Overview
- Products: Online DNA analysis tool.
- Cost: Free.
- Reports: Genetic risks for certain diseases.
- Raw data access: Infinome does not offer DNA testing and requires users to have access to their raw DNA data.
- Privacy: Infinome claims not to share user data with anyone without permission.
- Alternatives: SelfDecode is best option for health-focused DNA analysis with personalized recommendations.
Pros
- Free to use
- Allows users to connect various health trackers to their account
Cons
- Does not offer DNA testing
- Results are difficult to understand
- Does not provide any health recommendations based on DNA or lifestyle data
- Does not provide polygenic risk scoring
- No peer-reviewed publications to validade results
About Infinome
Infinome describes itself as a citizen science project that aims to better understand the interactions between one’s lifestyle and genetics. The project was started in 2014 by Clinton Mielke, PhD, and Roeland Hancock, PhD. Dr. Meilke completed his research at the Mayo Clinic on metabolic syndrome. Dr. Hancock is a post-doctoral fellow at UCSF.
Anyone can participate in this project, as long as they have access to their raw DNA data from 23andMe. The website also accepts data from health trackers such as Fitbit, Jawbone, Withings, or Beddit. They claim that the experiment and results achieved will be freely available to anyone.
Review of How Infinome Works
To get started, you will need to connect your 23andMe account to Infinome. The website requests access to all genomic data, genotype information, ancestry analysis, and other personal information such as name, date of birth, height, and weight. They do not accept raw DNA data from other providers.
The website also lets users connect their health trackers to collect data from. The fitness trackers accepted by Infinome are:
- Fitbit
- Jawbone
- Withings
- Beddit
You can find some information about how weight affects overall health on the website, and what role genetics plays, but it is not personalized to your genetic results. Infinome merely presents some general statistics about life expectancy and top health risk factors.
Genetic Report
After you link your 23andMe account and allow access to your genomic data, you can navigate the Genetics Report tab on the website to view your genetic risk profile for certain diseases and traits, including:
- Obesity
- Type 2 Diabetes
- Rheumatoid Arthritis
- Blood Pressure
- Cholesterol
- And others
Infinome presents a Manhattan plot with the top SNPs associated with the condition or trait selected. This diagram is commonly used in genome-wide association studies (GWAS) and might be difficult to understand if you don’t have some previous knowledge in genetics. A sample chart can be seen below.
From the Select a Disease dropdown box, you can choose between the several traits and diseases offered by Infino me. You can learn more about the effects of each genetic variant by clicking on the SNP shown in the chart.
Infinome also provides all SNPs analyzed, your genotype and risk alleles, and the studies that were used to generate the report. As the website was intended to be an open science project, they do not provide any health recommendations based on genetic results.
Fitness Stats
The Fitness Stats tab is divided into additional tabs:
- Weight
- Activity
- Comparisons
- Correlations
- Sleep
Similar to the Genetic Report section, Infinome presents you with a complicated-looking chart, as seen below. This represents your historical data from different health trackers.
In the Correlations tab, you will be able to see how the information provided by the several tracking devices you linked to your account correlates over time. Again, the website presents a few confusing diagrams that can be difficult to understand. A sample chart is shown below.
You can also find out how your health data compares to other people in the study in terms of number of steps, distance walked, stairs climbed, calories burned, time asleep, and sleep efficiency. Infinome presents this information on a color-coded bar and tells you if your metrics are higher or lower than other participants.
Unfortunately, you will not receive any suggestions on how to improve these areas from Infinome. You’ll need to decipher the complicated graphs and charts by yourself to understand what you need to do to improve your health.
If you connect your Facebook account, you can also compare all your stats from these health trackers with your friends.
Cost of Infinome
Anyone with access to their raw DNA data from 23andMe and other health data such as blood pressure, weight, and activity levels can participate in the project for free. The only costs you’ll need to consider are those of the DNA test from 23andMe and activity trackers such as Fitbit.
Health Recommendations from Infinome
Infinome’s DNA analysis covers different common diseases and health traits such as blood pressure and cholesterol. However, the information is presented in a complicated Manhattan plot which can leave you more confused about your genetic predispositions.
The website tells you the effect each genetic variant has on a certain disease or condition, but they won’t go any further. Infinome does not offer any diet, lifestyle, or supplement recommendations to help you optimize your health.
Despite collecting lifestyle and fitness data from various health trackers, the analysis is limited to a historical compilation of the data and how you compare to other participants of the study. You won’t receive any other health insights based on this information.
