Discover Yourself Inside and Out with Living DNA: An Honest Review
Hey there, it‘s your favorite fashionista and lifestyle guru back with another hot take! Today we‘re getting up close and personal with a DNA testing company that‘s making waves across the pond and beyond. That‘s right, I‘m talking about Living DNA.
What Exactly Is Living DNA?
Living DNA is a UK-based DNA testing service that launched in 2016. Its mission is to help people all over the world "live better with the knowledge of their DNA." Sounds intriguing, right?
Basically, Living DNA offers at-home DNA test kits that provide super detailed insights about your ancestry, family history, and genetic wellbeing traits. All you do is order a kit online, swab the inside of your cheek, send it to their lab, and voila! In a few weeks, you‘ll get an interactive dashboard full of info about what makes you uniquely you.
Living DNA is great for anyone who:
- Is curious about their ethnic background and family origins
- Wants personalized diet, fitness, and lifestyle advice based on their DNA
- Cares about keeping their genetic info totally private and secure
In my opinion, unlocking your DNA is the ultimate form of self-knowledge and self-care. It‘s like getting a VIP peek behind the scenes of your own body and story. And Living DNA is one of the best ways to do it.
How Does Living DNA Stack Up?
I know what you‘re thinking: aren‘t there other DNA tests out there? Why should I choose Living DNA? Great questions!
It‘s true, the DNA testing industry has blown up in the last few years. You‘ve got big brands like 23andMe and Ancestry, plus newer competitors popping up all the time. As a savvy consumer, it‘s important to understand what sets Living DNA apart.
First and foremost, Living DNA is known for its incredibly detailed and accurate ancestry reports. It breaks down your heritage across 150+ global regions, which is more than any other test I‘ve seen. You get an interactive map showing your ancestral roots across 80 subregions in Europe, 48 in Asia, 30 in the Americas and Oceania, and 13 in Africa.
To put that in perspective, 23andMe only has 45 ancestry regions and Ancestry has only 350+ regions total. Living DNA zooms way in on exactly where your ancestors were from.
Plus, Living DNA compares your DNA sample against a reference database of over 10,000 individual samples collected from around the globe. According to the International Society of Genetic Geneology (ISOGG), the larger and more diverse a company‘s DNA database, the more reliable the test results. Living DNA definitely delivers on that front.
Another major selling point is Living DNA‘s commitment to privacy. Your DNA info is extremely personal and sensitive. The last thing you want is some company sharing or selling it without your consent!
Living DNA operates under the UK‘s strict General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), which is like the gold standard of data privacy laws. The company promises to never share your genetic info with third parties unless required by law or with your explicit permission. Your DNA and data are encrypted, anonymized and guarded 24/7.
In contrast, other DNA testing companies (cough 23andMe cough) have faced criticism and even lawsuits for their loosey-goosey privacy policies. Read the fine print and you‘ll often find clauses that let them sell your anonymized DNA to drug companies, researchers, or advertisers. No thanks!
Privacy matters, people. And Living DNA gets that.
Finally, I have to rave about the cool bonus features Living DNA offers. First, it lets you download your raw DNA data so you can analyze it with third-party tools or upload it to other databases. Most companies charge a fee for this or don‘t allow it at all.
Second, Living DNA has a nifty family tree tool that lets you trace your ancestors and connect with living relatives. It‘s not as robust as Ancestry‘s tree builder yet but still really fun to play around with.
And third, the company recently launched a membership program called Living DNA+. For around $8/month, you get exclusive features like lifetime DNA data storage, early access to new wellbeing reports, and one-on-one results consultations with genetics experts.
The wellbeing reports are the real gem. They analyze genes related to things like nutrition, fitness, skin health, and sleep to give you personalized lifestyle guidance rooted in your biology. For example, the Vitamin Response Report will tell you if you‘re genetically prone to Vitamin D deficiency so you know to supplement or get some extra sun. Cool, right?
Overall, Living DNA is the perfect mix of comprehensiveness, reliability, privacy and perks. It‘s not the cheapest test out there, but you definitely get what you pay for. In my book, the insights are priceless.
Unboxing My Living DNA Experience
Alright, storytime! I know this review would be prettyboring without a juicy first-hand account. So let me take you behind the scenes of my own Living DNA journey.
The first thing that impressed me was how sleek and stylish the Living DNA kit was. I‘ve tried a few other brands before and their packaging was either clinical and boring or weirdly infantilizing. Living DNA‘s box was modern, smart and dare I say…sexy? It definitely looked like something a Bond girl would pull out of her Louis Vuitton weekender.
The kit came with super simple instructions, a return mailer and two swabs for collecting my DNA sample. The whole process took maaaaybe five minutes. Swab, seal, send. Done and done.
Here comes the hardest part: waiting! Living DNA estimates that results take 6-8 weeks to process. In my experience, I got an email notification right on the 8-week mark.
Logging into my account, I was seriously blown away by the detail and design of the dashboard. It was so intuitive to navigate and really fun to explore. The ancestry map was probably my favorite feature. Seeing exactly where in the world my DNA is from was equal parts humbling and thrilling.
