A new survey found that most Americans are interested in using DNA testing to understand more about their health and ancestry, but the national survey also revealed a need for better education around the science of genetics.
Commissioned by 23andMe, the survey found that people had a strong interest in genetics, but that interest was out ahead of their understanding of the science. Many people still struggle with basic genetic concepts, according to the survey. This gap in genetic literacy follows similar findings around the need for improved <a href="http://www.pewinternet.org/2015/09/10/what-the-public-knows-and-does-not-know-about-science/">science literacy in the United States</a>.
Thao Do, PhD, 23andMe Education and Academia Program Manager, sees that gap between interest in genetics and knowledge about genetics as an opportunity, for engaging with people on the science.
“It presents an opportunity to educate people in fun and interesting ways,” said Thao.
Genetic testing itself offers people an engaging way not just to learn more about their health and ancestry, but also the science behind their results.
The survey offered some striking contrasts between people expressing a strong desire to tap into potential insights obtained by genetic testing, while at the same time illustrating that they did not fully understand the science behind the tests. For example, nearly three-fourths of those surveyed (74 percent) said they were interested in testing, but about the same percentage of people (75 percent) didn’t know that humans have 23 pairs of chromosomes.
But most most Americans, about 77 percent, know that genetics plays a role in the risk for certain diseases, and about 90 percent of respondents knew that DNA testing could inform them about their ancestry. The vast majority of Americans, 94 percent, said that whether it is information about their health, or ancestry, or traits, that they feel they have a right to at-home DNA testing to directly access this type of genetic information.
23andMe partnered with Kelton Global to generate the 23andMe DNA Survey, which was conducted between July 5th, 2017 and July 12th, 2017 among 1,000 nationally representative Americans ages 18+, using an e-mail invitation and an online survey, with a margin of error of +/- 3.1%.
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-25728" src="https://blog-api.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/Survey-Infographic-facts-fix.jpg" alt="" width="2667" height="9140" />

23andMe Blog

23andMe Blog Team

23andMe Asks About DNA

Last week, 23andMe released two new genetic health risk reports for customers.<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignright wp-image-25671 size-medium" src="https://blog-api.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/eye.001-300x225.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="225" srcset="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/eye.001-300x225.jpg 300w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/eye.001-768x576.jpg 768w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/eye.001-880x660.jpg 880w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/eye.001.jpg 1024w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" />
Taken together, 23andMe’s Genetic Health Risk reports remain the only direct-to-consumer genetic health reports authorized by the FDA. They can tell you about genetic variants that may increase your risk of <a href="https://www.23andme.com/dna-health-ancestry/">developing certain serious health conditions</a>, such as late-onset Alzheimer’s disease and Parkinson’s.
The two new reports focus on two other conditions: <a href="https://www.23andme.com/topics/health-predispositions/amd">Age-related macular degeneration</a> (AMD), and <a href="https://www.23andme.com/topics/health-predispositions/hereditary-hemochromatosis/">Hereditary Hemochromatosis</a>. AMD is a leading cause of irreparable vision loss and blindness in older Americans. Hemochromatosis, which is a genetic condition characterized by the absorption of too much dietary iron, can lead to iron overload and which in turn can cause damage to the liver, heart, and pancreas.
These reports look at genetic variants with well-established and meaningful effects on risk.
<h5>Age-related Macular Degeneration</h5>
Our new report on AMD looks at the two most common variants associated with the risk of developing the condition — Y402H and A69S.
There are two kinds of AMD— Dry AMD, which progresses more slowly and is milder, and it accounts for about 90 percent of all cases; and Wet AMD, which is more severe, progresses rapidly and accounts for the remaining cases.
A common symptom as AMD progresses is the development of a blurred area near the center of vision. Over time, the blurred area may grow larger or individuals may develop blank spots in their central vision. In addition objects may be less bright as the condition progresses.
Genetics plays a major role in developing both forms of AMD, although other factors also influence the risk, including diet, smoking, age, ethnicity (this report is most relevant to people of European ancestry) and exposure to sunlight. Lifestyle changes, like eating more leafy green vegetables, wearing sunglasses, and not smoking, can help reduce the risk of AMD.
While there are no treatments that can successfully reverse the damage from AMD, there are treatments that can help slow its progression. Researchers are looking to see if genetics influences the effectiveness of some of these treatments, such as the use of the injectable drug ranibizumab.
<h5>Hereditary Hemochromatosis</h5>
The 23andMe Genetic Health Risk report for Hereditary Hemochromatosis covers the most common forms of the condition caused by variants in the HFE gene. The HFE gene contains instructions for making a protein that helps to regulate the amount of iron absorbed into the body. The two genetic variants used in 23andMe&#8217;s report — C282Y and H63D — cause 91 percent of all HFE-related hereditary hemochromatosis. But, having these two variants doesn’t mean one will develop the condition.
Hemochromatosis tends to develop in older men, and it is most common with men of European ancestry. Women rarely develop the condition. With sometimes-vague symptoms that include fatigue, joint pain, and darkening of the skin, hemochromatosis can be hard to diagnose without genetic testing, such as this. But it is very treatable — often by regular blood draws — and if caught early, lasting damage to the liver, heart or other organs can be prevented.

