I have recently ordered some DNA tests from a DNA company called 23andMe.  I am looking forward to the reports, which apparently take about 7 to 8 weeks to come through.  These reports, as genetic testing costs are going down, are becoming more and more common, although there is a lot of information that they could advise you on, but they won’t because the health authorities don’t necessarily allow you to know the information.  I assume that would be similar, for example, to you only being able to do an HIV test once your have signed all sorts of forms about being offered counselling, etc.  

The basic test includes an ancestry composition, which tells you what percent of your DNA comes from a total of 31 populations around the world – in other words, are you from Eastern Asia, European, etc, but they then break it down between more than European such as British and Irish, French and German or Scandinavian, etc.  Most of us know that from our parents – although I guess for some people what their parents have told them is not necessarily accurate for a variety of reasons, but I am sure I will not be getting any surprises there!  More than 1 million people have done the test for 23andMe and they say they can also advise you of any people who have common DNA to you, meaning that they are relatives of yours who have also done the test that you may or may not know of.  I can see that causing a few problems as well!  

Apart from that, you can choose which reports you would like to see and which reports you don’t want to see and see your ancestry breakdown for each pair of chromosomes that you have.  A lot of the science is fairly complicated, going into the chromosomes and the X and Y chromosomes.  The rest is based on your saliva and it can tell you if you carry a mutation for 1 of 36 different conditions on any of your chromosomes that you have inherited from your parents – one copy of each for the chromosomes, a total of 46.  The tests are able to show whether you have a cystic fibrosis mutation, for example, a greater predisposition to cancer and on simple things like telling you how your DNA relates to your alcohol, caffeine and milk consumption as well as your muscle composition.  It will detail whether you are likely to be lactose intolerant or you are susceptible to alcohol, whether your muscles are capable of rapid explosive movements and you are better suited to be a sprinter or long distance runner, etc.  I am really looking forward to the results and I would certainly write about some of them in the future.