Ancestry vs. 23andMe: Which Is the Best DNA Testing Kit for You? | Global News Avenue

I tried the AncestryDNA kit, which comes with a saliva collection tube and cap, a recycling bag and a prepaid recycling label box. To register the kit, I downloaded the Ancestry app and scanned the barcode on the side of the collection tube. You can also register your kit online by manually entering the number.

When you create an account, the app asks for your consent to a number of things, including consent to the processing of your sample, consent to the storage of your sample if you want to test it in the future, and consent to participate in research. AncestryDNA said the research will be used to better understand human history and health.

I refuse to consent to the storage of my samples or participation in research. AncestryDNA will ask some questions about your health history. You can edit what information on the site becomes public or private, and how you want it to be displayed to other users if your DNA matches someone else. You will have an opportunity to review all information before proceeding.

Read more: In the future, even your DNA will no longer be sacred

Ancestry doesn’t use the standard Y chromosome and/or mitochondrial DNA methods used by most others, so we know very little about how it actually analyzes DNA.

After spitting in the tube, I mailed the kit and confirmed it was sent in the app. The app “tracked” the kit from receipt in the lab to processing before telling me the results were ready.

Your results will include AncestryHealth reports and Ethnicity Estimate reports. AncestryDNA will also tell you which other users have a close match for your DNA. It labels my aunt (who also uses the site) as a “close family”. The app allowed me to compare our race estimates and gave me the option to send her a message.

Read more: AncestryDNA taught me about DNA, privacy, and the complex world of genetic testing

advantage:

• You can refuse to have your sample stored or participate in research.
• AncestryHealth reports are divided into significant health outcomes, health outcomes, and wellness outcomes. These reports include information on cancer risk, carrier status for diseases such as cystic fibrosis, and blood health.
• Health reports provide you with information about vitamin levels and more.
• AncestryHealth can flag potential health conditions based on your shared family history or variants detected in DNA samples.
• you get a Race Assessment Reportwhich shows which areas of the world your ancestors are most likely to have connections to. This area on the map, as well as other areas related to my DNA, are color-coded. The AncestryDNA zone list contains over 1,000 zones that your sample will be tested for, so you can also see where your DNA is not showing results.

shortcoming:

• The genealogy side and the DNA side require two separate applications. If you work in a browser, the desktop version keeps everything in one place.
• Health screenings are not approved by the Food and Drug Administration.

I tried the Health and Ancestry Kit, which comes with a saliva collection tube and lid, a return bag, and a prepaid return label box. Like AncestryDNA, 23andMe requires kit registration (in-app or online) before testing. I downloaded the app and scanned the barcode on the side of the collection tube. You can also enter the code manually.

When I signed up for an account, the 23andMe suite asked for consent for several things, just like AncestryDNA does. I can store samples for future testing, participate in studies, get health reports, and be able to share my step data from the fitness app to get a more complete picture of my activity. I declined everything except the health report.

Unlike Ancestry, 23andMe Do It is FDA approved as a risk screening tool for a few genetic conditions and diseases. If you’re primarily interested in a DNA test for this purpose, 23andMe is a better choice.

The app tracked my sample’s journey to the lab and the DNA extraction process. The application was tested on 216 groups to generate the report.

23andMe can display the results in a timeline, so you can see how many generations ago your most recent ancestor came from in each region. For example, my results show a bit of Ashkenazi Jewish background, but my timeline suggests that relative may have lived five to eight generations ago. You can also view the results as a chromosome painting, which shows where a specific region is matched in the chromosome and how common it is.

There are many aspects to explore in the results. For example, 23andMe gave me more information about each region of my DNA that matched. If I click on each country’s icon, 23andMe tells me the history of the area and the migration patterns of people over time, along with resources for understanding the culture, ways to book an Airbnb visit, and other features. I was also able to search for possible relatives among 23andMe users and found my mother’s cousin.

advantage:

• 23andMe is FDA approved as a risk screener.
• 23andMe’s health reports include predispositions, carrier status, health conditions, characteristics and health action plans. Susceptibility to Parkinson’s disease, type 2 diabetes, celiac disease and more was tested. The lab will test for certain genetic variations.
• The health report includes some interesting items such as whether you are a deep sleeper, how much you may move during your sleep, genetic weight and other factors.
• The reported features are particularly interesting. These detail how likely I am to have a certain eye color, hate cilantro, have freckles, hate the sound of eating, be more likely to be bitten by mosquitoes and other things.

shortcoming:

• Like AncestryDNA, 23andMe explicitly states that test results are not a diagnosis and do not guarantee that you will not be diagnosed with a disease later.