In This Article
In This Article
We live in an era of self-quantification. We quantify our sleep, our exercise, our caffeine intake, and more. But what about the most important quantifier of all: our DNA? Genomelink is a company that lets us upload a raw DNA data file and get back a report full of genetic-based information about our various traits and risk for certain diseases. But is it worth the hefty fee? Here’s my Genomelink review, complete with the pros and cons of uploading your raw DNA data.
Genomelink uses your existing raw DNA data from services like AncestryDNA, MyHeritage, and 23andMe to give you additional insights into your DNA. This is done simply by uploading your raw data onto their website, where it will be analyzed. And the best part is, this service can even be used for absolutely free!
The list of genetic traits that Genomelink examines is constantly expanding and is based on the latest scientific research. While they do offer some of their trait reports for free, if you want to take advantage of everything Genomelink has to offer, you will need to pay a small subscription fee.
In this Genomelink review, we’ll look into the different reports they offer, how dependable the results are, and whether or not the subscription fee is worth your money.
Genomelink:
| Sample Collection | Upload raw DNA data (autosomal DNA transfer) |
| DNA Testing Type | Single nucleotide polymorphisms analysis |
| Speed | Instant reports upon uploading |
| Privacy Protection | Strong |
Genomelink offers a premium monthly subscription plan in addition to its free reports. The two different Genomelink plans are:
Genomelink works by analyzing prior DNA test results. At this time, the company only accepts test results from AncestryDNA, MyHeritage, and 23andMe. To receive your trait reports, follow these 4 steps:
According to Genomelink, their servers are set up with HIPAA-grade security. This means all servers meet the federal-level standard used to protect health and patient information.
Additionally, the company promises to never sell your DNA data or test results unless given your explicit consent. You’re free to delete your data from their servers as well, giving you complete control and ownership over your information.
While there are plenty of DNA testing companies that can analyze your DNA for a number of factors and traits, there aren’t many quite like Genomelink. While companies like MyHeritage and Family Tree DNA allow you to upload your DNA results directly, their main focus is on DNA testing. Genomelink, on the other hand, doesn’t actually test a DNA sample but rather analyzes an existing report from either AncestryDNA, 23andMe, or MyHeritage.
Using this existing data, they provide you with 25 free trait reports or unlimited reports for subscribers. Some similar companies that also analyze existing DNA raw data to offer you new insights include:
Genomelink’s trait report is broken up into a few different categories, we’ll explore each one in-depth below:
In this section of Genomelinks’s test results, you’ll learn about your body’s ability to handle certain foods. From the vitamins and minerals that you should include more of in your diet, to the foods you need to avoid. I've personally uploaded my DNA and already discovered some great insights about my traits. Here are a few screenshots of my reports so far.
I was given a total of 46 Food and Nutrition traits, and I didn't take the time to check the exact % that seemed accurate to me, but I would estimate a 70% accuracy rate.
| Test | What Genomlink Said | Accuracy of Response |
| Vitamin A | High | Unknown |
| Vitamin B12 | Low | Unknown |
| Vitamin D | Low | Unknown |
| Vitamin E | Low | Unknown |
| Resonse to Vitamin E Supplementation | Low | Unknown |
| ALA | Low | Unknown |
| Beta Carotene | Intermediate | Unknown |
| Co Q10 Serum | High | Unknown |
| Calcium | High | Unknown |
| Folate | Intermediate | Unknown |
| Iron | Low | Unknown |
| Phosphorus | High | Unknown |
| Bitter Taste | Intermediate | Accurate |
| Taste Sensitivity to Fat | Average | Accurate |
| Caffeine Metabolite Ratio | Low | Accurate |
| Sugar Intake | Intermediate | Inaccurate (I woud give myself a high) |
| Carbohydrate Intake | Intermediate | Accurate |
| Protein Intake | Intermediate | Accurate |
| Fat Intake | Intermediate | Accurate |
| Unhealthy Food Intake | Low | Accurate (ish) - I would give myself a Intermediate |
| Frequency of Eating Fried Dishes | Low | Accurate |
| Alcohol Drinking Behavior | High | Inaccurate (Don't really drink) |
| Soda Consumption | Intermediate | Accurate |
| Bitter Alcoholic Beverage Consumption | Average | Accurate |
| Affinity for Red Wine | Intermediate | Inaccurate (low) |
| Affinity for White Wine | Low | Accurate |
| Caffeine Consumption | Low | Inaccurate (Would give myself high) |
| Smoking Behavior | Intermediate | Accurate |
| Gluten Sensitivity | Low | Accurate |
| Egg Allergy | High | Inaccurate (I think) |
| Peanut Allergy | Low | Accurate |
| Peach Allergy | Intermediate | Inaccurate (I think) |
| Shrimp Allergy | Low | Accurate |
| Magnesium Levels | Low | Unknown |
| Sodium Intake | Intermediate | Accurate |
| Asparagus Anosmia | Low | Accurate |
| Post-Cannabis Munchies | Intermediate | Accurate (I think) |
| Stomach Volume After Meal | Intermediate | Accurate (I think) |
| Fish Intake | High | Accurate |
| Tea Consumption | Low | Inaccurate |
| Coffee Consumption | Low | Inaccurate |
| Sugar Beverages Consumption | High | Accurate |
| Sweet Taste Preference | High | Accurate |
| Adult Lactose Intolerance | Low | Accurate |
| Gluten-free Diet Follower | Low | Accurate |
| BMI Reduction in Response to Low-fat Diet | Low | Unknown |
Totals:
This gives us a accuracy rate of 75%.
