabolism & energy

The sum of the chemical processes by which the body builds up and breaks down substances and obtains energy.

What this means for you

A “slow metabolism” usually isn’t an excuse, but rather the result of a combination of muscle mass, hormones, sleep, and genetic predisposition. Blood tests and DNA analysis show you different aspects of it.

Also searched for: metabolism · basal metabolic rate · energy metabolism · metabolic

Related terms

T

ThermogenesisMetabolism & energy

Heat generation in the body, for example after eating or through brown adipose tissue.

What this means for you

Digestion itself uses energy, most of all for proteins. How much heat your body releases in the process is partly determined by your genes and is one component of your energy expenditure.

Also searched for: heat production · diet-induced thermogenesis · brown fat · heat generation

Related terms

Trans fatsFats & blood lipids

Unsaturated fatty acids with an unhealthy structure, formed mainly during the industrial hardening and intense heating of oils.

What this means for you

They raise LDL, lower HDL, and are considered the least healthy type of fat. On ingredient lists, they’re disguised as “hydrogenated vegetable fat.”

Also searched for: Trans fatty acids · Hydrogenated fats · TFA · Trans fats

Related terms

TriglyceridesFats & blood lipids

The storage form of fat in the body and in food: one glycerol molecule with three fatty acids.

What this means for you

In blood tests, they rise after meals and after consuming alcohol and sugar. Persistently high levels are associated with cardiovascular disease. Gene variants influence how much carbohydrates raise your triglyceride levels.

Also searched for: Neutral fats · Blood lipids · TG · Triglycerides · Triglyceride

Related terms

U

Unsaturated fatsFats & blood lipids

Fatty acids with at least one double bond, predominantly from plant sources; coconut and palm oils are the exceptions.

What this means for you

They are liquid at room temperature. Nutrition organizations recommend replacing saturated fats with unsaturated fats rather than avoiding fat altogether.

Also searched for: Plant-based fats · Vegetable oil · Olive oil · Unsaturated fatty acids · Good fats

Related terms

V

VLDLFats & blood lipids

A very-low-density lipoprotein produced by the liver to transport triglycerides and cholesterol it has made into the body.

What this means for you

VLDL eventually becomes LDL via IDL. A lot of sugar and alcohol cause the liver to produce more VLDL, which is reflected in triglyceride levels.

Also searched for: Very low-density lipoprotein · Very-low-density lipoprotein

Related terms

Z

Cellular respirationMetabolism & energy · Muscles & sports

The process by which cells use glucose and oxygen to produce energy (ATP), carbon dioxide, and water.

What this means for you

It takes place in the mitochondria, the cell’s power plants. The more mitochondria you have, and the fitter they are, the better you use oxygen—that’s the goal of endurance training. Reactive oxygen species are produced as a byproduct.

Also searched for: Mitochondria · ATP · Energy production · Aerobic metabolism · Electron transport chain

Related terms

No term found

No results for “”. Check the spelling or try another word.

The explanations are for general information and do not replace medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.

Read more

Latest posts

View all

Contact

Do you have questions about our tests?

Send us a message, and we’ll get back to you shortly. Or book a free appointment for a personal consultation.

WhatsApp
+49 152 0880 7921Mon–Fri, 10 a.m.–5 p.m.
Consultation
Book a free appointmentPersonalized for the right test

Write to us

How we handle your information is explained in the Privacy Policy.