3 important things to know before you buy a DNA test kit

You might have seen posters or emails in your inbox from popular DNA testing websites like 23andme or AncestryDNA trying to lure you into buying their DNA kit and knowing about your ancestry and family heritage.
Have you also been curious to know about your ancestry and find a relative somewhere across the world who shares your DNA? One of the main reasons why many people are skeptical about these DNA tests is because they are not sure about its authenticity. If you are also one of them, then here is a brief overview of DNA test kits and what you must know before you try them.

Benefits of DNA tests
One of the main benefits of getting a DNA test is that you get to know more about your ancestry and you are able to trace back your origins. Another great thing about DNA test kits today is that just by sending your saliva sample or your cheek swabs, you can get a full-fledged report that speaks about your ancestry and lets you match your DNA profile with millions of the other consumers on the database of the firm.
Once you find DNA profiles that match yours, many DNA testing apps give you the luxury of forming a family tree and mapping all the relatives you discover. If you choose 23andme, one of the best firms that provide DNA test kits, you can also find out about the potential genetic health risks that you could face. By taking a DNA test offered by this company, you can find out if you have any genetic mutations that might affect your future generations and how likely you are to develop Parkinson’s or Alzheimer’s, based on your ancestry and lineage.

Limitation of DNA tests
One of the main drawbacks of all the DNA test kits is that they do not have a database that covers every single person living on this planet. Every firm has a different sample set and as much as they would like you to believe that they have a large database of millions of people, they still cannot give you an accurate result that compasses the entire population.

How does it work?
Today, getting your DNA results has become very simple. Gone are the days when genealogists had to rely on written and oral records to trace your origin. Now, you can simply sit in your house and take a DNA test to find out more about your ancestry. Once you purchase a DNA test kit, you need to follow the instructions given at the back and prepare your DNA sample. Typically, you will be required to give a saliva sample or a cheek swab to get your reports. Once your sample is ready, you just have to send back the samples in a pre-paid envelope to the firm.
After the samples arrive at the lab, they are subjected to a mixture analysis, which finds out the geographic origin of an individual based on his or her genetic ancestry. Later, the specifics of your DNA are compared with the sample library of the firm and best matches are derived. It generally takes around six to eight weeks for the firm to mail you back an elaborate report explaining your ancestry.

If you are curious to trace back your ancestry and know more about your family heritage, then you must not hesitate to take a DNA test. When it comes to choosing the best DNA kit, just do a thorough comparative study of the features offered by the tests and the price before picking one that suits you the best.

Tag: Dna Test, Dna Test Kits, Dna Testing