How does a DNA test work and what will you find out?

99.9% of our DNA is the same as any other human on the planet, but that remaining 0.1% that varies from person to person is what makes us unique. Our DNA determines not only our eye and hair colour but how we respond to certain types of dietary, exercise and lifestyle choices. 

From a simple cheek swab, you can access key insights about your own genetic traits, including: 

• Which type of diet and exercise is most likely to work best for your body
• Your natural metabolic rate, appetite and predisposition to snacking 
• The likelihood of you experiencing digestive issues 
• Which nutrients your body is likely to struggle to absorb including iron, vitamin D, omega 3 and more 
• How well your body is likely to handle alcohol, caffeine and dietary fat

What do they say about the Vitl DNA Nutrition Test?

“I highly recommend the DNA nutrition test in order to tailor your lifestyle and diet to your needs. The thorough and detailed results were hugely helpful. Each section comes with a further breakdown of the scientific details and even specifies what SNP markers led to the indication. The explanatory information gives advice on how to tune your nutrition for your specific DNA results. Really useful and insightful way to shape your nutrition and health tailored specifically to you." - Zay

First thing's first, what is DNA?

DNA holds the instructions for growth and development in every living thing. DNA is structured as a double-stranded helix, held together by complementary base pairs. The sequence of these bases determines your genotype. This determines your genetic predisposition towards a particular characteristic, such as your hair colour or eye colour. But also indicated how you are likely to respond to certain types of dietary and lifestyle choices, such as caffeine consumption, and how your body is likely to store fat and put on muscle. 

It's important to note that your DNA sequence does not change, and so all it takes is one test and results will last a lifetime.  

So how does it work?

1. Receive your at-home DNA testing kit through your letterbox 
2. Provide a saliva sample with the provided swab 
3. Pop your labelled sample in our pre-paid postage bag 
4. Sit tight and let our lab do the work! 

When is the best time to take my test?

Any time of the day, just make sure you haven’t eaten or drunk anything for an hour beforehand. How long do I have to wait for my results? It only takes our Illumina-certified laboratory 2 - 3 weeks to extract and analyse your DNA from your sample, which is around twice as fast as the other leading DNA testing brands.

What happens to my data?

All samples are completely anonymised from the lab and then we use the latest encryption technology so you never have to worry about your data. Any leftover genetic material is destroyed after analysis while data is securely stored using the highest available industry-standard protocols that are constantly kept up to date by our technology partners. This is so that we can update your reports with any new insights that become available. No health data is shared with third parties that are not required in order to provide the service and, as per GDPR guidelines, any data that we hold on you can be deleted at your request.

Can I get my raw DNA data? 

Yep! Just get in touch at info@vitl.com and we'll be able to send it over. 

How can a DNA test help me live life better?

Imagine you’re trying to lose weight - you may decide to start a new workout routine and try out a new diet. The problem is, what works for one person doesn’t always work for the next. What if you could find out the right type of exercise and diet for your body type? Our DNA Nutrition test is able to help you determine the type of exercises best suited to your muscle composition, alongside your body’s ability to store fat or burn it as your preferred energy source (helping you decide between going paleo, following the Mediterranean diet or going vegan, for example).

How about vitamins and minerals? Many don’t realise that our genes affect how well we are able to actually absorb nutrients from the food we eat, meaning some people have a higher risk of deficiencies, leading to long-term health implications. A DNA test can show whether you are likely to have trouble absorbing iron, folate, omega 3 and 6, and vitamins D, E, A, C, B12 and B6.

A DNA test can also help with day-to-day nutrition and wellbeing choices which, over time, build up and have a huge impact on our overall health and wellbeing. For example, those terrible hangovers might not just be a sign you drank too much last night, it could, in fact, be a sign that genetically, your body struggles to process alcohol, putting undue stress on your liver. Equally, you may think those trips to the coffee shop are having little effect on your health, but you may discover that your body thinks otherwise!

What specific traits does the DNA Nutrition Test analyse?

Diet & Intolerance

• Appetite & binge eating 
• Use of dietary saturated fats
• Alcohol flush
• Gluten intolerance
• Sweet tooth dental decay
• Sweet tooth tendency 
• Colon transfer
• IBS and GERD
• Fructosuria
• Caffeine-induced anxiety

Hair & Skin

• Skin antioxidant capacity 
• Premature greying (men)
• Acne
• Eczema

Fitness

• Glycotic capacity in strength training
• Lipid & glucose metabolism in speed sports 
• Fat vs muscle composition 

Pregnancy 

• Omega 3 & 6 during pregnancy 
• Vitamin B12 in pregnancy 
• Pregnancy weight 
• Folate during pregnancy 

Sleep & Energy

• Caffeine metabolism 
• Sleep bruxism 
• Sleep behaviour 
• Sleep movements 

Vitamin Levels

• Vitamin A
• Omega 3 & 6
• Vitamin B12
• Vitamin D 
• Vitamin B6 
• Vitamin E
• Vitamin C
• Iron
• Folate 

Discover the real you

Get started here today and get insights about your health that will last a lifetime