23andMe Adds New Genetic Health Risk Reports

Papa was a rolling stone. (His Y chromosome was anyway.)
The story of your paternal-line ancestry is the story of an extraordinary migration. Over 300,000 years and 10,000 generations, Dad’s male-line descendants have rolled over land and sea, hunted mammoths, created pottery, forged iron and survived an Ice Age. And today, the genetic voyage leads to the person reading this blog — you!
Through 23andMe&#8217;s new and improved <a href="https://you.23andme.com/reports/paternal_haplogroup/">Paternal Haplogroup report</a>, customers* can trace the footsteps of their paternal-line ancestors over thousands of generations of human history. And that should be music to the ears of anybody interested in their family’s unique history. 
<h6>What is a Paternal Haplogroup?</h6>
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" src="https://blog-api.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/male_line-300x214.png" alt="" class="alignright size-medium wp-image-25625" width="300" height="214" srcset="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/male_line-300x214.png 300w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/male_line-768x548.png 768w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/male_line-1024x731.png 1024w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/male_line-880x628.png 880w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/male_line-1180x842.png 1180w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/male_line.png 1450w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" />The most obvious artifact of your paternal ancestry may be your surname. But surnames are actually a pretty recent invention, and names change over time as records are rewritten or lost. For some cultures, even the concept of a paternal surname is foreign. 
Genetics offers another way to discover your paternal-line history that doesn&#8217;t depend on a paper trail. And it can tell a story that reaches back hundreds of thousands of years.
Each generation, fathers pass down copies of their Y chromosomes to their sons. So if you are a genetic male, you inherited your Y chromosome — and all the genetic markers it contains — from the unbroken line of men in your paternal lineage.
Alone, this doesn&#8217;t reveal that much about your heritage. But by comparing the genetic markers on Y chromosomes from men all over the world, researchers have built a genealogical tree of all paternal lineages. This tree reaches back more than 275,000 years to just one man who lived in East Africa: the most recent paternal-line common ancestor of all humans living today. 
Your paternal-line &#8220;haplogroup&#8221; describes how your lineage is related to all the others. Each haplogroup is a family of lines that descend from a common ancestor. In the Paternal Haplogroup tree, this is represented by a branch or a cluster of branches. <img loading="lazy" decoding="async" src="https://blog-api.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/paternal_hap_tree-300x176.png" alt="" class="alignright size-medium wp-image-25627" width="300" height="176" srcset="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/paternal_hap_tree-300x176.png 300w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/paternal_hap_tree-768x450.png 768w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/paternal_hap_tree-1024x600.png 1024w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/paternal_hap_tree-880x516.png 880w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/paternal_hap_tree-1180x692.png 1180w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/paternal_hap_tree.png 1790w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" />
To trace your ancient paternal-line history, we can follow the path from the root of the tree out to your particular branch. And, just as you and a first cousin are connected through your grandparents, you and many others around the world are connected through the common ancestor of your haplogroup. 
If your lineage carries haplogroup R-M405, for example, you and King Henry IV of France can trace your paternal lines back to the father of haplogroup R-M405. 
<h6>Tracing the Migrations of Your Paternal-Line Ancestors</h6>
<div id="attachment_25626" style="width: 1034px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-25626" src="https://blog-api.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/hap_C_migrations-1024x432.png" alt="" class="wp-image-25626 size-large" width="1024" height="432" />Major migration routes of Haplogroup C-M130</div>
Researchers can discover the geographic origins and migrations of some of our paternal-line ancestors by comparing where different haplogroups are found around the world and how they are related to each other. All of our stories begin at the root of the haplogroup tree in eastern Africa. For over 200,000 years, our ancestors hunted ancient gazelle across the seas of grass and split into diverse groups within Africa. Then, sometime around sixty thousand years ago, one small group crossed the Red Sea and forged new paths across all of Eurasia.
In the new Paternal Haplogroup report, customers follow the major migration routes of their paternal lineage, branch by branch, over tens of thousands of years.
<h6>Ancient DNA Sheds New Light on Old Stories&#8230;<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" src="https://blog-api.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/yamnaya_paternal-263x300.jpg" alt="" class="alignright size-medium wp-image-25629" width="263" height="300" srcset="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/yamnaya_paternal-263x300.jpg 263w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/yamnaya_paternal.jpg 350w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 263px) 100vw, 263px" /></h6>
With major improvements in technology, geneticists are unraveling more of our ancestral mysteries. One prime example is the origin and spread of haplogroup R — the dominant paternal haplogroup in western Eurasia. In the early 2000s, the available evidence suggested that men bearing haplogroup R reached their prominence after surviving the last great peak of the Ice Age nearly 20,000 years ago.
But just in the last several years, researchers using  DNA extracted from the remains of men who lived in Central Asia and Europe thousands of years ago have connected the recent spread of haplogroup R to <a href="http://www.sciencemag.org/news/2017/02/thousands-horsemen-may-have-swept-bronze-age-europe-transforming-local-population">men who swept down from the steppes</a> only 5,000 years ago. 
These migrations began with an early Bronze-Age culture called the Yamnaya. They were herders, and needed to travel fast to keep their livestock fed. Atop the world&#8217;s first domesticated horses and armed with some of the earliest bronze tools and weapons, Yamnaya men spilled east into Central Asia and west into the Balkans. Their descendants eventually stretched from the British Isles to India.
In addition to their technology and paternal lines, the Yamnaya also brought their language. This language was the ancestor of the Indo-European language family, a group that includes 445 living languages spoken historically from the western tip of Europe to central and southern Asia.
<h6>&#8230;And New Stories Are Written</h6>
With the technology to <a href="http://www.sciencemag.org/news/2016/10/game-changing-study-suggests-first-polynesians-voyaged-all-way-east-asia">extract ancient DNA</a> and <a href="http://www.sciencemag.org/news/2016/09/almost-all-living-people-outside-africa-trace-back-single-migration-more-50000-years">sequence the entire human genome</a>, new doors are opening in the study of human population history and the pace of new discoveries about our ancestors is accelerating.
What&#8217;s more, researchers from all fields have a new set of tools: people like you. From professional genealogists to beginner hobbyists, individuals are researching their family histories and sharing data like never before.
As geneticists, genealogists, and citizen scientists work together to uncover new evidence and gain new insights, new details will be added to all of our ancestral stories. 
* Because genetic females do not have Y chromosomes, 23andMe is unable to directly determine the haplogroup of their paternal line. Female customers can, however, link accounts with a brother or father to receive their paternal haplogroup results.

