myDNAhealth Review: DNA Tests For Health And Wellness

Overview

1. Products: DNA tests for health and wellness, an online supplement shop.
2. Cost: A raw genetic data upload costs $90, and the DNA test can cost up to $238.
3. Reports: Health and wellness reports.
4. Raw data access: Yes.
5. Privacy: myDNAhealth claims not to sell personal information to third parties.
6. Alternatives: SelfDecode delivers personalized diet, lifestyle, and supplement recommendations based on DNA, labs, and environmental data.

Pros

• Users can upload their preexisting raw DNA files to generate reports.
• The company claims to take into account individual lifestyle factors such as sleep habits to make recommendations.

Cons

• Only accepts raw DNA data from 23andMe.
• Only analyzes 1,500 genetic variants.
• Only one report available directly to the consumer.

About myDNAhealth

MyDNAhealth is a genomics and epigenetics company founded in 2014 by current CEO Bernie Williams and CTO Malcolm Williams. Headquartered in Norwich, England, they aim to help people improve their health through in-depth genetic reports.

The company claims that their tests are supported by current research and they regularly update the reports to include the latest information.

Review of myDNAhealth Products & Features

MyDNAhealth analyzes DNA test results and self-reported information to provide diet and lifestyle recommendations. After submitting their DNA sample, users can answer a series of questions related to their lifestyle.

The Optimal Health test provides an analysis of 1,500 genetic and lifestyle markers that can influence weight, appetite, sleep, stress, and more. The test delivers information about 16 health topics, and it includes a wellness consultation.

As an optional add-on, users can acquire access to the Meal Plan Portal where they can create weekly menus and recipes.

The Optimal Health Pro is available only through health and nutrition professionals. The test reports on 25 health and wellness areas. Users can choose to upload their preexisting raw genetic files to myDNAhealth to get the Optimal Health Pro report for a lower price.

Additionally, myDNAhealth offers paid Nutritional Genomics Courses for nutrition and healthcare professionals. It includes 5 modules that cover the applications of nutrigenetic testing and how to utilize the information it provides. The company also has a line of standard herbal supplements.

Review of myDNAhealth Reports

MyDNAhealth reports are ready in 4 to 6 weeks, but users can complete a lifestyle questionnaire while they wait for their test results. The company claims that the recommendations will take into account both genetic results and survey answers.

The results are available on their online portal. As shown below, the dashboard offers an easy way to access the reports.

The results are summarized in a color-coded format, as seen below. The company also indicates the diet and exercise type recommended to the user, such as a “fat conscious diet” or a “combination of aerobic & power” exercises.

The company displays an overview of all the traits analyzed and explains the risk level they represent to the individual, shown below. Similar to the graphic representation above, the results are also presented in an intuitive and accessible manner.

Users can expand on each trait to get a more details and a few diet and lifestyle recommendations. The suggestions are not very extensive, as this section of the report limits the advice to general guidelines such as “consume an antioxidant-rich diet” without any further explanations.

The company also includes specific genetic results in this section. As seen below, they explain how the gene and genetic variant impacts overall health. However, myDNAhealth does not provide scientific references in the reports.

The company also offers a separate Dietary Guideline with additional information about diet and which foods users should include or exclude from their diet. They also provide an Exercise Profile with suggestions about exercise types.

An overview of the report layout can be seen in the screenshot below.

MyDNAhealth has a separate platform for healthcare and nutrition professionals, seen below. The company allows practitioners to keep track of their orders and provides some additional resources.

Cost of myDNAhealth

The Optimal Health test costs $118, while the Optimal Health Pro is priced at $238. Users can choose to upload their raw genetic files to generate the Pro report for $90.

The Nutritional Genomics Courses cost $300, and the supplements are priced between $22 to $34 per bottle.

Health Recommendations from myDNAhealth

The company claims to offer personalized nutrition and lifestyle recommendations based on the genetic results and the user’s self-reported information.

The company states that they only test for genetic markers that are actionable through lifestyle and diet changes. Overall, they only test 1,500 genetic variants related to health and nutrition, which might result in an incomplete DNA report. For comparion, SelfDecode analyzes up to 83 million variants to deliver the most accurate insights.

Review of myDNAhealth Privacy & Data Security

MyDNAhealth claims not to sell or disclose personal information to third parties. The company complies with the Data Protection Act 1998. Genetic and personal information are not directly associated with each other in storage.

They state that DNA samples are destroyed after they are tested. The company only retains the DNA results concerning the genetic information related to weight loss, health, and fitness to generate reports.

As explained in their Privacy Policy, they retain personal data for 5 years, or for as long as it is necessary to comply with legal obligations.

SelfDecode vs myDNAhealth

1. SelfDecode delivers natural supplements, diet, and lifestyle suggestions based on your genes that you can implement right away. MyDNAhealth also offers diet, lifestyle, and supplement recommendations, but they are not very detailed.
2. SelfDecode tells you why they make each recommendation so that you can understand the science behind the suggestion. MyDNAhealth explains how genes affect health but does not provide scientific references in the reports.
3. SelfDecode prioritizes recommendations based on their analysis of all the relevant genes instead of one gene at a time (through reports). MyDNAhealth classifies each trait according to the risk it presents to the individual.
4. SelfDecode takes a holistic approach to give recommendations that are best for your genes AND the health topic. MyDNAhealth claims to analyze several traits to give their recommendations.
5. SelfDecode has a team of over 60 highly skilled scientists, MDs, PhDs, NDs, and software engineers to make sure they deliver the most accurate and science-based health information. MyDNAhealth does not disclose the number of scientists on their team.
6. SelfDecode is the most comprehensive and looks at more genes & SNPs. SelfDecode uses AI and machine learning to analyze up to 83 million genetic variants to deliver the best analysis of genetic risks. MyDNAhealth only analyzes 1,500 genetic and lifestyle markers to generate the reports.
7. SelfDecode supports everything with peer-reviewed scientific studies in their research and checks for contradicting information. MyDNAhealth does not provide scientific references in the reports.
8. SelfDecode never sells your data or gives it away. MyDNAhealth claims not to sell or disclose personal information to third parties.

Comparisons

myDNAhealth Reviews

Reviews for myDNAhealth products and services are scarce. 3 customers on DNAtestingchoice rated the company 4 of 5 stars.

One customer on Facebook shared that the results were more simplistic than other DNA tests, and that they were disappointed in the dietary advice.

Alternatives to myDNAhealth

SelfDecode: The best health-focused DNA test that delivers personalized health recommendations and has professional plans for healthcare providers.

myDNAhealth Review Summary

MyDNA health claims to offer diet, lifestyle, and supplement recommendations based on genetic results and self-reported information. However, the company only tests 1,500 genetic and lifestyle markers, which might not provide the full picture to help their customers improve their well-being.

While the reports can provide some information about health, myDNAhealth’s recommendations are generic and simplistic. For those looking for truly personalized health, they will need to look elsewhere.

If you’re trying to optimize your health based on your genes, you’ll need more than just an analysis of 1,500 variants. SelfDecode in the only direct to consumer DNA company that uses AI and machine learning to analyze up to 83 million genetic variants to generate prioritized and personalized recommendations through a wide variety of reports.

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