I ordered the AOR genetic
I ordered the AOR genetic test intending to learn whether I carry the ApoE gene, which regulates risk for Alzheimer’s disease, as my grandmother had Alzheimer’s. Unfortunately, this gene was not included in the collection tested. This raises a question about how the company selected which genes and SNPs to include — and which to exclude — from their final panel.
I ran my results through ChatGPT and found its interpretation of the data extremely helpful. It also revealed that some genes were labeled in ways that seemed oversimplified — for example, branded as “motivation to exercise” genes, which is not the most accurate or complete interpretation of the science. This raises concerns about the accuracy of AOR’s gene descriptions and the evidence base behind some of their lifestyle or supplement recommendations.
Overall, it felt as though the marketing goal (selling supplements) may have taken precedence over providing an unbiased, educational genetic report. Unlike other customers who described “a-ha” moments, I did not find that my results reflected my actual experience or physiology.
Thankfully, I have been following Dr. Kara Fitzgerald’s Younger You program, which focuses on epigenetics — the lifestyle and environmental factors that turn genes on or off. My biological age currently tests 10–13 years younger than my chronological age, suggesting that understanding and influencing gene expression may be more powerful than the static information from this kind of test.
While I appreciate the effort behind AOR’s offering, I regret spending $300 CAD, as the insights did not provide meaningful value or actionable information for me personally.