The Paternal-Line Story Written In Your DNA

<div id="attachment_25595" style="width: 294px" class="wp-caption alignright"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-25595" src="https://blog-api.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/Fah-284x300.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-25595 size-medium" width="284" height="300" srcset="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/Fah-284x300.jpg 284w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/Fah.jpg 346w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 284px) 100vw, 284px" />Fah getting ready for his trek to Everest base camp. Everest can be seen in the background.</div>
On vacation trekking the Himalayas with his partner, 23andMe computational biologist Fah Sathirapongsasuti didn’t just take snapshots of surrounding peaks, he also did a little science at 17,000 feet.
As he hoofed along the trail to Everest base camp, Fah recorded the toll of hiking at altitude took on his body, monitoring his heart rate, the oxygen saturation in his blood, the number of calories he burned, and his disrupted sleep patterns.
“There were a few days that I felt pretty miserable,” he said.
Collecting data on vacation might not be on the top of your trip itinerary, but Fah saw an opportunity. He saw a chance to record in real time and with real data, the impact of altitude on the human body. And, he thought if enough people like him recorded their data and pooled it together, perhaps he could learn something more about why some of us do better than others at higher elevations. (You can see morea about how he tracked his data <a href="https://scholar.harvard.edu/fah/science-little-altitude">here</a>, or look at the sidebar to learn more about how you could track your own data if you’re planning a trip to higher elevations.)
“I don’t think you need to be a geek or a scientist to enjoy collecting data during your vacation,” said Fah. “Our ability to adapt to foreign environments such as high altitude is a testament to the wonder of the human body. Quantifying it will help you see and appreciate your own body more.”

<div style="float: right; text-align: justified; width: 350px; background-color: #eee; padding: 15px; margin-left: 10px;">
Fah&#8217;s DIY Altitude Science Field Guide 
I don’t think you need to be a geek or a scientist to enjoy collecting data during your vacation. Our ability to adapt to foreign environments such as high altitude is a testament to the wonder of the human body. Quantifying it will help you see and appreciate your body more. Plus, monitoring your blood oxygen level (SpO2) during high altitude trekking can literally save your life!
My data from Everest Base Camp Trekking can be found <a href="https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1LQA3bKR-fcssExZcvDPMyKOgIzIgahPcjjP12krvqjY/edit?usp=sharing">here</a>. If you are planning a trip up the mountains, to elevations higher than 9,000 feet, I’ve outlined how you too can track this data.
What to track?
If you are traveling to a “very high altitude” — defined as anything higher than 11,500 ft (e.g. Mt Whitney, Machu Picchu, or Mount Kilimanjaro) — there are a few experiments you can try. 
I found that the oxygen saturation in my blood, now easily measured using a pulse oximeter that can be clipped to your finger and also tracks your pulse rate. 
The key here is to record at three consistent times each day:

