New and e3/e4 carrier

Newcomer introductions, personal anecdotes, caregiver issues, lab results, and n=1 experimentation.
Post Reply
NL813
New User
New User
Posts: 1
Joined: Fri Jul 12, 2019 8:49 pm

New and e3/e4 carrier

Post by NL813 »

*** Thank you for the info, and yes, those were the websites I was looking for. However, I’ve decided not upload my data to them for the time being. I don’t need to worry myself anymore than I already have- this has been good enough :)
Luckily for me, I live a pretty healthy lifestyle and I’m in pretty good shape. I’m just going to continue eating well and keep active, both body and mind.

Hi everyone!
I just discovered through 23 and me that I carry one copy of the e4 gene. I’m 37 and my grandmother recently passed from Alzheimer’s. It became apparent to my family that something was wrong with her when she was 78. Eventually she had to be moved into a home and she died at 87. She is the only known immediate relative of mine to have Alzheimer’s, and I have a fairly large family- tons of aunts, uncles and cousins.
I will admit that I was totally shaken by my results at first- it took me a couple of hours to calm myself down. But after reading through some of the threads, I’ve realized that being a carrier of 1 or even 2 copies of this gene, does not guarantee that we will get AD. Which is a huge relief.
*what is the name of the site? I saw it mentioned a dews times but didn’t jot it down and
* what does it test for that 23 & me first?
Just wondering if it’s worth it or if I’ll stress myself out even more by possibly discovering that I’m a carrier for other diseases.
Thanks, and I’m glad this forum exist. It hasn’t help to put my mind at ease :)
Last edited by NL813 on Sat Jul 13, 2019 3:36 pm, edited 2 times in total.
Plumster
Senior Contributor
Senior Contributor
Posts: 620
Joined: Mon Oct 30, 2017 6:19 pm

Re: New and e3/e4 carrier

Post by Plumster »

Hi NL813,

You might be thinking of Promethease -- www.promethease.com
I found promethease far more helpful than 23andme, but don't open your Promethease files for the first time right before going to bed like I did. You won't sleep! Be prepared for good and bad and know that being a carrier isn't necessarily more than that.
e3/4 MTHFR C677T/A1298C COMT V158M++ COMT H62H++ MTRR A66G ++ HLA DR
User avatar
slacker
Contributor
Contributor
Posts: 2127
Joined: Wed Aug 03, 2016 6:20 pm
Location: Kentucky

Re: New and e3/e4 carrier

Post by slacker »

NL813 wrote: I have a question in regards to uploading my dna data to other sites for further testing.
*what is the name of the site? I saw it mentioned a dews times but didn’t jot it down and
* what does it test for that 23 & me first?
Hi NL and welcome to the site! So glad that our information and conversations have helped you already.

Programs like promethease (mentioned by Plumster) and FoundMyFitness/genetics by Dr Rhonda Patrick take 23&me's raw data and produce a report that is much easier to understand. No addition testing is done. Those with direct experience with these two tools may also chime in. You can also use our search function (magnifying glass right upper tool bar) to find additional information on our website on these 2 options.
Slacker
E4/E4
User avatar
SamNZ
Contributor
Contributor
Posts: 82
Joined: Wed Feb 13, 2019 1:19 pm

Re: New and e3/e4 carrier

Post by SamNZ »

Welcome NL813. So glad you have found our community, it really is full of all the data you will need to help keep yourself in the larger percentage of people that are e3/e4 who don't develop AD! Glad to hear you are already doing a lot of that stuff for yourself. If you have not already check out the Primer for more top tips on the influence of the gene and things that you can do to prevent it "switching on". Welcome again, do not hesitate to contact us or search the Wiki if you have more specific questions. Welcome again, keep on your healthy road!!! SamNZ
Samantha McBride
Functional Medicine Certified Health Coach
NF52
Support Team
Support Team
Posts: 2772
Joined: Tue Oct 25, 2016 9:41 am
Location: Eastern U.S.

Re: New and e3/e4 carrier

Post by NF52 »

NL813 wrote: Hi everyone!
I just discovered through 23 and me that I carry one copy of the e4 gene. I’m 37 and my grandmother recently passed from Alzheimer’s...I will admit that I was totally shaken by my results at first- it took me a couple of hours to calm myself down. But after reading through some of the threads, I’ve realized that being a carrier of 1 or even 2 copies of this gene, does not guarantee that we will get AD. Which is a huge relief. ...
Welcome, NL813!
We love to hear that this forum helped you realize that "genes are not destiny"! In addition to your large extended family, about 25% of people with European ancestry are walking around with one or two copies of ApoE 4. At 37, you are going to be able to prevent many of the upstream risk factors and health conditions that have been linked to Alzheimer's and other neurological conditions. My own three adult children are also in their 30's and have already benefited from factors that were not in my control in childhood (no Phys Ed. in Catholic school, Wonder Bread sandwiches with bologna and Velveeta cheese and a culture that said women shouldn't get sweaty in exercise!) So honor your grandmother's love for you and learn from her that you can plan you own journey to have a different life story.

As SamNZ suggested, the Primer will help you get a balanced view of areas to prioritize. At 37, working on sleep and stress reduction may be more important than thinking about hormone replacement therapy, for example. And to find out how to quote members so they see your post (use the quotation mark in the upper right corner of any post), and how to search for topics, the How-To Guide uses screen shots and quick directions to get you going.

Hope you have time this summer to enjoy that big extended family at picnics and other events. My own extended family continues to be a source of support, love, and optimism.
4/4 and still an optimist!
Post Reply