According to Living DNA, my genetic heritage breaks down like this:
| Region | Percentage |
|---|---|
| Great Britain and Ireland | 39.2% |
| Europe North and West | 36.1% |
| Europe South | 18.4% |
| Middle East | 6.3% |
As someone who grew up thinking I was a basic English/Irish/Scottish blend, those Middle Eastern roots were certainly an intriguing surprise! Apparently I should swap my guinness for some shawarma, ha!
The wellbeing reports were also totally engrossing. I learned that I have genes associated with slow caffeine metabolism (explains why coffee makes me so jittery), higher risk of Vitamin B12 deficiency (no wonder I‘m a vegetarian) and elite endurance athleticism (maybe I should sign up for that marathon after all).
Just like any good personality quiz, each insight came with a new appreciation for what makes me me. But rather than being based on random questions, it was all rooted in real science.
Now don‘t get me wrong, I‘m no geneticist. And I take these test results with a healthy grain of (Himalayan sea) salt. DNA is not destiny, and wellbeing is so much more than a smattering of genetic variants.
But I can honestly say that my Living DNA test gave me some eye-opening info and inspiration. It armed me with personalized data points to help optimize my health and happiness. It connected me with my ancestral story in a tangible, tactical way. It was like getting a roadmap to my own self-discovery.
Should You Let Living DNA Decode You?
Congrats, you made it to the end of this marathon review! Your prize is my honest, unfiltered opinion on whether Living DNA is worth your time and dime. Drumroll, please…
In my experience, Living DNA is the cream of the at-home DNA testing crop. It offers unparalleled granularity and accuracy on both ancestry/lineage and genetic wellbeing traits. It empowers you with next-level insights about where you come from and how to live your best life. And it does it all with industry-leading privacy practices that truly put the customer first.
Look, I get that forking over a benjy and change for a glorified spit kit can feel a bit extra. These tests certainly aren‘t essential for everyone. If all you want is a basic breakdown of your ethnic background or to maybe find a long lost cousin, there are definitely cheaper options out there.
But if you‘re genuinely curious about the secrets hiding in your double helix, Living DNA is so worth the investment. It‘s one of the most comprehensive, reliable and secure tests on the market. You‘re getting white glove service and MacArthur Genius Grant-level science in the comfort of your own bathroom.
Plus, can we talk about what a fabulous gift idea this is? I ended up ordering kits for my mom, bestie and even my dog-walker. Because is there any greater luxury than the gift of self-knowledge? I think not!
But don‘t just take my word for it. The proof of Living DNA‘s excellence is in the genetic pudding. Over 63,000 customers have taken the company‘s tests, and it holds an average 4.1/5 star rating across 1,400 online reviews. Trustpilot, the 3rd party review site, gives Living DNA a 7.9/10 ‘Great‘ rating. When people know themselves better, they tend to shout it from the rooftops.
In fact, Living DNA is so confident you‘ll be wowed by your results, they offer a 14-day money-back guarantee. On the off chance you‘re unsatisfied, just contact the lovely UK-based customer service team and they‘ll sort you out. Brilliant!
The only ‘drawback‘ I can think of is the slight learning curve to exploring your results. Living DNA provides so much data that it can be a tad overwhelming at first. The good news is there are tons of resources (articles, videos, webinars etc) to help you interpret your reports. And if you spring for Living DNA+, you can pick the brain of a legit geneticist.
Also, while the company advertises a 6-8 week turnaround time on results, it‘s really more like 6-10 weeks. If you need your DNA deets for a specific deadline (family reunion?), order well in advance. Genius takes time!
But honestly, those are baby carrots in the grand garden of genetic discovery. I can‘t recommend Living DNA enough for anyone who wants to explore the biology behind their biography. It‘s truly a product and brand I believe in.
Ready to Go on a DNA Odyssey?
Well, my friend, there you have it. The most extra, in-depth, no-holds-barred review of Living DNA on the internet. Who knew spit could be so scintillating?
At the end of the day, the choice to DNA test is deeply personal. Maybe you‘re trying to solve a family mystery. Maybe you‘re looking for a reason to revamp your lifestyle. Maybe you just think genetics are groovy. Whatever led you here, I hope this review has armed you with all the deets you need to make an informed decision.
As for me, I‘m officially a Living DNA evangelist. Taking this test didn‘t just give me a bunch of neat factoids to whip out at dinner parties (though it definitely did that). It fundamentally changed the way I understand myself and my place in the human story. It gave me a science-backed roadmap to owning my destiny while honoring my roots.
Yes, that sounds dramatic. No, I‘m not getting paid to say this. I simply had to share my experience because I know it could be profound for so many people. We‘re all on this wild ride of life, trying to figure out who we are and why we‘re here. Living DNA is like a cheat code to those existential questions.
So if you‘re even a little bit curious about the secrets swirling in your cells, I say go for it. Swab that cheek. Read those reports. Fall down the rabbit hole of self-discovery. The most exhilarating journeys are the ones that bring us closer to ourselves.
And who knows? Maybe someday our DNA results will cross paths in Living DNA‘s database and we‘ll find out we‘re cosmic cousins. Stranger things have happened!
Until then, stay curious and stay fabulous. And maybe buy your dog-walker a DNA kit. Trust me, it‘s a game-changer.