<ol>
<li>On arrival at your resting point (e.g. campsite or , lodge)</li>
<li>Before bed</li>
<li>Morning, within the first hour after waking up</li>
</ol>
When recording the data, you should also make note of the elevation, and whether you have any symptoms of altitude sickness. For me, that amounted to nausea, dizziness, restless sleep and blurred vision.  Beyond those three key points of measuring your blood oxygen, you should also measure immediately after exertion, that could include hiking or climbing or skiing. Whatever you are doing at elevation that is physically taxing.  Record the exercise. Measure your heart rate and SpO2 immediate after exercise. Keep repeatedly measuring every 30 seconds after you’ve finished the “exercise” until your heart rate returns to normal. For me, this was instructive because I was able to see that I could recover even from the most strenuous exertions relatively quickly with a relatively  If you are going to a moderately high altitude location (4,900-11,500 ft), such as Aspen or Lake Tahoe, it is less likely that you will experience altitude sickness., But you may observe changes in your physiology especially during an exercise.  You might consider doing some strenuous exercise such as a sprint and measure your SpO2.  You might be surprised by how low it can get.
What You’ll Need 
Like any good experiment you’ll need a few things to ensure you can record good data. You&#8217;lld need a good pulse oximeter.  There are several brands.  The one I used is iHealth Air Pulse Oximeter available on <a href="https://www.amazon.com/iHealth-Pulse-Oximeter-Apple-Android/dp/B00D7MDXCU">Amazon</a>. In addition you&#8217;ll need a fitness tracker.  There are several acceptable, each with its own features and quirks.  I use Fitbit Charge HR, mostly for the balance between price and features.  Make sure it has continuous heart rate monitor and accelerometer (for steps and elevation gain estimate). 
</div>
Although we can acclimatize to exertion at elevation, some people adapt to life at higher altitudes better than others. Sherpas, the ethnic group that has lived for thousands of years in the Himalayas, have a genetic advantage for life in the thin oxygen air of their homelands. So do Tibetans. Their genetic advantage is something they inherited from our ancient human cousins, the<a href="https://www.nature.com/nature/journal/v512/n7513/full/nature13408.html"> Denisovians</a>, more than 40,000 years ago. Variants in two genes EPAS1 and EGLN1 are prevalent in Tibetans. Among everyone else, it’s hard to predict who will be get sick at high elevations and who won’t. 
Most people know that climbing Everest is fraught with peril, but fewer know that just trekking to base camp can pose a danger due to altitude sickness. Although there aren&#8217;t accurate statistics on the number of trekkers hit by altitude sickness on the trail, a few die each year from what’s called Acute Mountain Sickness or underlying conditions that are exacerbated by exertion at altitude. But currently there is no good way to determine who might get sick and who won’t.
Fah and his partner were careful and prepared for their trek. Both of them are in shape, but even so they had days that were very difficult. Fah thought this was likely so he wanted to record the data to see how his body changed during the hike, and to see how it affected him differently than others.
“I know what I felt, but I wanted to see the data too,” he said.
There were some obvious data points. The higher Fah went, the lower the oxygen saturation in his blood.
“Duh,” he joked.
Although it wasn’t surprising, the data dramatically illustrated the impact of altitude. As Fah crossed the pass between Lobuche and Gorakshep at more than 16,000 feet, his oxygen saturation dropped below 80 percent, and his resting heart rate spiked upward. He got headaches, felt dizzy and his vision blurred. Fah slept less. None of that is atypical. In fact having your oxygen saturation drop below 80 percent for an extended period is very dangerous.
Over the week long trip, Fah slowly acclimatized to the higher elevations.  And his numbers got better, but in general, there was a direct correlation between how bad he felt and elevation gain. Beyond what he felt and what he was recording, Fah also knew that there are many studies <a href="https://www.nap.edu/read/5197/chapter/24"> on this</a>.
Out of curiosity Fah also added one other data point, he measured the oxygen saturation of three of the Sherpas helping to ferry some of the supplies for the trekkers. On average their oxygen levels were three to five percentage points higher than Fah, and they were much more comfortable.
As Andrew Murry, a physiologist at the University of Cambridge in the UK <a href="https://www.npr.org/sections/goatsandsoda/2017/05/28/530204187/the-science-behind-the-super-abilities-of-sherpas">recently told NPR</a>:
“You don&#8217;t need to spend very long in that part of the world to see that the people living there, particularly the Sherpas, perform extremely well at altitude — a lot better than we do.&#8221;
Over time many of us can acclimate ourselves to exertions at higher altitudes, improving our blood oxygen saturation levels, for instance. And Fah was able to see how, even in the short time he was in Nepal, his body acclimated itself to the higher elevations.
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" src="https://blog-api.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/Graph-SpO2-1024x612.png" alt="" class="aligncenter wp-image-25596 size-large" width="1024" height="612" srcset="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/Graph-SpO2-1024x612.png 1024w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/Graph-SpO2-300x179.png 300w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/Graph-SpO2-768x459.png 768w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/Graph-SpO2-880x526.png 880w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/Graph-SpO2-1180x705.png 1180w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/Graph-SpO2.png 1388w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" />
Oxygen saturation (SpO2, gray line) decreased as the elevation (blue line) increased. Symptoms of altitude sickness such as headaches, blurry vision, and sleeplessness are common when SpO2 dropped below 80, between Day 5 and Day 8.
But even acclimatizing won’t entirely relieve the symptoms and it’s still difficult to predict why some people get sick, and altitudes and others do not. So Fah decided to invite others with plans to trek at elevation — 11,000 feet or higher — to record their data.
“The lesson I learn as a scientist at 23andMe is that crowd-sourcing can give us the power to make a discovery at an unprecedented rate and scale. Together we might be able to discover a way to predict and prevent altitude sickness,” he said.

