For decades, we have viewed genetics as a life sentence: "if my father had diabetes, I will too". However, modern science tells us something far more hopeful. Your DNA is not an unchangeable fate, but a detailed map that shows you the potholes in the road so you can avoid them.
In this article, we explore the genetics of complex diseases and how understanding your risk can be the first step towards a longer, healthier life.
What is a complex disease?
To begin, we must define what a complex disease is. Unlike monogenic diseases (caused by an alteration in a single gene, such as cystic fibrosis), a multifactorial genetic disease is one that arises from the interaction of hundreds or thousands of genetic variants along with environmental and lifestyle factors.
Common complex diseases include hypertension, type 2 diabetes, and most cardiovascular diseases. In these cases, we are not looking for a single "guilty gene", but rather a combination of many factors.
Polygenic Risk Score (PRS)
To understand risk, at tellmeGen we use an advanced tool: the Polygenic Risk Score (PRS). But what is a polygenic disorder exactly? It is a condition where the risk does not depend on a single "switch", but on thousands of small genetic variations that, when added together, increase or decrease your likelihood of developing a pathology.
This is where the difference between genetic disorders and polygenic diseases lies:
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Genetic disorders (Monogenic): The presence of one or two copies of a mutation (depending on the case) makes the probability of developing the disease very high—almost inevitable in many instances.
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Polygenic diseases: The presence of various genetic variants means you may have a predisposition, but the final outcome will largely depend on your daily decisions.
Do all diseases have a multifactorial component?
Although technically not all diseases have a multifactorial component (monogenic ones, for example, are purely genetic), the reality is that almost any health condition is influenced by the environment.
Even if you have a high predisposition to certain complex diseases, their treatment is not solely pharmacological. The most powerful approach is precision prevention. Knowing your weak points allows you, for example, to personalise your diet, your physical activity levels, and your medical check-ups to "silence" that genetic predisposition.
Take control of your biological map
Understanding complex diseases is a game-changer. If your tellmeGen test indicates an elevated risk for cardiovascular pathology, it doesn't mean you are going to suffer a heart attack; it means your body is asking you to manage your cholesterol and stress more rigorously than the average person.
Knowledge of your polygenic risk grants you the superpower of anticipation. You no longer wait for a symptom to appear; you act on the cause before the problem even exists.
The science of complex diseases teaches us that we are a blend of nature and nurture. Your genetics provide the starting point, but you decide where the finish line is.
Are you ready to read your map? Discover your predisposition to the most common diseases and start writing your own future with the tellmeGen DNA test.