The trait report includes a personality section as well. Here, Genomelink will explore the different ways that your genes could be affecting your behavior. This includes your likelihood of taking risks, your pain response, and your ability to recognize faces. Here is a screenshot of my reports:
Each of these reports also links to a pubmed article backing up the research into why your genes would say this. The one for my "Agreeableness" report is https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18957941
I got something like 51 reports, and most of them look fairly accurate. On reports like this, you will most likely need to ask friends and family, as none of us are that good at self-diagnosing personality traits (especially negative).
| Test | What Genomlink Said | Accuracy of Response |
| Gratitude | High | Accurate |
| Agreeableness | Low | Accurate |
| Conscientiousness | High | Accurate |
| Extraversion | High | Accurate |
| Neuroticism | High | Accurate (probably, I haven't taken a pysch test in a while) |
| Openness | High | Accurate |
| Highly Sensitive Personality | High | Accurate |
| Empathy | Intermediate | Accurate |
| Facial Emotion Recognition Ability | Intermediate | Inaccurate (Think this is low) |
| Anger | Low | Inaccurate |
| Social Communication Problems | Low | Accurate |
| Social Rejection | Intermediate | Accurate |
| Loneliness | High | Inaccurate (I can be a loner) |
| Harm Avoidance | Low | Accurate (I think) |
| Reward Dependence | Low | Accurate |
| Gambling Behavior | High | Inaccurate (I hate gambling) |
| Instant Gratification | High | Inaccurate |
| Romantic Relationship | High | Accurate |
| Novelty Seeking Behavior | High | Accurate |
| Cannabis Use | Low | Accurate |
| Hedonic Well-being | Intermediate | Accurate |
| Burnout | Intermediate | Accurate |
| Vulnerability to Helicopter Parenting | Intermediate | Unknown |
| Impulsivity | Intermediate | Unknown (this is from when you were 15) |
| Positive Affect | Low | Inaccurate (I think) |
| Social Network | Low | Inaccurate |
| Aggressive Behavior | Low | Accurate |
| Resilience | Low | Inaccurate (I think) |
| Resurgence of Fear | Low | Accurate |
| Hypnotizability | Low | Accurate |
| Susceptibility to Framing | High | Accurate |
| Bet-Placing | Intermediate | Accurate (I think) |
| Affective Temperament in Obese Population | High | Unknown (I'm not obese) |
| Intergenerational Transmission Of Parenting Qualities | Low | Inaccurate |
| Marital Satisfaction | High | Accurate |
| Household Income | High | Accurate |
| Seasonal Mood Swings | High | Accurate |
| Diurnal Preference For Activity Planning | Low | Accurate |
| Vengefulness | High | Accurate (probably) |
| Avoidance of Transgressors | High | Accurate |
| Effect of Traumatic Life Events on Jumping to Conclusions | High | Unknown |
| Effect of Parenting Style on Creativity | Intermediate | Unknown |
| Leisure Television Watching | High | Accurate |
| Leisure Computer Use | Intermediate | Accurate |
| Social Conformity | High | Accurate |
| Effect of Traumatic Life Events on Attention to Threats | High | Unknown |
| Impact of Early Life Stress on Sensitivity to Punishment | Intermediate | Unknown |
| Hoarding | Low | Accurate |
| Vulnerability to Computer Frustration | Intermediate | Inaccurate (I would say high) |
| Impact of Autistic Traits on Social Anxiety | Low | Unknown |
| Forgiveness | High | Accurate |
Totals:
This gives us an accuracy rate of 100%. This is easily the hardest one to try to agree with or not - these could be huge blind spots, meaning I'm not self diagnosing correctly.