Science With A Little Altitude

By Jessie Inchauspe, Product Manager &#8211; Research Experience
Since 2010, 23andMe’s research team has made groundbreaking discoveries on the role of genetics in health, discoveries made possible because of customers&#8217; contributions to research. We’ve published them in top scientific journals along with world-class collaborators — and we hope they will lead to advances in medicine that will make life healthier for everyone.
23andMe customers who participate in research are the reason this is possible. By answering questions about themselves and sharing with us their genetic data, they enable our research team to make discoveries and publish them. 
<h5>Did you know there’s now a place where 23andMe customers can see exactly which published discoveries they individually made possible?</h5>
<h5><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" src="https://blog-api.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/Publications-Page-1024x645.png" alt="" class="aligncenter wp-image-25697 size-large" width="1024" height="645" srcset="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/Publications-Page-1024x645.png 1024w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/Publications-Page-300x189.png 300w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/Publications-Page-768x484.png 768w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/Publications-Page-880x554.png 880w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/Publications-Page-1180x743.png 1180w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></h5>
We’ve recently added a new feature to our logged-in site that lets 23andMe research participants see how their research responses and DNA were used and which published scientific discoveries they’ve personally helped fuel.
When participants see a “You Contributed” tag on a publication, it indicates that their data was used in the analysis performed by our researchers to lead to this new breakthrough. It takes on average about two years from the moment a customer answers a question to the publication of a new discovery that leverages their data. 
And every customer who participates plays a role &#8211; even those with no medical conditions. For research to happen we need to compare the DNA of healthy people (controls) to the DNA of people with a condition (cases).
By agreeing to answer 23andMe’s online survey questions, they’ve made it possible for our researchers to link genetic data to critical study topics from ancestry to traits to disease. Genetics research is an exciting but complex field, and the simple truth is, we couldn’t do it without our participants.
Our own CEO has <a href="https://www.23andme.com/publications/contributions/QW5uZXw0Nnw5N2VmY2VhOTFiYmZjODVjMzAxYjU0ZWI5YTkyYTE4Yg==/">contributed to 46 publications</a> at the time of writing. 
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" src="https://blog-api.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/pasted-image-0-1024x765.png" alt="" class="size-large wp-image-25572" width="1024" height="765" srcset="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/pasted-image-0-1024x765.png 1024w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/pasted-image-0-300x224.png 300w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/pasted-image-0-768x574.png 768w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/pasted-image-0-880x658.png 880w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/pasted-image-0.png 1172w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" />
What’s your number? Log-in to <a href="https://you.23andme.com/research/publications/">find out</a>. 
Not yet a customer? You can see all our published discoveries here, find out more about <a href="https://www.23andme.com/research/">23andMe research</a> and what you <a href="https://www.23andme.com/dna-health-ancestry/">can learn</a> about yourself by using 23andMe.

23andMe Customers Now See Their Contributions To Research

How far back can you trace your maternal line? To your mother? Your grandmother? How about your maternal great-great-great-grandmother? Whether you know your maternal-line genealogy back ten generations or none at all, you can discover the history of your ancestors going back tens of thousands of years. Their story is in your DNA — your mitochondrial DNA, to be precise. 
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" src="https://blog-api.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/maternal_pedigree-300x167.png" alt="" class="alignright size-medium wp-image-25378" width="300" height="167" srcset="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/maternal_pedigree-300x167.png 300w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/maternal_pedigree-768x427.png 768w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/maternal_pedigree-1024x569.png 1024w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/maternal_pedigree-880x489.png 880w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/maternal_pedigree-1180x656.png 1180w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/maternal_pedigree.png 1189w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" />
Each generation, mothers pass down their mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) to their children. Both their daughters and their sons inherit mtDNA, but only women pass it on. As a result, you inherited your mtDNA from the long, unbroken line of women who make up your maternal line. 
Researchers study the genetic markers in mtDNA to trace the histories of our maternal lines. Using these markers, they can identify maternal haplogroups, families of maternal lineages that descend from the same woman.   
In fact, they&#8217;ve discovered that we are all direct maternal-line descendants of a single woman who lived in eastern Africa between 150,000 and 200,000 years ago! As her daughters and their daughters migrated out of the cradle of modern humans, they branched out into different groups that crossed Africa and the globe. Many of these migrations can be traced using haplogroups. 
At 23andMe, we&#8217;ve just released a redesigned version of our Maternal Haplogroup report, placing customers’ own ancestral stories within the context of the broader human story. We determine each customer&#8217;s maternal haplogroup by looking at the genetic markers in their mtDNA. Then, we walk each customer step by step through the points at which their maternal line branched off from others over thousands of years. Furthermore, the report lets you know if you share a maternal haplogroup with a notable individual or groups of individuals in history.
Customers wanting to explore this redesigned report can go<a href="https://you.23andme.com/reports/maternal_haplogroup/"> here</a>.  Not yet a customer? Visit our<a href="https://store.23andme.com/en-us/cart/"> store</a>.
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23andMe’s Updated Maternal Haplogroup Report

23andMe recently started offering customers new Genetic Health Risk reports that have received<a href="https://www.fda.gov/NewsEvents/Newsroom/PressAnnouncements/ucm551185.htm"> FDA authorization</a>. Below we’ve highlighted some important features in these reports to help you get <img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignright size-full wp-image-25282" src="https://blog-api.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/1CEfC9m9AbODwKq19WcXmxVggXmrpuOA-1.png" alt="" width="355" height="600" srcset="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/1CEfC9m9AbODwKq19WcXmxVggXmrpuOA-1.png 355w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/1CEfC9m9AbODwKq19WcXmxVggXmrpuOA-1-178x300.png 178w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 355px) 100vw, 355px" />more out of them.


