5 things you should know before using Genetic Genie
The editors at Genomelink think it is imperative that customer’s find the exact DNA testing services for their needs. This article discusses Genetic Genie, a free service which will analyze important health-aspects of your DNA. Check out the full review below!
1. About the Company
2. Test Results and Sample Reports
3. Reviews
4. Cost
5. Other Places to Use Raw DNA Data
1. About the Company
Genetic Genie is a non-profit organization that runs the site GeneticGenie.org. The service is truly a gene genie, in that it provides raw DNA data testing for free. Using your raw data, the Genie will tell you about additional aspects of your DNA, not reported in your 23andMe data report.
The company specifically analyzes genetic variants related to your body’s ability to produce a variety of necessary substances for health, as well as your body’s ability to complete the detoxification of drugs, hormones, and substances found in the environment. The company does not store your DNA sample, so there is very little risk associated with your free report.
2. Test Results and Sample Reports
Genetic Genie measures and analyzes two simple aspects of your DNA, related to your epigenetics. Epigenetics is the study of how DNA interacts with your environment.
First, Genetic Genie conducts a Methylation Analysis, looking at your MTHFR gene. This gene is responsible for altering a number of cellular products, and supposedly it can greatly impact your health in a number of ways. For instance, one product of the MTHFR gene influences enzymes throughout your body. If the gene is malfunctioning, you could experience infertility, thrombosis, miscarriage, and certain forms of cancer.
Here, you can see an example of a Methylation Analysis from Genetic Genie. It analyzes the genetic variants in a number of genes to determine whether you are homozygous or heterozygous, which can be good or bad depending on the gene. For instance, the red box shows +/+, meaning you have the TT allele on each copy of your MAO A R297R. This combination can lead to poor health results, which are explained later in the report. On the other hand, a green box shows -/-, meaning you do not have the variants which can cause disease.
The second test result offered by Genetic Genie is a Detoxification Analysis. The Detox Analysis looks at parts of your genetic data which help determine how efficient your body is at the detoxification of drugs. Your Detox Profile is an analysis tool which can add to your overall 23andMe health report by telling you how your body handles toxins. The test results can help you understand what types of substances to avoid, and which substances your body can probably handle just fine.
3. Reviews
Reviews for Genetic Genie are typically positive. For one, the service is free. It’s hard to hate something that is free. Second, the service provides information about aspects of your DNA that are not covered by any other testing service.
That being said, Genetic Genie does not provide a geneticist to help you understand your results. The results are highly technical, and may not help you understand much about your DNA. If you are looking for more answers about a specific genetic mutation, you may need to go to SNPedia or another Wikipedia-like research site to discover what your mutations actually mean to your health. Epigenetics is a fairly new scientific field, and the genetic mutations it analyzes are hardly mainstream.
4. Cost
After paying for a 23andMe test, the use of Genetic Genie is completely free. Using your 23andMe results, you can easily use the genetic analysis provided by Genetic Genie. Simply download your 23andMe raw data and upload it into the Genetic Genie Site to get started! Unfortunately, it does not seem that Genetic Genie takes samples from other testing services. However, there are many other companies which can...
Keep reading to learn more about them!
5. Other Places to Use Raw DNA Data
Most DNA testing companies allow the option of downloading your raw DNA data to be analyzed by other services. For instance, AncestryDNA can tell you about your family tree, but has little to say about health information.
The Final Word: Our Genetic Genie Review
Now that you’ve read the 5 things you should know before using Genetic Genie (about the company, test results and sample reports, reviews, cost, and other places to use raw DNA data), let’s summarize the top points, so you can better decide if using GeneticGenie is right for you.
For starters, Genetic Genie is a non-profit organization that provides free analysis of raw DNA data. The company focuses on analyzing genetic variants related to a person's health, specifically their ability to produce necessary substances and their body's ability to detoxify drugs, hormones, and substances found in the environment. Genetic Genies tools are powerful enough for researchers and scientists, yet accessible to everyone.
Using your raw data, the gene genie will tell you about aspects of your DNA that are not reported in your 23andMe data report. This information can be used to identify specific genetic variations that may be associated with certain traits or health conditions. Genetic Genie makes the process easy and accessible for individuals who are interested in learning more about their genetics.
To do this, Genetic Genie conducts a Methylation Analysis and a Detoxification Analysis. The Methylation Analysis looks at the MTHFR gene, which is responsible for altering a number of cellular products and can impact a person's health in various ways. The Detoxification Analysis looks at parts of a person's genetic data that help determine how efficient their body is at detoxifying drugs.
How well does Genetic Genie work? According to their website, the accuracy of the reports reflects the accuracy of raw data in combination with the accuracy of third party databases, the accuracy of our algorithms that interpret this data, and the accuracy of our filtering. There are no guarantees of report accuracy or lack of errors in interpretation of the data.
With that said, overall, Genetic Genie reviews are positive, with many people finding the service to be helpful. One reason customers are happy with the service is their commitment to privacy. All information sent and received is encrypted with an HTTPS connection. And for further privacy the company does not store your DNA sample, so there is very little risk associated with your free report. However, it is important to note that Genetic Genie does not provide a geneticist to help interpret test results, which can be highly technical and may not be easily understandable for those without a background in genetics. It may be necessary to do further research on specific genetic mutations in order to fully understand their potential impact on health.
The use of Genetic Genie is free, but you will need to first have a 23andMe test, which comes at a cost. It is important to carefully research any DNA testing service before submitting a sample, as there may be risks and limitations to consider. It's also important to note that genetic testing can only provide information about your potential risk for certain health conditions or traits, and is not a diagnostic tool. It is always important to discuss any concerns or questions about your health with a healthcare provider. When in doubt, talk to your doctor.
To find out more DNA upload sites, check out our article "The Best DNA Upload Sites"
