Newsletter - September 16th, 2021
We Have A New Website!
We’ve been hard at work over the past few months building a better public GX Sciences website for our visitors, and now that website is live, here, on “gxsciences.com“. You’ll find that the new site is much leaner in design and information – allowing for a more optimized approach to learning about GX. It builds on delivering short, simple, and key information while encouraging customer, client, and partner communication with actual human beings that work here at the GX Lab. And it’ll get better and better over time.
For our valued providers already registered – rest assured that our new public website experience doesn’t affect the current Provider Portal experience, still located separately to securely login and access at “portal.gxsciences.com“.
Read more of President Michael Willoughby’s letter on the welcome blog post.
NutriGen™ Teachable Update
Our Corporate Clinical Educator has been hard at work adding and updating the “GX Academy” of training and education courses. A key update for the NutriGen™ Course has been added that helps our providers and partners be the most up to speed on effectively interpreting the NutriGen™ test for their patients.
Certified or licensed providers and partners that have already enrolled in the course can login and re-view the course with the update included. Haven’t enrolled in the NutriGen Training Course yet and are a licensed or certified provider? Enroll today!
Panel Focus: Neurological | Psych
Why is it relevant?
September is National Suicide Prevention Month. According to the National Alliance on Mental Health – suicide is the 10th largest cause of death in the United States, and the 2nd largest cause of death among those aged 10-34. Further – Nearly 46% of individuals who commit suicide had previously been diagnosed with a mental health condition. Genetic factors that play a role in the imbalance of inhibitory and excitatory neurotransmitters can lead to issues with mood, focus, sleep, and anxiety. Maintaining a balance in neurotransmitters is essential for emotional regulation, focus, restful sleep, the growth and survival of neurons, and proper autophagy and detoxification. GX Sciences strives to educate our practitioners about genetic and environmental factors that could explain symptoms associated with various neurological and/or psychological disorders.
Why is it important?
According to the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, on average, there are about 130 suicides per day in the US. Our comprehensive nutrigenomic panel, Neurological | Psych, identifies underlying contributing factors to mood disorders, post-concussion syndrome, motor control issues, headaches, vertigo/dizziness, personality disorders, seizures and neurodegenerative disorders. This genetic test evaluates specific genes that impact excitatory and inhibitory neurotransmitters. Genetic predispositions, in combination with inflammatory lifestyle factors such as stress, alcohol intake, poor diet choice and stimulant use, can fuel unfavorable symptoms. Genetic findings and interpretations through the GX Sciences supplementation algorithm can help providers determine:
- Contributing genetic factors in mood, anxiety and/or focus issues
- Discover insufficiencies in Neurogenesis
- Autophagy consideration in relation to the Neurological System & Neuro-Inflammatory Response
- The body’s ability to detox
Key Genes Related to Neuro | Psych | Mood
COMT
Worrier or warrior? The COMT gene has instructions for making an enzyme responsible for the breakdown of dopamine and other catechol’s such as norepinephrine and epinephrine. There are two variants of this gene known as the worrier and the warrior. The homozygous SNP, or the “worrier,” can result in reduced dopamine degradation leading to altered stress response. In contrast, the “warrior” mutation breaks down these neurotransmitters quickly. In white populations, the estimated genotype frequencies are25% for high enzymatic activity, 50% for intermediate, and 25% for low enzymatic activity. The low enzymatic activity variation is less common in black populations, measuring at only 7% for the mutation. (Source 1, Source 2)
MAOB
Major depressive disorder affects approximately 17.3 million American adults, or about 7.1% of the U.S. population age 18 and older, in a given year. An enzyme called monoamine oxidase is involved in removing neurotransmitters from the brain. The MAO-A isoenzyme metabolizes serotonin, norepinephrine, and dopamine, while MAO-B primarily metabolizes dopamine. Patients who have polymorphisms of MAO-B have a higher risk of clinical depression and mood disorders. (Source)
GAD1
According to a poll released in October 2020 by the American Psychiatric Association (APA), 62% of Americans feel more anxious than they did at this time last year. A mutation in GAD1, especially a homozygous mutation, affects glutamic acid conversion into GABA and can exaggerate symptoms. Individuals with the homozygous GAD1 mutation have trouble converting glutamic acid to GABA, resulting in an imbalance. The brain becomes over-excited due to a surplus of glutamic acid and a deficit in GABA levels. Symptoms may include headaches, irritability, restlessness, anxiety, and ADHD-like symptoms. (Source)
Registered? Order test kits, view sample reports, access resources, and more via our portal
Not registered yet? Submit our online registration form with your credentials and gain provider access
Want to learn more to see if GX Sciences testing is right for your practice? Schedule a consultation today