Is 23andMe Health Report Worth It? Everything You Need To Know
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The popularity of direct-to-consumer genetic testing services like 23andMe has surged in recent years, thanks to advancements in technology and growing consumer interest in personalized health and ancestry information.
However, as with any new technology or service, it’s important to understand what you’re getting (and not getting) before deciding if it’s worth your time and money.
What Does 23andMe Health Offer?
The 23andMe Health + Ancestry Service provides a range of health reports based on your genetic data. These include:
Carrier Status reports
Carrier status reports are a significant part of the health-related services offered by 23andMe. These reports are designed to determine whether a person carries specific genetic variants associated with particular inherited conditions.
Carriers of a genetic variant don’t typically have the condition themselves, but they can pass the variant on to their children. Depending on the condition and the specific variant, a child who inherits the variant may have an increased risk of developing the condition.
Try the ACTGenes Carrier Status report
What Conditions Are Covered?
23andMe currently offers carrier status reports for more than 40 conditions.
These include, but are not limited to:
- Cystic Fibrosis
- Sickle Cell Anemia
- Hereditary Hemochromatosis (HFE‑Related)
- Tay-Sachs Disease
- Phenylketonuria and Related Disorders
- Familial Dysautonomia
- G6PD Deficiency
- Canavan Disease
- Bloom Syndrome
How Does It Work?
23andMe uses a process called genotyping to examine specific parts of your DNA. This process identifies particular genetic variants, including those related to the conditions included in the carrier status reports.
If you carry one of the tested variants, the report will detail what this might mean for your potential offspring, given that your partner also carries a variant for the same condition.
It’s important to note that these reports do not test for all possible genetic variants associated with each condition, and not having a variant that’s tested does not rule out being a carrier of other variants not examined by the test.
Interpreting The Results
If you are found to be a carrier of a genetic variant for a particular condition, it’s important to talk to your healthcare provider or a genetic counselor. They can provide more context for the results and discuss potential implications for you and your family, including the possibility of your children inheriting the condition.
While these reports can provide valuable insights, they are not a diagnosis, and they do not consider your overall risk of developing any health condition, which can also be influenced by other genetic, environmental, and lifestyle factors.
Important Disclaimers
23andMe makes it clear that their carrier status reports are not meant to diagnose a disease or to tell you anything about your current state of health, nor should they be used to make medical decisions.
Instead, they’re intended to give you information about your genetic data that you might choose to share with a healthcare provider.
The tests are also not comprehensive.
They do not test for all genetic variants that could affect your risk or your potential children’s risk for the conditions included in the reports, and they do not test for all conditions that could potentially be passed down to your children.
Section Summary
23andMe carrier status reports can offer valuable insights into your genetic data related to certain inheritable conditions.
However, the results should be viewed as one piece of the puzzle within your broader health context.
These reports tell you if you carry genetic variants associated with specific inherited conditions, like cystic fibrosis or sickle cell anemia, which could potentially be passed on to your children.
Health Predisposition reports
Health Predisposition reports from 23andMe aim to provide insights into how your genetics may influence your risk for certain diseases and health conditions.
By identifying specific genetic variants in your DNA, these reports can highlight an increased risk for developing particular conditions.
What Conditions Are Covered?
The conditions covered in 23andMe’s Health Predisposition reports vary but currently include:
- Type 2 Diabetes
- Age-Related Macular Degeneration
- Celiac Disease
- Parkinson’s Disease
- Late-Onset Alzheimer’s Disease
- BRCA1/BRCA2 (Selected Variants)
- Familial Hypercholesterolemia
- Hereditary Thrombophilia
- Alpha-1 Antitrypsin Deficiency
It’s important to note that the selection of conditions included in these reports is based on current scientific research and may evolve over time as our understanding of genetics and disease progresses.
How Does It Work?
23andMe uses genotyping to analyze your DNA for specific genetic variants that are known to be associated with an increased risk for the above conditions.
If you have one or more of these genetic variants, your report will indicate that you have a “Variant Detected” or “Typical” result.
A “Variant Detected” result means that you have one or more genetic variants associated with an increased risk of developing the condition.
A “Typical” result means that you don’t have the specific variants tested, but it does not mean you won’t develop the condition since other genetic and environmental factors also play a role.
Interpreting The Results
Interpreting the results of a Health Predisposition report requires understanding that genetics is only one piece of the puzzle when it comes to your health risk for these conditions.
A variant detected result does not mean you will definitely develop the condition.
Conversely, a typical result does not guarantee that you will not develop the condition.
Other factors, including your lifestyle, environment, and other genetic factors not covered by this test, can influence your overall risk.
If you receive a variant-detected result, it’s recommended to discuss the results with a healthcare provider or a genetic counselor.
They can help you understand what the findings mean in the context of your overall health and guide you in any necessary follow-up actions.
Wellness reports
Wellness reports are another significant component of 23andMe’s health-related services.
These reports are designed to provide insights into how your genetics may influence various aspects of your well-being and lifestyle.
They are more focused on traits that can be influenced by lifestyle choices, rather than risks for specific health conditions.
What Aspects Are Covered?
23andMe currently offers wellness reports on several areas, including:
- Weight: This report predicts your genetic predisposition to weigh more or less than the average, considering genetic factors alone. It can also provide insights into how your genetics may interact with dietary choices, such as a diet high in saturated fats.
- Caffeine Consumption: This report predicts your likely consumption of caffeine based on your genetics.