While the reports may have important information about your health, they also could raise issues you hadn’t considered. All customers are provided details on the type of information conveyed in the new reports before they decide whether to opt into seeing them or not.


For some serious conditions that do not currently have effective treatments or cures — namely <a href="http://www.23andme.com/topics/health-predispositions/late-onset-alzheimers/">late-onset Alzheimer’s disease</a> and Parkinson’s disease — 23andMe customers must take an additional step to opt-in to viewing these two reports. Customers can choose not to view them but still see all other health reports if they wish.
The extra step to opt-in to the reports on late-onset Alzheimer’s disease and Parkinson’s disease is meant to ensure that customers consider carefully whether or not they want to know about their genetic risk for these serious conditions.
If a customer moves forward with accessing their health information, it&#8217;s important to know that these reports are not intended to diagnose a disease or condition. Having a variant associated with an increased risk for a condition doesn’t mean you’ll get that condition.
Conversely, if you don’t have the variant it doesn’t mean you are free of risk. Your genetic risk for these conditions is but one of many factors, such as lifestyle, environment and family history, that play a role. (As with any test, it is also possible to receive a “Not Determined” result. This is rare, and can be caused by random test error or other factors that interfere with the test.)
Another important aspect of these reports is that 23andMe doesn’t test for all the possible genetic variants that could influence risk for these conditions. Even if a person&#8217;s report says that no variants were detected, that person could still have a variant not covered by the test that may affect risk for the condition. 23andMe&#8217;s reports include only variants that can be detected and validated on our genotyping chip, and the reports do not include many rare variants not available on our chip or variants that have not yet been discovered.

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<h5>
About the Reports</h5>

Each report is broken into a similar structure that includes your results, an explanation of what they mean, an overview of the condition, other factors that may influence risk, suggested next steps, and additional resources. This is all done in clear and easy to understand language, and the reports are structured in a way that allows you to go deeper into different sections to learn more if you wish.


The Overview page summarizes a person&#8217;s result, such as the number of variants detected and whether this is associated with increased risk, and provides brief but important points for understanding what the result means. This page also includes important information about what the test does and doesn&#8217;t do, and how a person&#8217;s ethnicity may matter. More information about the condition, including how common it is, typical signs and symptoms, and other risk factors are also highlighted. Many of these sections provide links to the Scientific Details page where customers can find more information and supporting references. The Overview page also provides quick links to genetic counseling, frequently asked questions, and printing to share with a healthcare professional.<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-25286" src="https://blog-api.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/1678_YQyfY6wqQPHf-RpZudNM6mTBLzQ.png" alt="" width="600" height="325" srcset="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/1678_YQyfY6wqQPHf-RpZudNM6mTBLzQ.png 600w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/1678_YQyfY6wqQPHf-RpZudNM6mTBLzQ-300x163.png 300w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px" />
In the Scientific Details page you’ll find more information about the genes and variants tested, health risk estimates associated with those variants in different populations, and clinical and analytical performance of the test. There will also be detailed information about other factors that influence whether a person develops the condition. All scientific references supporting the information in the report are provided at the bottom of this page.

<h5>
Understanding Risk Estimates</h5>

Our Genetic Health Risk reports focus on the general level of risk associated with a person&#8217;s genetic result. So for example, the report might state that you are &#8220;not likely at risk,&#8221; or that you are at &#8220;increased risk&#8221; based on the variants tested. But in some cases the report may also provide specific numerical estimates of the risk. These estimates may also be described in more detail in the &#8220;Test Interpretation&#8221; section of the Scientific Details page, and depend on available scientific studies. For this reason, the exact types of risk estimates, and the populations or ethnicities that they apply to, differ from report to report.

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&nbsp;

The types of risk estimates found in our reports may include lifetime risks, odds ratios, and likelihood ratios. Lifetime risk estimates are the most straightforward to understand — they simply represent the chances of developing the condition by a certain age. Similarly, incidence represents the number of people diagnosed with a condition in a given time period. Odds ratios and likelihood ratios are a bit different in that they reflect the difference in risk between one scenario and another scenario. Odds ratios usually compare the odds of a disease or condition in one group (such as people with a risk variant) to the odds in a reference group (such as people without the risk variant). Likelihood ratios compare the probability of a disease or condition given a test result to the probability prior to knowing the test result.
All types of risk estimates are applicable only to the populations or ethnicities specified in each report, though people of other ethnicities can view the information for educational purposes.
An important aspect to understand about risk estimates is that, being estimates, they have some amount of uncertainty. This is often conveyed using a &#8220;confidence interval,&#8221; which shows the range of possible likely values for that risk estimate. The wider that range, the less certain the specific risk estimate is.  The confidence intervals for risk estimates based on published studies can be found in the references for those studies. The confidence intervals for risk estimates calculated by 23andMe can be found by clicking the button &#8220;See 95 percent confidence intervals&#8221; underneath those risk tables.