SNP Analysis vs PRS vs Advanced PRS
Infinome relies primarily on single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) analysis, which examines individual genetic variants associated with certain traits or diseases. While these SNPs can indicate a small change in risk, each typically contributes less than 1% to the overall likelihood of developing a condition. The results are presented in Manhattan plots, which can be difficult for non-specialists to interpret, and Infinome does not provide any actionable health recommendations based on these findings.
Polygenic risk scores (PRS) improve on this approach by aggregating thousands of SNPs into a single score that reflects a person’s cumulative genetic risk for a condition. PRS is more accurate than analyzing individual SNPs, but most consumer-focused tools do not provide ancestry-adjusted or clinically validated scores, which limits their usefulness in guiding personalized health decisions.
SelfDecode goes a step further with advanced PRS, combining millions of genetic variants with ancestry information, lab results, and multiomics data. This allows for ancestry-adjusted polygenic risk scores that deliver highly accurate predictions. Beyond risk assessment, SelfDecode provides personalized recommendations for diet, lifestyle, and supplements to help mitigate risks. Its analyses are validated by multiple peer-reviewed studies and leverage AI to examine over 200 million variants across all reports. This approach gives users a comprehensive, 360-degree view of their health, integrating genetics, lab data, and environmental factors, capabilities that Infinome does not offer.
Review of Infinome Privacy & Data Security
Infinome’s privacy policy is fairly simple and not very extensive. Once a person grants Infinome access to their other accounts such as 23andMe, the website has access to all the user’s genomic and genotype data, ancestry admixture, and other personal information.
As soon as a user unlinks their account from other websites, Infinome claims that all the data is deleted. They also claim that they have their own server where the data is aggregated and studied and will not be shared without the user’s permission.
If a user connects their Facebook account, they will be able to share and compare fitness and sleep data with their friends, but the website claims that they will not share any data with Facebook.
Infinome Reviews
There are not many Infinome reviews online. The editor at DNAtestingchoice gave the website 3.5 of 5 stars. The reviewer said there was a good amount of information provided free of cost, but it was complicated and difficult to navigate. They also said they weren’t able to understand what the Manhattan plot presented by Infinome showed, so they were unable to gauge how interesting and useful the information was.
Alternatives to Infinome
SelfDecode is a direct-to-consumer genetic testing platform that utilizes advanced AI and machine learning algorithms to analyze up to 200 million genetic variants from raw DNA data. This extensive analysis enables the platform to generate over 1,500 health and wellness reports, encompassing areas such as cardiovascular health, mental health, nutrition, and more. Each report is grounded in peer-reviewed scientific research, providing users with evidence-based insights and recommendations.
Key Features of SelfDecode
- Polygenic Risk Scores (PRS): Unlike Infinome, which focuses on single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), SelfDecode employs advanced PRS models that assess the cumulative effect of multiple genetic variants across the genome. This approach offers a more accurate prediction of disease risk and is particularly beneficial for complex conditions
- Personalized Recommendations: Based on genetic data, SelfDecode provides tailored advice in areas such as diet, supplements, and lifestyle modifications. These recommendations aim to optimize health outcomes by aligning with an individual’s unique genetic profile
- Comprehensive Reporting: Each health report from SelfDecode examines over 1 million genetic variants, offering a detailed analysis of genetic predispositions and associated health risks. This depth of analysis surpasses that of many competitors, including Infinome
- Data Privacy and Security: SelfDecode is committed to user privacy, employing stringent data protection measures and complying with regulations such as the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and HIPAA.
Infinome Review Summary
Infinome is intended to be an open science project aimed at making genetic research more accessible to people. If you choose to provide your raw DNA data from 23andMe and other health markers to contribute to the project, you will receive several complicated charts and no guidance on how to interpret this information.
The reports cover actionable SNPs related to common diseases and traits, and all this data could help you achieve a gene-based approach to optimizing your health. However, Infinome falls short in telling you what actions you need to take to target relevant genetic markers. Regarding the information collected from various health trackers, you’ll only receive an analysis of how you compare to other participants in the study, and a compilation of your historical data.
If you want to achieve optimal health by looking at your genes, labs, and environmental data, you should check out SelfDecode. As the only direct-to-consumer company that uses AI in genomics, SelfDecode analyzes up to 83 million genetic variants to give your genetic risk score and personalized recommendations on dozens of health topics.
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