Vitagene is an autosomal DNA testing company launched in 2015. It provides personalized health and wellness plans using your DNA test results generated in a CLIA-certified lab. As a customer, you’ll be able to make better lifestyle choices and achieve your health goals using the brand’s recommendations.
Founded by Mehdi Maghsoodnia and Dr. Reza Malek in San Francisco in 2014, the company works with other leading brands to deliver the solutions they sell. A few of such partners, Pure Encapsulation and Douglas Laboratories provide the company’s personalized supplements. Here are six things you should know about the company before you buy a plan.
It Will Give More Insight into Your Fitness than Your Ancestry
If you are only interested in your ancestry, you should probably use other services that provide robust ancestry-tracing services. Vitagene pays more attention to providing recommendations on how to improve your diet, upgrade the quality of your exercises, enhance the look and feel of your skin, and choose the best health supplements. The recommendations are based on your DNA results.
An ancestry report is included in your results; however, it doesn’t go deep enough. You can’t use it to build a family tree, for instance. Some of the things you can expect from a Vitagene report include the following:
- How your body will respond to certain exercises.
- Your diet-related genetic predispositions.
- How well your body is likely to metabolize specific nutrients.
- Your DNA’s relationship with specific traits.
- The ethnicities present in your family history.
There are Multiple Price Plans for Everyone
Vitagene offers three price plans. As at the time of this article, the entry-level plan costs $89, while the mid-level and highest tier plans cost $109 and $269 respectively.
The cheapest option provides you with reports on your health and ancestry using the DNA test. You will also get exercise and supplement recommendations based on your genetics. The mid-range option offers everything on the base plan, in addition to skin-related recommendations, and free report updates.
The highest level plan is the most comprehensive. It covers all the features of the cheaper plans, but you will get a free DNA kit and a personalized supplement subscription.
The company also allows you to submit your past DNA data for use in the reports. This means you don’t need to pay for the DNA kit and generate another sample if you’ve already completed a test with another company and can provide the data.
The Test Process is Simple
Vitagene’s test is a simple four-step process that involves ordering your test kit, swabbing your cheek for a DNA sample, sending the sample back to the lab. Once the lab receives the sample, you need to wait between four and six weeks to get your results.
You will complete the cheek swab on your own, so detailed instructions are included in the test kits. The key thing to remember, however, is to only use the swab at least 30 minutes after your last meal or drink. This is to ensure the DNA captured is not watered-down by external elements.
Vitagene Reports Are Accurate
Vitagene’s reports are remarkably accurate. There is also a great deal of transparency in the process. The company watches for specific genetic markers that are known to be responsible for certain conditions, and then base their reports off their findings. So by analyzing your DNA data, they can find connections that will help them to see if you are at risk of obesity if you can build muscle strength, nutrients your body can’t metabolize, etc.
The company doesn’t adopt a black-box approach either, as it explains all the specific genes responsible for the conclusions it draws. This ensures you can get third-party vetting of the report if you wish to do so.
However, it is important to remember that the conclusions of the report are not cast in stone. Even when you have the genetic predisposition to develop obesity, it only means you have a higher risk of developing the condition than others that don’t have the same gene. By altering your habits and following the recommendations, you can reduce that risk.
The Company Takes Privacy Seriously
Vitagene’s approach to handling DNA samples suggests it is very strict with privacy. The samples and results are stored without your name or anything else that can connect the sample to you. The lab that processes the cheek swabs uses a barcode to manage the samples instead of personal information. The company’s privacy policy also allows you to choose what happens with your sample and data. You can elect to store them or have them destroyed.
The company also promises to not share information with any third party without your consent. You can also choose to delete your data from the company’s servers when you wish. All private information, like login details and genetic data, is protected with encryption technology. The company, however, uses an anonymous version of your data to improve the accuracy of its algorithms.
It’s important to note that although the company uses all the resources available to it to fight government requests, it still has to comply with valid court orders.
Vitagene’s privacy approach needed a revamp after a report highlighted how the company left user files on public servers. Personal information such as emails, dates of births, and more was left exposed. Responding to the report, the company said the files represented a fraction of its clientele and that it has since reviewed its security protocols.
Reviews of the Company are Largely Positive
Vitagene is highly rated on review websites. It has a 4-star rating on Trustpilot and a 3.5-star rating on Amazon. The biggest complaints against the company include long wait times and vague reports. The happy customers, on the other hand, praise the recommendations in the reports and how it has improved their lifestyle.
Conclusion
Vitagene is a company you should consider if you are enthusiastic about making lifestyle changes and improving your wellness. The in-depth reports will provide actionable recommendations you can implement right away. For deeper ancestry analysis, however, consider using an alternative solution.