The concept of “biochemical individuality” was first proposed by Roger Williams in 1956 to explain differences in disease susceptibility, nutrient needs, and drug responsiveness among otherwise healthy people. It is only in the wake of the ongoing genomic revolution, however, that predictive genomic or genetic testing has become available to allow us to assess true biochemical individuality. For the first time, physicians can find out with increasing precision those who are more likely to develop specific diseases, who will respond favorably (or react adversely) to a particular drug or supplement therapy, and finally, which nutrients are optimal for a specific person’s health and well-being.
Who can benefit from genomic or genetic testing?
Three groups of people can and they are:
1. Challenging or refractory cases- for patients with chronic degenerative diseases characterized by multiple causes
2. Familial association testing- for patients with a family history of chronic degenerative diseases who want to know if they are at risk for the same diseases.
3. Predictive Genomics- for health conscious, asymptomatic, proactive patients who want more accurate screening.