- Alcohol Flush Reaction: This report indicates whether you’re likely to experience a red facial flush after drinking alcohol, which is a trait associated with specific genetic variants.
- Sleep: This report provides insights into several sleep-related traits, such as if you’re more likely to be a “morning person” or “night owl,” and if you’re genetically predisposed to sleep more deeply or to move more during sleep.
- Lactose Intolerance: This report indicates if you’re likely to be lactose intolerant based on a specific genetic variant associated with the ability to digest lactose in adulthood.
How Does It Work?
23andMe uses genotyping technology to analyze your DNA for specific genetic variants associated with the traits covered in the wellness reports.
If you have one or more of these genetic variants, your report will detail what this might mean for you.
For example, if you have a variant associated with being a “morning person,” your Sleep report might suggest that you’re more likely to prefer waking up early and may have more difficulty adjusting to night shift work.
Interpreting The Results
While these reports can provide interesting insights, they should be interpreted with the understanding that many factors contribute to these traits, and genetics is just one piece of the puzzle.
For instance, your actual sleep patterns can be influenced by various factors like your work schedule, stress levels, and exercise habits, regardless of whether you have the genetic variant associated with being a “morning person.”
If your wellness reports reveal a genetic predisposition that concerns you, such as a predisposition to weigh more on a diet high in saturated fat, it might be worth discussing these results with a healthcare provider or a nutritionist.
They can provide personalized advice based on your overall health and lifestyle.
Trait reports
In addition to health and wellness reports, 23andMe also offers a series of trait reports.
These reports provide insights into how your DNA influences your physical characteristics and personal traits.
The analyses focus on genetic variants associated with specific characteristics such as hair color, taste perception, and even physical responses.
What Traits Are Covered?
23andMe currently offers trait reports on a wide variety of characteristics, including:
- Hair: This report can provide insights into traits like hair color, hair curliness, and bald spot development.
- Taste and Smell: These reports can indicate if you’re genetically more likely to prefer salty or sweet foods, have a heightened sense of smell, or dislike certain tastes like cilantro or bitter foods.
- Physical Responses: This category includes traits like flush response to alcohol, likelihood of getting mosquito bites, and whether you’re likely to sneeze when exposed to bright light (known as “photic sneeze reflex”).
- Facial Features: These reports can provide insights into features like cheek dimples, cleft chin, and unibrow.
How Does It Work?
23andMe uses genotyping to analyze your DNA for specific genetic variants associated with the traits covered in these reports.
If you have a variant associated with a particular trait, your report will indicate that you’re more likely to have that trait.
It’s important to note that these reports analyze only specific variants associated with each trait and do not consider all the genetic and environmental factors that can influence these traits.
Thus, your actual traits may differ from the predictions in these reports.
Interpreting The Results
Interpreting trait reports should be done with the understanding that traits are influenced by a complex interaction of many genetic variants and environmental factors.
And also that each report only considers a small piece of this picture.
For example, your Hair report might suggest that you’re genetically more likely to have curly hair.
While other genetic variants not covered in this report, as well as environmental factors like the use of hair straighteners, can influence your actual hair texture.
As such, these reports should be viewed as providing interesting insights into your genetics, but they’re not definitive predictions of your traits.
These reports reveal how your genetics may influence your physical characteristics, such as your likelihood of having a unibrow or the color of your eyes.
How Accurate is 23andMe?
23andMe uses a technology called genotyping to analyze your DNA, which is very accurate at detecting the specific genetic variants it tests for.
However, the health implications of these variants are often less clear.
For instance, while a Health Predisposition report might indicate an increased genetic risk for a certain condition, it doesn’t guarantee you will develop that condition.
Multiple factors, including other genetic factors not tested by 23andMe, as well as lifestyle and environmental factors, also play a significant role in your overall health risk.
Limitations of 23andMe
A significant limitation of 23andMe, and direct-to-consumer genetic tests in general, is that they only test for a select number of genetic variants associated with each condition.
They do not sequence your entire genome, and there may be other genetic variants associated with the conditions that are not included in the testing.
Furthermore, while 23andMe provides genetic health risk information, it is not a diagnostic test and should not be used to make medical decisions without further consultation with a healthcare provider.
They make this very clear in their disclaimers and urge customers with concerning results to speak with a healthcare provider or a genetic counselor.
So, Is It Worth It?
Whether or not 23andMe Health is worth it largely depends on what you’re hoping to gain from the test.
If you’re interested in learning more about your genetics and health and understand the limitations, it can be a fascinating and worthwhile endeavor.
However, if you’re looking for comprehensive medical advice or diagnostic information, you would be better served by consulting with healthcare professionals who can provide a more holistic view of your health based on a wide range of factors, not just your genetics.
Overall, 23andMe can be a valuable tool in a broader health context, sparking conversations about preventative health measures and lifestyle changes with healthcare providers.
Just remember to take the results with a grain of salt and consider them as part of a bigger picture of your health.
References
- 23andMe Inc. (2021). Ancestry + Traits Service.
- 23andMe Inc. (2021). Health + Ancestry Service.
- 23andMe Inc. (2021). Carrier Status Reports.
- 23andMe Inc. (2021). Health Predisposition Reports.
- 23andMe Inc. (2021). Wellness Reports.
- 23andMe Inc. (2021). Trait Reports.
- Genetics Home Reference. (2021). Direct-to-Consumer Genetic Testing. U.S. National Library of Medicine.
- National Human Genome Research Institute. (2021). The Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act (GINA).
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