Written By: Gina

I am hooked on the show “Who Do You Think You Are?” I started watching from the first episode and have been fascinated by all of the Geneology that has been uncovered for a number of celebrities. I was having a casual conversation with my sister a few months back and found out that she sent a sample of saliva in to 23andMe for analysis.

What is 23 And Me?

“23andMe, Inc. is a leading personal genetics company dedicated to helping individuals understand their own genetic information through DNA analysis technologies and web-based interactive tools. The company's Personal Genome Service™ enables individuals to gain deeper insights into their ancestry and inherited traits. 23andMe, Inc., was founded in 2006, and the company is advised by a group of renowned experts in the fields of human genetics, bioinformatics and computer science." ~23andMe.com

“23andMe is a privately held personal genomics and biotechnology company based in Mountain View, California that claims to be developing new methods and technologies that will enable consumers to understand their own genetic information. The company is named for the 23 pairs of chromosomes in a normal human cell.” http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/23andMe

Their marketing includes the following statistics:

“All of us have 23 pairs of chromosomes…

17% of us are left-handed

44% of us have attached earlobes

88% of us have wet earwax

None of us are world-class sprinters

14% of us have perfect pitch

13% of us have Restless Legs Syndrome

All of us can smell the asparagus odor in our urine

22% of us are lactose intolerant

67% of us have a family history of cancer

19% of us have a family history of Alzheimer's Disease

41% of us have a family history of migraines

56% of us have a family history of male pattern baldness

29% of us have a family history of diabetes

17% of us have a family history of Multiple Sclerosis” 23andMe

Interesting right? So what does this site and service have to offer?

“23andMe is a retail DNA testing service providing information and tools for consumers to learn about and explore their DNA.”

All you have to do is order the service online for a fee, register your kit, spit into the tube and send it to the lab. You get the results in 6-8 weeks and receive an email with all of your genetic information. This analysis can identify disease risk factors, screen for carrier status and can predict your body’s response to certain medications. In the area of ancestry, this genetic analysis can identify and trace your ancestral lineage and find and connect you with family members. My sister had her genetic testing but it also proves true for myself and our other sister. It would not carry over to our brother because there is an absence of Y chromosome analysis. For this reason, we also do not get results for our Paternal lineage.

Some of the traits identified for us were:

· We do not have an alcohol flush reaction (we do not)

· We are unlikely to have a bitter taste perception

· Eye color is most likely brown (yes for all 3 of us)

· Slightly curlier hair than average (yes for all 3 of us)

· We are likely lactose intolerant (yes for me for sure!)

· Not Malaria-resistant

Our Disease Risks indicated our highest risk as being a heart attack at 8.9% above the average, although we have decreased odds for Hypertension. Given that my Blood Pressure this week was 114/70, that’s actually more tolerable news in that making good lifestyle and health choices can be the perfect prevention! We also have increased risks above the average for Rheumatoid Arthritis, Lupus, Scleroderma, Narcolepsy and certain Cancers.

We have decreased risk factors for Psoriasis, Macular Degeneration, Colorectal Cancer, Restless Leg Syndrome, Type 1 Diabetes, Melanoma, Glaucoma, Multiple Sclerosis, Colitis, Celiac Disease (go figure since my whole family is Gluten free!), and Crohn’s Disease. Most valuable to all three siblings is the fact that we have decreased markers for Breast Cancer and mammographic breast density…something we have all been concerned about for years. Our Maternal Grandmother passed away at age 54 from it and we have been concerned since our teen years. We also have decreased markers for PCOS- a common complication that can cause infertility but that I never had.

We were not found to be carriers for 24 deficiencies and diseases including Cystic Fibrosis, Mediterranean Fever and Sickle Cell Anemia.

23andMe also breaks down lineage. Our Maternal ancestors most likely originate from Europe, Near East, Central Asia and Northwest Africa. We knew there was a likelihood of African heritage but the Asian connections surprised us! What’s fascinating is that our DNA compares to a Japanese persons at 71.35%, Chinese at 71.27% and Nigerian at 68.89%. Our DNA is most currently like those that live in Southern and Northern Europe respectively.

