Ancestry vs. 23andMe: What are the best DNA testing kits for you?

I tried the AncestryDNA kit, which comes with a saliva collection tube and cap, a return bag, and a prepaid return label box. To register the collection, I downloaded the Ancestry app and scanned the barcode on the side of the collection tube. You can register your group online as well, just enter the number manually.

When you create an account, the app asks for your consent for several items, including consent to process your sample, store the sample if you want to do future testing, and participate in research. The research involves conducting surveys and questionnaires that AncestryDNA says it will use to try to better understand human history and health.

I refused to consent to storage of my sample or to participate in the research. AncestryDNA asks some questions about your health history. You can edit what information becomes public or private on the site, and how you want it to appear to other users if your DNA matches someone else’s. You will have a chance to review all the information before continuing.

Read more: In the future, even your DNA will not be sacred

Ancestry doesn’t use the standard Y chromosome and/or mitochondrial DNA methodologies that most others do – so we know little about how the DNA is actually analyzed.

After spitting into the tube, I mailed the kit and confirmed it had been sent via the app. The app “tracks” the kit’s journey from receiving it at the lab to processing it and more before telling me my results are ready.

Your results will include an AncestryHealth report and an Ethnicity Estimation report. AncestryDNA also tells you other users with whom your DNA closely matches. My aunt, who also used the site, was tagged as close family. The app allowed me to compare our racial estimates and gave me the option to send her a message.

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

Pros:

• You can refuse to store your sample or participate in the research.
• The AncestryHealth report is divided into observed health outcomes, health outcomes, and health outcomes. The reports include information about cancer risk, carrier status for diseases such as cystic fibrosis and blood health.
• Health reports give you information about your vitamin levels, among other things.
• AncestryHealth can identify possible health conditions based on the family history you’ve shared or through variants detected in your DNA sample.
• you get Ethnicity Estimation Reportwhich displays the regions of the world to which your ancestors are most likely to be related. This area on the map was color-coded, along with other areas my DNA was linked to. The AncestryDNA regions list contains over 1,000 regions where your sample is tested, so you’ll see places where your DNA didn’t show results, too.

Cons:

• The family tree side and the DNA side require two separate applications. The desktop version keeps everything in one place if you’re working on a browser.
• Health screening is not approved by the Food and Drug Administration.

I tried the Health and Pedigree Kit which comes with a saliva collection tube and cap, a return bag and a pre-paid return label box. Like AncestryDNA, 23andMe also 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.

23andMe asked for approval for several items when you created an account, as did AncestryDNA. I can store my sample for future tests, participate in research, get health reports, and even share my step data from the fitness app for a more comprehensive look at my activity. I rejected everything except health reports.

Unlike Ancestry, 23andMe He does Obtaining US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval as a risk screening tool for a number of genetic conditions and diseases. If you are primarily interested in DNA testing for this purpose, 23andMe is the best option.

The app tracked my sample’s journey to the lab and the DNA extraction process. The app tested 216 demographic groups to create the report.

23andMe can display the results in a timeline, so you can see roughly how many generations ago your recent ancestors came from each region. For example, my results showed a small portion of Ashkenazi Jewish background, but my timeline indicated that the relative could have been alive five to eight generations ago. You can also view your results as a chromosome panel, which shows where a particular region in your chromosomes matches and how common it is.

There were a lot of aspects to be explored in the results. For example, 23andMe gave me more information about each area my DNA matches. If you click on each country’s icon, 23andMe tells you about the history of the area and migration patterns of people over time, and also provides resources for learning about the culture, ways to book an Airbnb to visit, and other features. I can also search for possible relatives among 23andMe users and find my mother’s cousin.

Pros:

• 23andMe is FDA-approved as a risk screening tool.
• 23andMe’s health reports included predispositions, carrier status, health, traits, and health action plan. Preparations have been tested for Parkinson’s disease, type 2 diabetes, celiac disease and more. The laboratory will test for certain genetic variants.
• The wellness report included interesting elements like whether or not you sleep deeply, how much you likely move during your sleep, genetic weight and other factors.
• The mentioned features are particularly interesting. These details explain how likely I am to have a certain eye color, hate cilantro, freckles, hate eating sounds, get bitten by mosquitoes and other things.

Cons:

• As with AncestryDNA, 23andMe specified that test results were not a diagnosis or a guarantee that you will not be diagnosed with a disease later.