<h5>
A Final Note</h5>

We strive to help our customers get the most out of their experience, and so each Genetic Health Risk report includes Frequently Asked Questions tailored to each customer&#8217;s results, in addition to our Customer Care center which is always available.
While 23andMe Genetic Health Risk reports do not diagnose diseases or conditions, they do include potentially important information that you could use to help be more proactive about your health and engage in your own wellness. That may also include talking to your doctor, a genetic counselor or other health professional. <a href="http://aboutgeneticcounselors.com">Genetic counselors</a> in particular are well-suited to help people who have questions about genetic risks and genetic testing. If you have specific questions or concerns about your health, we encourage you to contact a healthcare professional.

Learn More About 23andMe’s New Genetic Health Risk Reports

Inside each of us is a beautiful, rich genetic story. Some of which is told through the people with whom we are related.
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignright size-medium wp-image-25268" src="https://blog-api.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/You-Related-1-300x300.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="300" srcset="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/You-Related-1-300x300.jpg 300w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/You-Related-1-150x150.jpg 150w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/You-Related-1-271x271.jpg 271w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/You-Related-1-372x372.jpg 372w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/You-Related-1.jpg 414w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" /> 
23andMe’s new Ancestry Report has reimagined how you see these relatives — both close and distant — not just matching you with people with whom you share pieces of DNA, but putting those matches into context that tells you something about yourself.
Our new Ancestry Report introduces you to the 23andMe customers who make up Your DNA Family in a whole new way.
<h6>Your DNA Relatives, Let&#8217;s Do the Numbers</h6>
So how many relatives are we talking about, here? As you trace your family tree back in time, you can see that you have more ancestors with each generation. Look back 150 to 200 years, for instance, and you likely have 64 fourth-great grandparents. That many people have a lot of descendants. In fact, using a simple model where each family has only two to three children, we estimate that the average person has 4,700 fifth cousins out there!
You can find a number of these cousins when you use 23andMe’s DNA Relatives tool. Most 23andMe customers find hundreds, or even thousands of DNA Relatives who have also chosen 23andMe to explore their genetic heritage. That’s a lot of people — and a lot of stories — to sort through!
Your DNA Family helps you get started with a high-level overview of your 23andMe DNA Relatives grouped by their prediction relationship to you. These groups include close relationships (up to second cousins), third to fourth cousins, and distant cousins (5th cousins or more distant).
The significance of these distant cousins isn’t so much about the number of matches you have, but what these matches can tell you about your family history. You may see this in how your DNA relatives share surnames, or ancestry or hometowns. This information could help inform some of what you may already know about your ancestors and where they came from. Or you may learn something new.
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-25234" src="https://blog-api.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/relative_buckets_wide-1.png" alt="" width="979" height="523" srcset="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/relative_buckets_wide-1.png 979w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/relative_buckets_wide-1-300x160.png 300w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/relative_buckets_wide-1-768x410.png 768w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/relative_buckets_wide-1-880x470.png 880w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 979px) 100vw, 979px" />See Your DNA Relatives Around the World
Seeing your relatives in a new way offers you insight about your ancestry you might not otherwise have. The Your DNA Family report features map to show you the <img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignright size-medium wp-image-25222" src="https://blog-api.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/us_map_with_toggles-300x221.png" alt="" width="300" height="221" srcset="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/us_map_with_toggles-300x221.png 300w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/us_map_with_toggles-768x566.png 768w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/us_map_with_toggles-1024x755.png 1024w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/us_map_with_toggles-880x649.png 880w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/us_map_with_toggles-1180x870.png 1180w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/us_map_with_toggles.png 1652w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" />distribution of your DNA Relatives across the United States and around the world.
The pattern of how those matches plot on that map may reflect both decades-old migration  or more recent patterns. But they tell you a story that could include a family lodged in one region generation after generation, or ancestors who immigrated across continents or oceans seeking new opportunities.
<h6>Ancestry Composition Patterns</h6>
Human history is the story of migration, and clues to that story is also found in your DNA.
While your history is tied to the history of each of your cousins through at least one common ancestor, it is also tied to specific regions in the world.
23andMe’s Ancestry Composition can show you the mix of ancestry you have, but we’ve also added in features that help you compare that mix with your DNA Relatives.
This helps you explore the commonalities and differences in your ancestry. You can see this in a summary of the Ancestry Compositions of your DNA Relatives. You’ll find out how many different populations are represented in the ancestry of your DNA Family as well as how many of your relatives have ancestry from each of those populations.
<h6>Traits of Your DNA Relatives<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignright size-medium wp-image-25265" src="https://blog-api.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/traits_module-300x186.png" alt="" width="300" height="186" srcset="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/traits_module-300x186.png 300w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/traits_module-768x477.png 768w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/traits_module-880x546.png 880w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/traits_module.png 918w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" /></h6>
23andMe’s New Ancestry Report also looks at this pool of DNA Relatives and asks what beyond segments of DNA do you share.
By looking at shared traits, the new report offers you another way of looking your DNA Family.  For instance, maybe you have more DNA Relatives who can wiggle their ears, or a chorus of singers with perfect pitch. Perhaps your DNA Family has more than its fair share of vegetarians.
The New Ancestry Report looks at  a collection of common habits, tastes, characteristics and abilities — drawn from responses to  surveys 23andMe customers answer —  and then we tell you how your DNA Family stands out. We can do that by comparing the percentage of your DNA Relatives who report having each trait to the matching percentage of all 23andMe customers.
<h6>A Starting Point for Your DNA Relative Search</h6>
Want to dig further? Connect with relatives using the DNA Relatives tool. In the tool, you can find individual relatives and explore their profiles one at a time. Message your cousins to share information, and compare DNA segments with multiple matches to find clues to your shared family history.
To begin and end with words from our CEO and co-founder Anne Wojcicki:
“Every day I watch people connect with their DNA family, and see how the concept of family can evolve into something greater — and even more meaningful.” 
Find out how your DNA Family can help you discover your rich genetic story.<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-25231" src="https://blog-api.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/AC_comparison_apr12th-e1492192125921.png" alt="" width="640" height="518" srcset="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/AC_comparison_apr12th-e1492192125921.png 640w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/AC_comparison_apr12th-e1492192125921-300x243.png 300w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px" />

