This 23andMe DNA kit is on sale for 36% off on Amazon Canada
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If you're looking for a last-minute holiday gift idea or just want to learn more about your DNA, now's your chance to save on a 23andMe Health + Ancestry Service: Personal Genetic DNA Test Including Health Predispositions, Carrier Status, Wellness, and Trait Reports.
The comprehensive kit is on sale for 36 per cent off through Amazon Canada.
23andMe Health + Ancestry Service: Personal Genetic DNA Test
The details
23andMe is a personal Genetic DNA test that can help trace the origins of your maternal and paternal ancestors, where your DNA originates out of more than 2000 regions and so much more.
Like other DNA kits, you can opt-in or out of connecting with relatives through 23andMe’s DNA Relatives tool.
Unlike other DNA Kits, 23andMe also gives you access to more than 80 reports on traits like your hair, freckles, how your DNA impacts your preferences and more. It’s an interesting addition to see the role DNA plays in making us who we are.
This particular 23andMe kit provides info on health predispositions and carrier status on conditions like diabetes, Alzheimer's and celiac disease and more. It should be noted however that there is a lengthy legal disclaimer from 23andMe regarding the type of information you receive in your results: the results are not intended to serve as a diagnosis nor should they be used to make medical decisions including which medications to take or treatments to follow. The reports are also not "intended to tell you anything about your risk for developing a disease in the future, the health of your fetus, or your newborn child's risk of developing a particular disease later in life."
What 23andMe won’t do is give you any historical info on your DNA relatives or allow you to trace your genealogy through historical records the same way as some other DNA kits. 23andMe will however, automatically create family trees based on DNA relatives if you opt in to their DNA Relatives tool.
What people are saying
23andMe's DNA kits have earned a 4.6-star rating based on more than 1,700 customer reviews. Amazon shoppers have called 23andMe’s kit a “great gift” that’s “easy to understand” and “fun” to do with your family.
"They're great as gifts," one person wrote.
Some shoppers disclosed that because they were adopted, they didn't have any information on their family medical history and found the health reports useful. Others said they were able to gain insight to persistent health issues (but followed up with their doctor for confirmation).
"I thought long and hard before I bought this," one shopper said adding that they "love it."
Although there are tons of positive reviews available online there are still some things to consider before you buy.
Some shoppers have said they wish that the family history piece was a little more in depth. The DNA kit will narrow down your origins from country or general area, but can’t give you much more information than that. However, some sites, like Ancestry.com, can help you connect the dots of DNA results with historical records if you’re willing to pay for a site membership.
Another thing to consider is the potential impact the health information will have on not only your wellbeing, but on insurance. It might cause you anxiety to learn new health information and there have been many articles suggesting that access to this kind of information could potentially impact your personal insurance.
Verdict
Whether you're just curious or looking to learn more about your family history, it's an interesting process to learn about your DNA and potentially connect with DNA relatives and learn more about your health.
However, you should be advised that these kind of reports come with a lengthly legal disclaimer that should be read before you buy. Also, if you're unsure whether you want access to this kind of detailed information, there are 23andMe kits that provide basic information like geographic origins and DNA relatives.
The reviews quoted above reflect the most recent versions at the time of publication.
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