23andMe, Phase 2: The Results Are In
A few weeks ago I posted about my decision to partake in personal genotyping courtesy of a the new start-up 23andMe, and my brother-in-law. Only two weeks after mailing my spit-kit back to the lab, I opened my email and (behold!) my results were in. My heart started pounding as I logged into the website to get a glimpse of my fate. All of a sudden, I started to feel ill and wondered…is there a gene for nausea? As I clicked and read, my anxiety subsided. Here are the highlights of what I learned:
Part 1: The Gene Journal: I am categorized as European (not a big surprise), so as compared to the “average” European, my risks for a heart attack, pulmonary embolism, diabetes, Crohn’s disease, multiple sclerosis, obesity, restless leg syndrome and rheumatoid arthritis are a bit lower than when compared to the average European. I was psyched about that, especially the obesity part! I also found out that I am part of the select few who have the sprinter’s gene! My earwax is wet instead of dry (yuck, either way), I cannot taste certain bitter flavors (so brussel sprouts taste good to me) and I am lactose intolerant and have a “normal” reaction to alcohol.
Part 2: Ancestry: So, my largest marker was in the Far East with Northern and Eastern European areas coming in at a close tie for second. There are sprinklings of my ancestry in Africa, Asia, Russia and North America, and I share the same haplogroup as Jesse James, Marie Antionette, Warren & Jimmy Buffett and Bono.
Part 3: Genome Labs: This is where I can compare myself to my family and other participants. I need to wait a little while to take advantage of this.
So, that’s about it for now. All 23 pairs of chromosomes were sequenced, and I can sift through the hundreds of thousands of pages of information that they have for me if I want to learn more, but it doesn’t really make a lot of sense at this point. I need a good genetics refresher to take full advantage of all of the information, I guess. And with that, I wish everyone a happy and healthy 2008!
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Jason