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Nutrigenetics guide

From genetic profile to personalized supplements

Reviewed by Dr. Daniel Wallerstorfer, molecular biologist and founder of Novogenia · Updated: 12 October 2026 · Reading time: 8 min

In short

A personalized formula never comes from a single gene. At Novogenia, around 50 genes with three possible genotypes each, body data, a questionnaire and – where available – blood values feed into it; blood values take precedence. Every dose stays within a window between one third and three times the reference intake, capped at the EFSA tolerable upper intake level. Every building block of the calculation is scientifically grounded; the gene-based adjustments are logical conclusions.

Folate: a nutrient that has to be converted first

Your body cannot use folate from food or supplements straight away. It first converts it in several steps. One of the last is done by a tool whose blueprint sits in the MTHFR gene. If this gene is impaired, the tool works more slowly – like a production line where one station runs at reduced speed.

That shows up in measurements: a meta-analysis in healthy women found 13% lower serum or plasma folate and 16% lower red blood cell folate in those with two impaired copies of the MTHFR 677C>T variant (genotype TT) than in those with two functioning copies (CC), measured with the recommended microbiological assay (Tsang et al., American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 2015).

That is impressive proof that genes shift nutrient status measurably. The logical conclusion: someone with impaired MTHFR genes has good reason to pay attention to a good folate supply. Exactly how much is calculated by an algorithm – from many data points, not from a single gene. This article shows how it works.

Three ways genes shift nutrient requirements

In Novogenia reports, genes are deliberately described in simple terms as “functioning” or “impaired” – a simplification; the technically correct terms are genetic variants or polymorphisms. An impaired gene can act in three ways:

It slows conversion into the active form – for example for folate or coenzyme Q10.
It makes an otherwise useful substance unfavorable – for example iron or omega-3.
It raises the amount needed for a nutrient to work – for example for selenium or vitamin D3.

An example from research: in a genome-wide study of 33,996 people of European descent, variants in or near the genes GC, DHCR7 and CYP2R1 influenced vitamin D levels. People in the top quarter of the combined gene score had clearly higher odds of levels below 75 nmol/L than those in the bottom quarter (odds ratio 2.47; Wang et al., Lancet, 2010). Sun exposure and diet still shape the level – genes are one factor among many.

Four data sources – and which one has the final say

Data source	What it describes	What you should know
Genetics	the predisposition: how the body processes certain nutrients	at Novogenia, around 50 genes with three possible genotypes each; does not change over a lifetime
Body data	sex, age, body weight	Age is recalculated for every production run.
Questionnaire	diet and lifestyle, such as fruit and vegetables, dairy, vegan or vegetarian diet, smoking, alcohol, sun, training	easy to collect and update at any time
Blood values	the current nutrient status	take precedence: a measured deficiency sets the nutrient to its maximum dose; a measured excess removes it entirely.

Genes say where things tend to go. Blood values say where your client stands today. That is why they have the final say.

How a dose is made: genes are faders, not the volume knob

Think of the calculation as a mixing desk. Each gene is a fader, joined by faders for age, weight, diet and lifestyle. The dose is the overall sound – never the result of a single fader. At Novogenia, seven steps lead to the dose of each nutrient:

Base recommendation: a recommended intake per nutrient, age and sex, framed by the established reference values (D-A-CH, EFSA).
Body weight and other factors: a higher weight raises the formula, especially for nutrients of energy metabolism; competitive sport increases the requirement, and age shifts it.
Genetic weighting: impaired genes are weighted based on the scientific literature.
Diet and lifestyle: the questionnaire answers act on the same nutrient.
Blood values: where available, they take precedence.
Several areas per nutrient: usually several parts of the analysis influence one nutrient; the highest requirement counts.
Window and upper limit: finally, the calculated requirement is fitted into the dosing window.

Guardrails: the dosing window

Personalization does not mean “as much as possible.” EU-wide minimum and maximum amounts for food supplements are foreseen but have never been adopted. Novogenia therefore works with its own published guardrails:

Window: minimum one third, maximum three times the reference intake.
Documented exceptions: vitamin D3 and vitamin B12 go above it; magnesium, zinc, calcium and copper stay below, because their maximum is anchored to the EFSA upper limit.
Safety ceiling: for every nutrient with an EFSA tolerable upper intake level, the maximum is at or below that value; national maximum levels apply as well.
Capping rule: a requirement below the minimum is set to the minimum, one above the maximum to the maximum. Values outside the window are never produced.

