Reliable apoe4 testing from empowerdxlab?

[Heartlearning]

Hello, I would appreciate your views on the reliability of apoe4 home test kit offered by https://empowerdxlab.com/products. It is offered for $99, in contrast to 23andme, which offers it for $199– as customer must buy ancestry + health bundle to get apoe4 marker from 23andme. Any get tested through empowerdxlab.com/products? Do you know anything of its legitimacy/reliability? Thanks!

[NF52]

Hello, I would appreciate your views on the reliability of apoe4 home test kit offered by https://empowerdxlab.com/products. It is offered for $99, in contrast to 23andme, which offers it for $199– as customer must buy ancestry + health bundle to get apoe4 marker from 23andme. Any get tested through empowerdxlab.com/products? Do you know anything of its legitimacy/reliability? Thanks!

Hi Heartlearning,

I haven't used empower DX ™ labs, which seems to be a fairly new company based in the Boston metro area. They do have CLIA certification through the Boston Heart Diagnostics Corp. CLIA certification is described by the FDA as:

The Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments (CLIA) regulate laboratory testing and require clinical laboratories to be certified by the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) before they can accept human samples for diagnostic testing. Laboratories can obtain multiple types of CLIA certificates, based on the kinds of diagnostic tests they conduct.which means they have met requirements of quality and accuracy for clinical laboratory

https://www.fda.gov/medical-devices/ivd ... ments-clia

The webpage for the empowerDX™ APOE Gene Test appears to have the advantage of fairly fast results: 5-6 days after they receive your mailed (M-F) saliva sample. They do not share or sell your identified or de-identified data with any research or corporate partners.

However, unlike 23&me, they do not give you also the raw data for the two ApoE variants, also called alleles or SNPs in many references like this one: https://www.snpedia.com/index.php/APOE Some people find it easier to just know whether they are ApoE 3/3, 3/4, 4/4, 2/3, etc. and don't need to know the details.
Here's a screen shot of the report you would receive if your results showed you carry two copies of the ApoE 4 gene.

Image 4-8-23 at 7.39 PM.jpeg

A Google search for Life Extensions shows a current sale for a similar Apoe genetic cheek swab for $111.75 here: APOE Genetic Test for Alzheimer’s and Cardiac Risk Cheek Swab Here's a link to a sample report from 2017 for someone with ApoE 4; Life Extensions™ sample APOE report

Our resource Thinking About Testing may be helpful in considering how results may affect you, your family members and your decisions around disclosure.

Best of luck in learning more about yourself!

[Jane S]

Hello, I would appreciate your views on the reliability of apoe4 home test kit offered by https://empowerdxlab.com/products. It is offered for $99, in contrast to 23andme, which offers it for $199– as customer must buy ancestry + health bundle to get apoe4 marker from 23andme. Any get tested through empowerdxlab.com/products? Do you know anything of its legitimacy/reliability? Thanks!

Hello Heartlearning!

As a Support Team Intern, I'd like to officially welcome you to the ApoE4.info forum! So glad you posted. Hopefully others will provide the feedback you're looking for. And I hope you'll engage in the discussions here and in whatever corners of the forum interest you.

Congratulations on your quest to gather more information about yourself. Remember that, no matter what the results of the test might be, your personal risk of Alzheimer's depends on a whole lot of factors, not all of which have been identified. Whatever your age, you can prioritize some of the factors that seem both relevant and do-able for you personally : sleep, stress reduction, maintaining good insulin resistance, social and cognitive engagement. "What to do to lower my risk?" is a hot topic in the Prevention and Treatment forum; opinions can vary widely.

In case it's helpful, I'll share some tools/resources you can use to explore the site, helping you get the most out of your experience.

The Primer is a detailed and informative resource written by a practicing M.D. with ApoE4/4. It includes information about the biochemistry of the ApoE4 gene and offers a variety of research-based prevention strategies.

Some helpful tips to navigate the site include the How-To Guide. It includes topics such as navigating the forum, private messaging, and searching. One great tip is using the quote (") button when replying to a post. Using the button will automatically alert the member of your response.

If you are interested in learning more about other members, you can check out Our Stories. And I hope you add yours, too.

I'm so glad you joined and look forward to meeting you around the forum. Please feel free to reach out anytime.

Warmly,

Jane

[Heartlearning]

Thanks much for your thoughtful reply!

[TCHC]

Hi Heartlearning.

I don't know about empowerdxlab. But what I would say is, that I did 23andme, ran the raw data through nutrahacker afterwards for $37 and learned about MANY more SNPs that have an impact on all areas of health, including Alzheimer's - for inflammation, neurotransmitters, etc.

I don't have ApoE4, I'm 3/3, my Mum is 3/4 which is why I took the test. But I found so many SNPs that she's passed onto me that could have a contributory effect, I am on prevention anyway!

I hope that helps!

Good luck, let us know what you decide to do, and if you go with empowerdxlab, do share your experience, I'd be interested to know!

thanks

Lindsey