23andMe Is 50% Off on Amazon for Black Friday — Its Lowest Price Ever

Photo credit: Amazon
Photo credit: Amazon

From Good Housekeeping

23andMe Ancestry + Health is one of the most popular genetic testing kits on the market. Why? It provides information about everything from your genetic makeup to details about your wellness traits and risks for certain health conditions. It can also link you up with genetic relatives you didn't know you have. If you haven’t already tried the service, or you were hoping to gift it to one of your closest friends, colleagues, or family members this holiday season, we have some really awesome news.

The complete kit, which includes Ancestry and Health, is half off today for Black Friday only. The kit normally retails for $199.99, but you can pick it up for $99.99 - a total steal.

How does 23andMe work?

After you purchase the kit, it will arrive with an at-home saliva test and a prepaid box to mail the test to the 23andMe lab. Before you do anything, be sure to register your kit, otherwise the 23andMe lab won't be able to process your test. Once you register your kit, you'll have an online login, which you'll use to view your ancestry and health reports when they come in. Then, you simply spit into the provided vial and send the saliva sample back in the prepaid box.

How long does 23andMe take?

Six to eight weeks later - sometimes much sooner - you will receive your ancestry and health reports online. You get an email that'll prompt you to log in to view your results; you can also download the app to your smartphone to see your reports. This is when the fun happens: You will receive information you may (or may not) want to know. Fortunately, the company is good about asking you about your preferences before generating your report, and you are always welcome to decline specific offerings.

Understanding your 23andMe results

I purchased my kit on Black Friday last year, and I can honestly say I have no regrets. Not only was I connected to a few second cousins across the country, I learned that I’m not a carrier for any genetic variants that could increase risk for certain cancers. For example, I'm not a carrier of the BRCA1 or BRCA2 gene, which I was notified of months after receiving my initial results. I also learned that I have no Native American heritage whatsoever - despite the fact that myself, my mother, and her mother were all raised believing we were part Cherokee!

In addition to sharing your carrier status and genetic health risks results, you'll also get traits and wellness reports, which shed more light about your physical characteristics. You'll learn basic things like your eye color and dimples to deeper details like your fear of heights and aversion to cilantro. Your traits and wellness reports share this kind of info with you based on your DNA.

Obviously a genetic test can’t assure you a long and healthy life. However, it may ease any unnecessary worries you might have or even encourage you to make specific lifestyle changes if you are at risk. It can also be used as a good conversation starter with your doctor, if you're considering getting any genetic testing.

If you are entertaining the idea of doing genetic testing or gifting it this holiday season, pull the trigger this Black Friday - especially if you're an Amazon Prime member - because you can always return the kit if you change your mind by the time it arrives.

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