Example	Minimum per day	Maximum per day	Rule
Folic acid	66.7 µg	600 µg	one third and three times the reference intake
Vitamin D3	10 µg	100 µg	exception above the window; maximum equals the EFSA upper limit
Zinc	3.3 mg	25 mg	maximum anchored to the EFSA upper limit

All limits per nutrient are listed under Micronutrient dosing limits.

Why “gene X = dose Y” is wrong

Clients often ask: “Which gene is to blame for my high vitamin D dose?” The honest answer: none on its own. Every dose results from around 50 genes plus age, sex, body weight, diet, lifestyle and, where available, blood values. A statement of the form “gene X gives nutrient Y at dose Z” would be incorrect.

Two more points help in the conversation:

Same dose, different reason: if two people both have a requirement above the maximum, both receive the maximum – for completely different reasons.
Less is intended: if genes or blood values point to a lower requirement, a lower dose is the right result, not underdosing.

An example: explaining a dose at the maximum

A made-up, typical example: a client, 38, works long hours in an office, rarely gets sun, and wonders why vitamin D3 in his formula sits at the maximum. Here is how you can explain it:

Several faders point up: “Your questionnaire says: little sun. And some of your genes for vitamin D are impaired. Together, that adds up to a high calculated requirement.”
The guardrail kicks in: “It never goes above the maximum. For vitamin D3, that equals the EFSA upper limit.”
Blood value as a check: “If your physician measures your vitamin D level, that value takes precedence – and the formula uses it.”

That way, your client understands that his dose is neither random nor a single-gene effect, but the result of many data points within fixed limits.

Scientifically grounded – building block by building block

Every building block of the calculation rests on a scientific foundation: the established reference values, the literature on each genetic variant – every gene is supported by at least three independent studies – and EFSA’s safety assessments.

That personal recommendations move people is shown by the Food4Me study: personalized advice improved diets more than general recommendations (Celis-Morales et al., International Journal of Epidemiology, 2017). For the finished, fully personalized combination product, there are not yet any large randomized trials demonstrating an outcome benefit over standardized supplementation – that applies to personalized nutrigenetics as a whole. So describe gene-based adjustments for what they are: logical conclusions, not scientifically proven.

Your role in counseling

Record everything already being taken: other supplements come on top of the formula.
Draw the medical line: with medical conditions, medications, pregnancy and breastfeeding, the question belongs in a physician’s hands.
Use blood values: current values from a physician improve the data basis.
Keep the questionnaire up to date: if diet, training or weight change, the formula should know.
Explain changes: the formula changes with age, with new data and with new scientific findings.
Advertise cleanly: no healing promises, only authorized health claims; more in Health claims: what you may advertise.

From report to daily portion

Each nutrient sits in its own microtransporters – small pellets that are combined for each person according to their formula and filled into daily sachets. One delivery lasts 90 days; then it is reordered, and the formula is recalculated. How this works in detail is described in How a personalized nutrient recipe is calculated.

Want to offer personalized supplements under your own brand or develop your own product? The path from idea to production is described in Manufacturing personalized supplements in our contract manufacturing guide; the partner models are covered in Nutrigenetics as a service.

Frequently asked questions

Which gene determines the dose of a vitamin?

None on its own. Every dose results from around 50 genes plus age, sex, body weight, diet, lifestyle and, where available, blood values. A statement like “gene X gives nutrient Y at dose Z” would be incorrect.

What happens when blood values are available?

They take precedence for that nutrient, because they show the current status rather than a predisposition. At Novogenia, a measured deficiency sets the nutrient to its maximum dose, and a measured excess removes it from the formula entirely.

Can a personalized formula be overdosed?

Not within the formula: every dose stays within a fixed window, and the maximum is at or below the EFSA tolerable upper intake level. But always ask your clients about other supplements – their amounts come on top.

Are personalized supplements better than a standard product?

Every building block of the calculation is scientifically grounded: reference values, the literature on each genetic variant and EFSA’s safety assessments. For the finished, fully personalized combination product, there are not yet any large randomized trials demonstrating a benefit over standardized supplementation. The gene-based adjustments are logical conclusions.

Why does the formula change over time?

Because age is recalculated for every production run, because new questionnaire answers or blood values may be added, and because new scientific findings can revise earlier assumptions. A higher concentration in the microtransporters only changes the number of pellets, not the dose.

Want to offer nutrigenetics in your practice?

Tell us about your practice and your clients – we will show you which partner model fits.

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Note: This guide is general information for professionals and does not replace medical or legal advice. The genetic traits determined in a genetic analysis are well documented (each gene included is backed by at least three independent studies); recommendations on nutrition, micronutrients and lifestyle derived from them are logical conclusions, not scientifically proven. Regulations can change; errors and changes excepted.