23andMe has provided a resource for many groups to go to do genetic analysis in helping to make decisions about job well-being and future health. In the article titled, “23andMe Tests NFL Players’ DNA for Athletic Genetic Factors,” researchers investigated a specific list of genes in the players associated with athletic ability and longevity, including grip power, oxygen-carrying capacity and injury risk. For example, mutations in the gene COL1A1 (which is responsible for the manufacture of collagen, the protein that keeps ligaments strong) have been associated with a reduced risk of ACL tears in limited previous research. Knowledge about an individual's COL1A1 type could in the future allow athletes to better understand their risk of knee injury. And the article,“23andMe Launches Free Online Community For Moms and Moms-to-Be,” through the genetic research studies 23andMe plans to conduct, the company hopes to discover the genetic roots of pregnancy complications that could in turn lead to improved preventive care and healthier future pregnancies for women worldwide.~23andMe.com

23andMe also comes with its controversy. Some believe genetic testing is dangerous and misleading because the results and tests should be ordered directly by a physician in response to a particular need for such information. There is also grey area as to whether these genetic tests should be labeled educational or diagnostic (to be used in a diagnosis).

“To act on this data, we first need to understand it. That means the companies must translate the demanding argot of genetics — alleles and phenotypes and centromeres — into something approachable, even simple, for physicians and laypersons alike. It's one thing for a doctor to tell patients that smoking is bad for them, or that their cholesterol count is high. But how are you supposed to react when you're told you have a genetic variation at rs6983267 that's been associated with a 20 percent higher risk of colorectal cancer? And what are physicians, most likely untrained in and unprepared for genomic medicine, to do when a patient comes in wielding a printout that indicates a particular variation of a particular gene?

This new age of genomics comes with great opportunity — but also great quandaries. In the genomic age, we will no longer have the problem of not knowing, but we will face the burden of whether we want to know in the first place. We'll learn what might be best for us in life and then have to reckon with the risk and perhaps the guilt of not acting on that knowledge. We will, counter-intuitively, face even more pressure to conduct our lives carefully, strictly, and cautiously; we'll practice the art of predictive diagnosis and receive a demanding roster of things to avoid, things to do, and treatments to receive — long before there's any physical evidence of disease. And, yes, we will know whether our children are predisposed to certain traits or talents — athletics or music or languages — and encourage them to pursue certain paths. In short, life will become a little more like a game of strategy, where we're always playing the percentages, trying to optimize our outcomes.” http://www.wired.com/medtech/genetics/magazine/15-12/ff_genomics

Some of the 23andMe Top Ten Most Interesting Genetic Findings of 2010:

Genetics influences whether your body shape is “apple” or “pear” — and which shape you are has implications for disease.

Genetic variations newly associated with risk for childhood asthma

New Variants Influence Risk for Rheumatoid Arthritis

Understanding Alzheimer’s disease

Baby’s First Tooth May Be A Health Predictor

A Fresh Look at Latino Genetic Ancestry

23andMe is also present on Facebook, where several people have said that the information on genetic issues they were not even aware of has saved their lives. But some great points have been brought up, such as the one from a blogger on Oprah.com who said, “This test is a great idea except for one thing - Insurance companies. They can probably use this test to deny you coverage. It's even possible that they could one day require you take such a test before providing health insurance coverage, instead of the physical exams some insurance companies require.” http://www.oprah.com/community/thread/93254. Good point…insurance companies already refute a lot of illness due to “pre-existing conditions,” and we certainly do not want to give them more reasons to deny coverage. I have also read on several sites that the true cost of this service is not clear…some people pay in excess of $1,000 as opposed to the $199 they advertise on the site.

As in most things, this should be a personal decision. I am glad to have these genetic results mostly for the Breast Cancer information but also to know which lifestyle choices to make so I am here for a long time for my children. That, and I find all of this information fascinating! I just pray that this new-found availability is not used to refuse health care and best treatment options by insurance companies for those in need, and that this information is used to do good and not harm.

In Health~

Gina