In the intelligence portion of your test results, you’ll read about how your genetics could be affecting your cognitive processes. Some of the things they cover here include your mathematics skills, your overall intelligence, and your word reading ability.
Most of these look accurate, I have better-than-average hearing, terrible at multitasking, etc. An individual report looks like this:
| Test | What Genomlink Said | Accuracy of Response |
| Brain Arousal at Resting State | Intermediate | Accurate |
| Memory Performance | High | Accurate (I hope) |
| Hippocampal Volume | Low | Unknown |
| Cognitive Ability | Intermediate | Accurate |
| Hearing Ability | High | Accurate |
| Adult Onset Hearing Difficulty | Intermediate | Unknown |
| Word Reading Ability | Intermediate | Inaccurate (I would say high) |
| Educational Attainment | Low | Inaccurate |
| Intelligence | Intermediate | Accurate |
| Performance Intelligence | Low | Unknown |
| Childhood Intelligence | Intermediate | Accurate |
| Multitasking | Low | Accurate |
| Working Memory | Low | Accurate (Unfortunately) |
| Musical Ability | Low | Accurate |
| Face Recognition Ability | High | Accurate |
| Spatial Attention | Low | Unknown |
| Figural Fluency | Low | Accurate |
| Figural Originality | High | Unknown |
| Academic Attainment in Science | Intermediate | Acccurate |
Totals:
This gives us a accuracy rate of 78.5%.
The physical traits portion delves into the different ways that your genes can alter your physical appearance. The traits covered in this section include your waist size, height, freckles, and body fat mass index.
This is probably the scariest section. I hope some of these aren't accurate:
| Test | What Genomlink Said | Accuracy of Response |
| Time To Sleep | Likely to sleep later | Inaccurate |
| Sleep Duration | Average Duration | Accurate |
| Snoring | Low Likelihood | Accurate |
| Morningness | Average | Inaccurate (Morning person) |
| Excessive Daytime Sleepiness | High Likelihood | Accurate |
| Longevity | Average | Unknown |
| Frailty | Average | Unknown |
| Pulmonary Function | Low | Unknown |
| Motion Sickness | Average | Accurate (I think) |
| Job Related Exhaustion | Average | Accurate |
| Incidence and Severity of Injuries | High Likelihood | Inaccurate |
| Sagging Eyelids | High Likelihood | Unknown |
| Facial Wrinkles | High Likelihood | Unknown (too young) |
| Male-Pattern Baldness | High Likelihood | Inaccurate (I hope) |
| Beard Thickness | Intermediate | Inaccurate |
| Tanning | High Tendency | Accurate |
| Freckles | Intermediate | Accurate |
| Skin Pigmentation | Average | Accurate |
| Sensitization to Grass | High Tendency | Inaccurate (I think) |
| Earlobe Size | Average | Accurate |
| Genetic Weight | High Likelihood | Inaccurate |
| BMI | Intermediate | Inaccurate |
| Lean Body Mass | Intermediate | Accurate |
| Body Fat Percentage | Intermediate | Inaccurate |
| Adipose Tissue Type Ratio | High Likelihood | Unknown |
| Calorie Consumption | Low Likelihood | Accurate |
| Waist Size | High Likelihood | Inaccurate |
| Breast Size | Intermediate | Inaccurate (male) |
| Waist Hip Ratio | Intermediate | Accurate (I think) |
| Height | Likely to be tall | Inaccurate (Average Height) |
| Earwax Type | Wet Earwax | Unknown (didn't know you could rate this) |
| Transepidermal Water Loss | High Likelihood | Uknown |
| Menstrual Cycle Length | Short Cycle | Unknown (male) |
| Head Size | Wider Head | Accurate |
| Smoking at an Early Age | Low Likelihood | Accurate |
| Gut Biome | High Likelihood to Abundant Gut Biome | Unknown |
| Leukocyte Telomere Length | Long Telomeres | Unknown |
| Indoor Tanning Addiction | High Likelihood | Inaccurate |
| Facial Attractiveness | High Likelihood | Accurate (According to me) |
| Placebo Effect | Average Response | Unknown |
| Time Perception | Shorter Time Perspective | Unknown |
| Pregnancy Rates | Intermediate | Unknown |
| Dental Caries and Periodontitis | Low Likelihood | Accurate |
| Multisite Chronic Pain | Intermediate | Unknown |
| Dog Allergy | Low Likelihood | Accurate |
| Mites Allergy | High Likelihood | Accurate |
| Eye Tail Length | Average | Unknown |
| Allergic Sensitization | Average | Unknown |
| Cellulite | Average | Inaccurate |
| Voice Breaking Age | Young Age | Accurate |
| Rosacea Symptom Severity | High Likelihood | Inaccurate |
| Back pain | Average | Accurate |
