DNA tests you can take at home have grown in popularity. People want to know what’s stored in their genes, but how much can you learn about them?
It’s a simple process: swab the inside of your cheek, send the swab off to a testing facility and receive your results in the mail. But what’s in those results? How can you use them? What can you learn from an at-home DNA test?Read on for a few insights.
Where Your Ancestors Are From
If you’re not entirely sure of your ethnic background, or if you have an idea but want to know more, at-home DNA tests can give you answers. At-home tests are getting more and more accurate at pinpointing ethnicities. If you or anybody in your family was adopted, you could learn more about your or their ancestry. You may even find distant relatives who live close to you!
How Your Body Works
Depending on the type of DNA test you take, you can learn different things about your body like how it reacts to alcohol, weight gain and exercise. The results can give you an idea of what foods and activities you should avoid. They can even tell you which foods you’re especially sensitive to so you can steer clear of them in the future.
What Risks You May Carry
At-home DNA tests can detect your risks of developing several diseases, like Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s or multiple sclerosis in the future. If you are pregnant or planning to become pregnant, an at-home DNA test can tell you whether you carry genes for familial genetic conditions that could affect your baby.
Taking an at-home DNA test opens you to a vast expanse of knowledge. They’re not perfect, but they do give you a good idea of the information stored in your genes. You can use that information to make decisions about your health and educate your family on your collective ancestry. These are just a few things you can learn from an at-home DNA test; untangle those genes and arm yourself with knowledge today.