The MyHeritage DNA testing site offers a free trial of its DNA tests. It is worth considering if you are interested in learning more about your family history or what more specific types of DNA tests can offer in terms of personal information.
DNA tests can also provide a lot of information about your health and ancestry.
- Gene testing could reveal inheritable diseases passed through DNA, such as Down syndrome and cystic fibrosis.
- These tests might also provide insights into your ancestry, ancestral country of origin, and possible health benefits or risks related to certain parts of the world’s genetic map.
- The microbes in your gut, which we now believe may play a role in the onset of many diseases such as diabetes, cancer, autism, and Alzheimer’s disease, are all affected by genetics.
- There is also a growing trend in DNA testing for personality or the ‘science of character.’ The services claim to be able to assess your personality type. Although this may not provide information on your health, it could help understand personality traits and how they are passed down through generations.
- If you are adopted, a DNA test will reveal biological information about your birth parents.
- It can also show how closely related two people are (or were), with similar percentages denoting a closer genetic relationship than those with more divergent percentages.
- Some companies, such as MyHeritage, can even find people related to you in ways that aren’t obvious. For example, you may be connected to a long-deceased relative through the DNA sample contributed by your living third cousin once removed.
- If you have an unknown parent, a simple DNA test can help you identify your real parents through MyHeritage’s huge database.
- Many tests even reveal your potential health risks and what your child is likely to look like if they inherit specific characteristics from your parents.
- DNA testing can identify which relatives you are most likely to be related to on any possible branch of the family tree.