| Noise Induced Hearing Loss In The Right Ear | Low Likelihood | Accurate |
| Noise Induced Hearing Loss In The Left Ear | Average Likelihood | Accurate |
| Facial Skin Youthfulness | Likely to look younger than age | Accurate |
| Hip Bone Size | Likely to have larger hip bone | Unknown |
| Transition from Acute to Chronic Low Back Pain | Intermediate | Unknown |
| Puberty Timing | Likely Experience Early | Inaccurate |
| Biological Response to Acute Stress | High Response | Accurate |
| Sleep Quality | Average | Accurate |
| Acute Mountain Sickness | Likely to Experience Moutain Sickness | Accurate |
| Age Related Cataract | Average Likelihood | Unknown |
| Hair Greying | High Likelihood | Accurate |
| Shoulder Impingement | Average | Accurate |
| Left-Handedness | High Likelihood | Inaccurate |
| Facial Telangiectasia | Average | Accurate |
| Finger Length Ratio (2D:4D) | High Likelihood | Accurate |
| Appendicular Lean Mass | Low Likelihood | Inaccurate |
| Persistent Obesity | Average | Inaccurate |
| Photic Sneeze Reflex | Low Likelihood | Inaccurate |
| Distance between Eyeball | Likely to be greater | Accurate (I think) |
| Daytime Napping | High Likelihood | Accurate |
| Chin Protrusion | High Likelihood | Accurate |
| Macular Thickness | Average | Unknown |
| Tinnitus | Low Likelihood | Accurate |
Totals:
This gives us an accuracy rate of 63.6%.
Genomelink’s final section states that the genetic markers that affect your ability to burn fat and build muscles are explored. This includes your post-exercise heart rate recovery time, habitual exercise activities, and heart rate during exercise.
These all seemed fairly accurate to me as well:
| Test | What Genomlink Said | Accuracy of Response |
| Sprint Performance | High | Accurate |
| Muscular Strength | High | Accurate |
| Endurance Performance | Intermediate | Accurate (Or low) |
| Athletic Ability | High | Inaccurate |
| Post-Exercise Heart Rate Recovery Rate | Intermediate | Accurate |
| Heart Rate Increase During Exercise | Intermediate | Accurate |
| Habitual Physical Activity | High | Accurate |
| Marathon Endurance | Low | Accurate (I think, never did a marathon) |
| Achilles Tendon Ruptures | Low | Unknown |
| Anterior Cruciate Ligament Rupture | Low | Unknown |
| Marathon Personal Best Time | Low | Unknown |
| Effect of Two-years Training on Lower Leg Strength | High | Accurate |
| VO2 Max and Training | High | Unknown |
| Muscle Damage after an Ultra-Endurance Race | High | Unknown |
| Walking Pace | Low | Inaccurate |
| Athlete Status in Association Football | Low | Accurate |
Totals:
This gives us an accuracy rate of 72%.
According to Genomelink, the accuracy of their test results is dependent on a few different factors. These include:
Even though there are some things that could affect your test's accuracy, your results are still pretty reliable. Just keep in mind that your test results are mainly intended for entertainment purposes, and aren’t a substitute for advice from a licensed doctor, nutritionist, or personal trainer.
I found the majority of these to be accurate, and only a few to not be accurate. To be fair, Genomelink does just give you percentages, so they're not necessarily "wrong."
In addition to "Traits," Genomelink also has Reports. An overview of all of the reports are:
Most of these cost somewhere between $20-$35.
A sample report looks something like this:
I didn't have access to any of the other ones, but some of them look interesting, like Skincare advice or Fitness Advice.
Summary
If you're not feeling satisfied with the amount of information that 23andme and Ancestry have given you, Genomelink is a great resource to use. With them, you'll be able to find out more than just your ancestry or genetic traits.
With a strong privacy policy and an easy process for uploading your raw DNA data, Genomelink is a safe company to trust your data with.
The ancestry report covers how much of your genetic profile and DNA data is shared with your distant ancestors and goes back as far as 5,000 years. This includes 7 major groups, including first farmers, hunter-gatherers, steppe pastoralists, native Americans, West African, East Asian, and South Asian.
Just log into your account, navigate to the ‘Plans’ tab, and follow the instructions for canceling your account. Automatic billing should be stopped on the day of cancellation.