Meet Your DNA Family

Large scale genetic and non-genetic data plus machine learning, used to provide personalized portraits of how genes and lifestyle impact weight<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignright size-medium wp-image-25105" src="https://blog-api.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/Genetic-Weight-report-300x297.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="297" srcset="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/Genetic-Weight-report-300x297.jpg 300w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/Genetic-Weight-report-150x150.jpg 150w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/Genetic-Weight-report-768x760.jpg 768w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/Genetic-Weight-report-1024x1013.jpg 1024w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/Genetic-Weight-report-880x871.jpg 880w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/Genetic-Weight-report.jpg 1154w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" />
Have you ever wondered if it&#8217;s your genes keeping you from fitting into your jeans?
<h6> Not Just Genes</h6>
You&#8217;re not alone, and plenty of research shows that the genetic cards we are dealt at birth play an important role not just in our weight but in how much our bodies respond to diet and exercise. Our weight is determined by a complex combination of lifestyle, environment, and genes. 
 Armed with a collection of data from over 600,000 research participants, 23andMe scientists used machine learning techniques to estimate BMI based on genetics. Key results from these analyses also showed that lifestyle factors such as diet and exercise may affect weight. That affect is also dependent on a person’s genetic makeup.
<h6> What is the Genetic Weight Report</h6>
This research resulted in a new, first-of-its kind Genetic Weight report. It incorporates both genetics and lifestyle and calculates a person’s  genetic predisposition to weigh more or less than average. The report also provides insight into which lifestyle factors might make the biggest difference for a person’s own weight. 
 This report breaks new ground because it&#8217;s the first time that 23andMe scientists have been able to leverage our internal research data. This is an immense amount of information generously contributed by research participants for a health-related report. It is based on over 300 variants found to be associated with weight in 23andMe&#8217;s own database. It also customizes results based on age, sex, and ancestry.
<h6> Gene-by-Environment</h6>
23andMe scientists have also incorporated important in-house findings about lifestyle and genetics. These so-called &#8220;gene-by-environment interactions&#8221; are based on data contributed by over 45,000 research participants. 
 Each personalized report provides a ranked list of lifestyle factors found to be associated with the biggest weight differences. This is based on each person&#8217;s genetic result. In other words, this information shows how people&#8217;s specific genetics may influence their own responses to not only exercise and certain food choices, but also to factors like sleep and stress. This could help customers prioritize their own choices for maintaining a healthy weight. 
 The Genetic Weight report marks a first step towards the kind of personally tailored <a href="https://www.23andme.com/dna-health-ancestry">wellness reports.</a>  Future reports will build on the insights found through creating a machine-learning model. These type of AI models leverages the massive amount of data from customers who consent to participate in research. 
 For more on the science behind this report see our <a href="https://permalinks.23andme.com/pdf/23_17-GeneticWeight_Feb2017.pdf">white paper</a>. 
 <img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignright size-large wp-image-25104" src="https://blog-api.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/Genetic-Weight-2-625x1024.jpg" alt="" width="625" height="1024" srcset="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/Genetic-Weight-2-625x1024.jpg 625w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/Genetic-Weight-2-183x300.jpg 183w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/Genetic-Weight-2-537x880.jpg 537w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/Genetic-Weight-2.jpg 708w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 625px) 100vw, 625px" />

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