Confused about carbs?

Should you follow Paleo or not?

Weight problems?

Diabetic?

Gluten Intolerant or Celiac?  

Your AMY 1 Gene can give you valuable information Stop the guesswork and make informed decisions about YOUR diet and health 

What is your AMY 1 Gene? 

AMY1 is a gene that produces the enzyme amylase. 

What is Amylase? 

Amylase is found in our saliva and plays a major role in the digestion of starch, which is a carbohydrate found in grains, legumes, fruit, vegetables, nuts and seeds. Amylase begins the process of carbohydrate metabolism in the mouth. 50% of bread starch and 25% of pasta starch is broken down during the short chewing time of 19 to 27 secs. 

Test your AMY 1 Gene to help you understand:

• Are you 800% more likely to be overweight or obese 
• How effectively do you metabolise and tolerate carbohydrates 
• How effectively do you metabolise and tolerate gluten 
• Do carbohydrates put you at an increased risk of being overweight 
• Do carbohydrates put you at an increased risk of having diabetes 
• How many grams of carbohydrates can you eat per day 
• What type of carbohydrates should you avoid 
• How effectively do you use your carbohydrates for energy 

Who should test their AMY 1 Gene?

• Anyone who wants to understand how their body metabolises and tolerates carbohydrates
• Anyone who wants to make the best dietary choices for themselves 
• Gluten intolerant or Celiacs 
• Food sensitivities
• Struggling to lose weight or maintain weight loss
• Diabetic or insulin resistant 
• Gut dysbiosis under or over growth 
• Autoimmune issues
• Persistent infections such as thrush or urinary tract infections 
• Have periodontal (gum) disease 

AMY 1 Gene test cost is $149.00 and includes your gene test, your personalised report with detailed carbohydrate guidelines for you including diet, exercise and lifestyle information.

Note: once the results comes back you need an appointment with one of our practitioners to go through the results 

Please call Client Services on 08 9271 0177 to book your AMY 1 Gene test.

Please note you do not need a consult to do your test and the test is a simple saliva swab done in clinic. 

For clients based interstate or overseas please email the clinic clinic@maylandswellness.com.au as we are able to send your test kit to you and deliver your results via skype or telephone. 

Learn more about the AMY 1 Eat for Life Program here  

AMY 1 Gene Mutation

Some of us do not produce good levels of amylase or produce amylase with very poor ability to break down our carbohydrates. We now know from genetic research that how much amylase we produce and how effective it is, is genetic. You can now test your AMY 1 Gene and its variations. With AMY 1 we measure what are called copy number variations. 

People with AMY 1 copy numbers 1 - 4, produce low levels of amylase and low activity amylase. These are the people who cannot metabolise their carbohydrates efficiently. This group is likely to do best on low carbohydrate intake based mainly on plants and not grains. This group has a much higher glycemic response to the carbohydrates they consume. Significant increased risk of health problems if consuming too many carbohydrates and the wrong type of carbohydrates. 

People with AMY 1 copy numbers between 5 - 9 produce are in the mid-range for amylase production. These are the people who are better able to metabolise their carbohydrates, can tolerate more carbohydrates and more grain based carbohydrates. This group does not have such a high glycemic response to carbohydrates. It is important that this group are careful about the types of carbohydrates they consume, especially the processed refined carbohydrates. 

People with AMY 1 copy numbers greater than 9 produce good levels of amylase with good activity. This group can tolerate a higher intake of carbohydrates and have a lower glycemic response to carbohydrates. 

Why do we have different AMY 1 Copy Numbers? 

• Patterns of AMY 1 copy number correlate with our different dietary history. The AMY 1 gene changed as humans moved from hunter/gathers to agriculture/farming based societies. With the domestication of cereals such as barley, wheat, maize, and rice, the reliance on starches for dietary energy dramatically increased in many regions of the world. From an evolution point of view, increased AMY1 copy number and salivary amylase concentrations would provide a considerable nutritional advantage following this dietary change. Efficient starch digestion would have been of immense benefit, providing rapid replenishment of blood glucose following periods of intense energy expenditure, such as during farming, active hunting, or episodes of lower gastrointestinal malaise or toxicoses. 

• Cultures eating a higher starch diet tend to have higher AMY1 copy numbers. An increased number of AMY 1 copies is an advantage when eating more carbohydrates and grains. However, not all of us have a high copy number allowing us to digest our carbohydrates. Apes who consume less starch than humans, do not show any variation in AMY 1 copy number. This shows a recent origin of increasing AMY 1 copy numbers in humans, beginning about 200,000 years ago. 

• Knowing your AMY 1 copy number is extremely important, considering that in today's society our intake of carbohydrates has increased and that more than 85% of these starches are highly processed and refined.