Modern Healthspan|10. Juli
Why Your "Healthy" Diet Might Be Making You Sick | Dr Momo Vuyisich
RNA vs. DNA: Why the Microbiome is More Than Just Species Composition
- Dr. Momo Vuyisich, former lead scientist at Los Alamos National Laboratory and co-founder of Viome, explains why RNA (metatranscriptomics) is superior to DNA for understanding microbiome health and chronic diseases.
- DNA reveals only potential (e.g., genetic predisposition), while RNA shows actual function and health status. Example: liver before and after fatty liver disease – RNA changes dramatically, DNA remains the same.
- Viome analyzes RNA from stool, blood, and saliva to quantify the metabolic activity of microbes – not just which species are present.
- Example: Butyrate production – Viome measures how much is produced and which nutrients (raw materials) the bacteria need. This enables targeted prebiotic strategies.
- Key insight: The functions of the microbiome are globally stable, even if species vary (e.g., USA vs. Japan).
- There is no diet that works for everyone. Each person responds differently to foods.
- Example Carnitine (in meat/supplements): Boosts mitochondrial function, but in some people it is converted to TMAO, a risk factor for cardiovascular disease. Effects depend on gender, hormone status, and microbiome.
- Viome measures over 10,000 biomarkers and provides personalized recommendations based on current metabolic state.
- RNA tests can predict the risk for 15 chronic diseases (e.g., IBD, IBS, metabolic syndrome) today – not the risk at birth, as DNA tests do.
- Each risk factor comes with a detailed explanation of what is physiologically wrong and actionable solutions to fix it. This enables true prevention years before symptoms appear.
- Viome's biological age clock is based on 1263 transcripts from stool, blood, and saliva, selected via machine learning.
- It calculates biological age – people of the same chronological age can age at different rates. The clock is clinically validated and stable across different diets.
- Dr. Vuyisich criticizes that academic research and pharma are not aligned with prevention or cure. He proposes focused large-scale projects (like the Manhattan Project) for specific diseases, pooling all resources to identify the true root causes.
- Antibiotics, pesticides, preservatives, and sugar damage beneficial microbes and promote harmful ones. Over time, the resilience of the microbiome declines.
- Recommendation: Whole-food, plant-based foundation (preferably organic), avoid non-organic meat and dairy (due to antibiotics).
- Testing: Repeat every 6 months to track changes.
- Dr. Vuyisich recommends regular testing: Viome Full Body Intelligence (consumer) or Precision Health Pro (USA, via physicians only).
- Additional tests: Blood panel (yearly, often free), heavy metal and mycotoxin tests, food sensitivity tests.
- Podcast: Two PhDs on a Pod for updates.
- Websites: viome.com (consumer) and viomepro.com (physicians).
