Which DNA test is best? We compare the major brands.


About 30 million people(Opens in a new tab) had a home DNA test done in early 2020. This number could be as high as 100 million(Opens in a new tab) in the next 24 months if MIT Technology Review’s predictions are correct. Success stories like finding a birth parent or (Opens in a new tab)Find out you are related to a former President(Opens in a new tab) would make everyone add a DNA test to their bucket list.

Although DNA kits have become increasingly popular gift items year after year, direct-to-consumer DNA testing is still a fairly new concept — one that people may not fully understand. is it accurate Is it safe? Concerns about DNA testing kits certainly make some people hesitate — and that sucks, because finding out who, what, and where made you who you are is way too awesome to pass up.

Here’s what you need to know.

How does a DNA test work?

You know the procedure: request a kit, wipe the inside of your cheek with the cotton swab that came with it, send it back, and get your results in a few weeks. What type of results (or how detailed those results are) depends on the type of testing your kit offers:

Autosomal test is the most basic and popular tool for genetic testing, commonly known as the family finder. Autosomal DNA testing looks at 22 pairs of chromosomes that are not involved in determining a person’s sex. It is used for matching cousins ​​and distant relatives, as well as mixture percentages or your ethnic mix (as shown in the percentage pie charts found in commercials), as well as shared genetic traits such as hereditary diseases and hair type.

While autosomal testing will reveal who your relatives are, remember that this is a mix of both sides and doesn’t necessarily identify which side of the family they come from.

mtDNA Tests use mitochondrial DNA to trace your mother’s lineage(Opens in a new tab). These are the strands of DNA that are passed from mother to child. It is very unlikely that these could be altered, so your direct maternal line can be traced back quite far.

Y DNA The test focuses on the Y chromosome and traces your father’s lineage(Opens in a new tab). These are the strands of DNA that are passed down the paternal line from father to son. It’s important to note that only men can use a Y-DNA test directly — but women can usually link their DNA profile to a father, brother, or other male relative to get these results.

mtDNA and Y-DNA tests can trace back 20 to 100 generations(Opens in a new tab)while autosomal testing peaks at five to eight earlier generations.

Health screenings and trait analyses are the next iteration of DNA testing, moving from just a few options (23andMe was the only reliable one for a while) to more popular kits that offer insight into genetic health risks and medical issues. These use your genetic markers to pinpoint potential illnesses or diseases you may inherit, as well as how your risks compare to others of your age, race and gender. Traits such as hair and eye color, earlobe type, aversion to cilantro, or male pattern baldness can also be part of the test, providing insight into the physical and sensory genes that make you unique, or genes you are likely to pass on to your children.

It’s important to remember that while all this data can be fun, it should definitely take the place of regular doctor visits and the kind of reliable tests that come with a medical test.

DNA testing pools are becoming more robust every year

If you tried a home DNA kit a few years ago and weren’t happy with the vague results, you might get better answers the second time.

DNA companies are continually expanding their pools to have more data to compare: in 2019 alone, 23andMe added(Opens in a new tab) 1,000 new regions and 30 new lineage detail reports. AncestryDNA updated(Opens in a new tab) its ethnicity estimates with new regions in Europe, America, Oceania and South Asia and a reference panel of over 40,000 samples.

These enhancements result in more granular reporting, such as more accurate differentiation between neighboring geographic areas that may have previously been lumped together.

Despite the growth, most home DNA testing is still largely Euro-centric(Opens in a new tab). The shortcomings when it comes to reference populations for people of color, results of polygenic risk score tests(Opens in a new tab) for non-Europeans and employment diversity are slowly being addressed by companies like 23andMe, but there still isn’t a super-reliable kit for typically non-white demographics. (The AfricanAncestry kit is an option, but gets mixed reviews. More on that below.)

Which DNA test is the most accurate?

It’s hard to say which DNA test is the most accurate. Different DNA companies have different strengths and weaknesses, and discrepancies between results don’t automatically mean a test is close. A company can have a huge reference pool from hundreds of thousands of different regions – giving you a better chance of getting a well-rounded report on all possible ancestors – but that breadth could gloss over the essential details. A competing company may focus on a specific region and be able to provide a wealth of detail about that region, but customers would need to have an inkling of their ancestry in order to even opt for such a specific test.

Do home DNA tests protect your privacy?

Some people can freak out at the idea of ​​a for-profit company having access to some of the most sensitive information about an individual. It’s a legitimate concern – DNA companies potentially making money off your personal data don’t sound good.

It is important to remember that genetic data collected through test kits sent in the mail is not classified as official medical health data(Opens in a new tab), meaning it’s not protected by HIPAA regulations. A company’s privacy record — what information it collects or stores, how much control you have, and how you delete data — could be ambiguous (not necessarily malicious, but we digress), so tear this privacy policy apart(Opens in a new tab) before proceeding with a test. Many permissions work via opt-in consent, so your returned cotton swab will be treated as a hard “yes, that’s fine”.

However, in 2018, Ancestry, 23andMe, MyHeritage, and others committed to obtaining separate “explicit consent.”(Opens in a new tab) before sharing your information with outsiders. 23andMe is open about its partnership(Opens in a new tab) with pharma mogul GlaxoSmithKline to streamline drug development, and Ancestry previously worked with Google Calico(Opens in a new tab) to study human longevity. In most research studies, all identifying information such as names or addresses is removed.

Pet DNA testing: How to get even more obsessed with your fur baby

No, buying a DNA test for your pet is not extra. As our trusty companions, they deserve a better answer than “IDK, just a mix” when someone asks what breed they are.

SEE ALSO: Best Dog DNA Tests: How to Learn More About Your Pup and Build a Stronger Bond

Just as humans use DNA testing to piece together their family tree, get an ethnicity breakdown, or learn about medical predispositions, pet DNA testing provides information about your pet’s family history, breed mix, and risk of health problems. They’re an especially handy tool for parents of rescued fur babies and super mixed mutts. (Just keep in mind that these tests aren’t a substitute for a vet visit, but they may reveal an issue that you need to report to a vet.) Like the human cheek swab process, an at-home DNA test for pets is as simple as dabbing the inside of theirs Cheek – if you can get them to cooperate.

Which DNA test is the best?

What – or who – are you looking for? The best DNA kit depends entirely on how you want to anatomize your lineage. Here are the best DNA test kits for anyone curious:

mashable.com/roundup/which-dna-test-is-best-ancestry-23-and-me Which DNA test is best? We compare the major brands.


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