The Covid-19 pandemic turned a spotlight on healthcare, motivating more individuals to be more proactive about their personal wellbeing. And for those who seek reliable information to make informed decisions about our health, at-home genetic tests offer a unique resource that is inherently personal.
Once reserved for doctor’s offices and crime scenes, an emerging breed of DNA testing services designed for everyday consumers offer valuable details about how one’s genetic makeup impacts their health. With this information, individuals can identify everything from their optimal diet and exercise to disease risks, food intolerances, and more.
One of the fastest, most comprehensive DNA testing services available in Macao is CircleDNA. Introduced in 2018 by Prenetics, a Hong Kong-based health company and lab that also offers rapid Covid-19 testing technology, the service is designed to enable everyday people to take more control over their health.
Here’s how it works: The at-home tests, which you can order online or purchase at Watsons, are easy to use. Simply register the kit on the CircleDNA app, swab the inside of your cheeks, place the saliva sample in a tube, then prepare it for a courier to collect. In about 18 working days, the app will notify you about the results.
With this simple swab, CircleDNA can analyse more than 20,000 genes. And while there are a number of DNA testing kits on the market, CircleDNA bills itself as “the world’s most comprehensive DNA test”. In a single sample, the test collects 31 million data points, which CircleDNA claims is roughly 50 times more than major competitors.
“Significantly greater data points provide greater accuracy and [a wider variety of] health reports,” Danny Yeung, CEO and co-founder of CircleDNA and Prenetics tells Macao News.
From this data, CircleDNA can then produce a range of reports depending on your area of interest. “Our CircleDNA kits are a preventative tool to identify your risks of disease, cancers, family planning, diet and nutrition,” says Yeung. “They’re for individuals who want to optimise their health now and in the future.”
Prevention is close to Yeung’s heart. When the entrepreneur took a DNA test in 2015 at the age of 37, his results revealed a high risk of developing colorectal cancer. Yeung also learned that, like him, approximately 40 per cent of people with a gene mutation do not have a family history of cancer so he never would have known about the risk without the test.
While alarming, the information empowered him to make important lifestyle changes. Yeung saw it as an opportunity to be proactive with disease prevention, quickly cutting meat from his diet, adjusting his exercise routine, scheduling regular colonoscopies, practicing meditation and reframing the challenge as an opportunity.
In addition to flagging disease risks, CircleDNA testing kits also offer ancestry details as well as insights into your body’s response to certain drugs, foods, exercise styles and stress – depending on which report you choose.
One of the most popular options, The CircleDNA Vital kit focuses on your overall wellness, providing over 60 reports on diet, nutrition intake, fitness routines, and more.
Meanwhile, the CircleDNA Health kit checks your risk level for common conditions (such as various cancers, strokes, diabetes, hypertension, dementia, Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s), analyses brain health, and provides actionable insights on health management and prevention.
For those thinking of starting a family, the CircleDNA Family Planning test identifies potential conditions that your child could inherit.
And the Premium DNA test covers everything. With over 500 reports, it offers a comprehensive overview of your genetic blueprint, plus a Drug Response DNA Test analysing 103 FDA-approved Drugs and a lifetime subscription to future genomic data updates that provide further insights into your DNA
By arming themselves with information and resources, Yeung believes everyday people can optimise their lifestyle based on their genetics, make targeted changes to improve their health, reduce their risk of serious illnesses and live a longer, healthier life in the process.
“I think prevention is the future of healthcare,” says Yeung. “Putting yourself in the best position to protect your body, immune system, and understanding your genetics is important. With so much innovation in healthcare – whether its treatment, diagnostics, speed to testing results – it’s so much easier for people to get treated. Prevention is key.”
Giveaway Alert! Macao News is delighted to offer one of our readers a Premium CircleDNA Test, which includes over 500 health reports. Follow us on Instagram before 22 March 2021 to take part in the giveaway. A winner will be announced on 24 March 2021.
