DNA testing has become increasingly popular over the years, with one of the most prominent companies being DNAfit. DNA testing claims to assess your genetic makeup, ultimately helping users gain insights into their health and fitness that they wouldnt otherwise have. The company can then use this information to tailor a unique workout and diet plan specifically designed for your body.
DNAfit claims to provide some of the most comprehensive DNA testing available. The company also states that it can provide unrivaled insight into users diet, nutrition, fitness, and well-being. However, some of the health claims they make are unsupported by evidence, and theres little scientific evidence for DNA-based personalization. For these reasons, we dont recommend purchasing or using DNAfit kits.
Read on to discover what you need to know about this company and alternatives to consider.
DNAfit is a direct-to-consumer genetic testing company that provides DNA-based insights into diet, fitness, and wellness. The London-based company was founded in 2013 by Avi Lasarow to provide people with a simple way to understand how their genes affect their health and fitness.
The company offers three main products: Diet Fit, Heath Fit, and Circle Premium, with the latter being its most comprehensive option. Each kit provides everything you need to collect a DNA sample from home and send it to their state-of-the-art laboratory for analysis.
Once the results are ready, youll receive a personalized report with actionable insights and recommendations based on your unique genetic makeup.
The primary aim of DNAfit is to provide you with information you can use to improve your health and fitness.
The company offers three different tests, each with a different focus:
We evaluated DNAfit by looking at the companys medical claims and business standards.
Although the company doesnt make any disease claims, some of its health claims are unsupported by solid scientific evidence. For example, personalizing diet and fitness plans according to your genes doesnt correlate with the available evidence.
Likewise, claims that DNA testing results can help you effectively manage stress and sleep are largely unfounded.
In regards to business standards, DNAfit fared well. They have no Food and Drug Administration (FDA) warnings or third-party certifications. Additionally, the company has good privacy standards with SSL encryption and a valid security certificate.
DNAfit is owned by a parent company called Prenetics, which currently doesnt have a Better Business Bureau page. They do, however, have a 3.9-star rating from more than 4,500 reviewers on Trustpilot. Meanwhile, DNAfit has a 3.8-star rating on Trustpilot.
Diet Fit is the most basic of DNAfits offerings. It provides insights into your unique nutrigenetic profile, which is designed to help you understand how your body responds to various types of food and any sensitivities and intolerances you may have. According to the company, youll find out which foods you should eat more or less of to lose weight, maintain weight, or gain muscle with personalized dietary recommendations.
Youll also receive information on building your perfect meal according to how you respond to carbohydrates and fats. You can program the MealPlanner (a personalized meal planning service) with your aim, likes, and dislikes, and it generates a genetically guided recipe plan complete with a shopping list builder.
Health Fit further builds on the diet and nutrient insights from Diet Fit. Youll receive the same insights and have access to the personalized MealPlanner.
Where Health Fit differs is with its fitness response genetic markers. These markers include:
These insights allow you to discover how to optimize your workouts and guide your training choices.
Youll receive information on your stress and sleep profile to help you improve your mental and physical well-being.
Circle Premium is DNAfits most comprehensive offering. In addition to the information provided in Diet Fit and Health Fit, the Circle Premium report is said to assess your genetic risk of certain diseases like dementia, type II diabetes, irritable bowel syndrome, and others.
The aim is to help you better understand your health and take preventive measures like lifestyle changes, check-ups, or more frequent cancer screenings.
It includes over 350 reports covering:
For those thinking of starting a family, the reports provide information on any inherited conditions that could be passed down to future generations.
When you receive your DNAfit report, its important to keep in mind that its only one part of the picture. The results should be used as a guide and not as a certainty.
For example, if your report says you have a higher risk of developing type II diabetes, it doesnt mean youll definitely have the condition in the future. Likewise, a lower risk doesnt necessarily mean symptoms of the condition wont occur.
Remember that your DNA is just one factor in the development of disease. Other important considerations are your lifestyle choices, environment, and more.
The Diet Fit report is easy to understand and isnt too dense in information. It details how your genetics may affect the way you metabolize carbs and fats. It also outlines if you have the required needs for certain vitamins or nutrients.
There are sections for:
The meal planner feature allows you to input your food preferences and generates a genetically tailored meal plan.
The Health Fit report is similar to the Diet Fit report in terms of content and layout. However, it builds on the information with details on how your genes affect fitness levels and provides insights on optimizing your workouts.
It includes:
Theres also information on your stress and sleep profile. The results outline how you cope with stress and your tolerance levels. Youll also find out if youre a warrior or a strategist, which identifies how you process information and perform tasks while under stress.
The Circle Premium report is DNAfits most comprehensive offering. In addition to the information provided in Diet Fit and Health Fit, the Circle Premium report provides the following information:
Youll also discover your ancestry and information on various traits. These include success, behavioral, physical, personality, and gender so you can better understand yourself and your background.
DNAfit claims that they take users privacy very seriously. It was the first company of its kind to become certified by ISO 27001, a globally recognized framework for best practices on information storage and security.
Rather than by name, DNAfit stores your data by ID number and claims that they destroy your samples after use. Your data wont be shared with people outside the company, and DNAfit does not sell your information to third parties.
Here are some other brands that provide DNA testing services. These recommended alternatives have passed Healthlines medical and business standards.
Everlywell provides a convenient way of checking different health issues from allergies to STIs and food sensitivities. However, theres a lack of evidence to support the methods they use for testing food sensitivities. Experts feel that these tests can provide inaccurate and misleading information, so its important to take these results with discretion.
Overall, Everlywell has a solid reputation besides the criticism about their controversial food sensitivity testing. They also use Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments (CLIA)-certified laboratories, so youre sure of quality service and results.
Everlywell sells a wide range of at-home testing kits that cover:
Like Everlywell, myLAB Box offers a convenient way to test for STIs and other health conditions from the comfort of your home. In addition, they offer free shipping and results in as little as 2 to 5 days.
They offer sensitivity testing for 96 different foods, and they test for IgA, IgG, and IgG4. This might provide a better picture than relying on IgG alone. But, bear in mind that the test doesnt test for food allergies, as this requires IgE antibody testing.
Other home tests sold by myLAB Box include:
FoodMarble uses a type of breathalyzer that claims to help you figure out which foods cause digestive issues. The device is small and portable, so you that can take it with you on the go.
To use it, you simply breathe into the device after eating, and it tells you if the food is digesting properly. The device measures hydrogen levels in your breath, and together with the app, it provides accurate information.
FoodMarble sells two breathalyzers:
If you still decide that youd like to try out DNAfits at-home DNA test kits, there are a few things to keep in mind before purchasing.
You should first talk to your doctor, who can more accurately assess your medical, health, and family history. They might be able to provide personalized suggestions based on your diet and fitness patterns, especially if youre looking to lose weight. They may also be able to provide some insights by talking through factors like stress, sleep, and your general well-being.
Your doctor may also be able to suggest lab or food sensitivity tests that can provide information regarding food intolerances and your risk of certain diseases like diabetes.
The brand passed our business vetting standards, meaning its a reputable company without any FDA or Federal Trade Commission (FTC) warnings against them. There also havent been any lawsuits filed.
DNAfit does not yet have a Better Business Bureau page, and its products do not appear on Amazon.
However, it has a Trustpilot page that scores DNAfit 3.9 out of 5 stars with more than 2,500 reviews. Although the reviews are good overall, some customers were unimpressed. They claim that the information provided is very basic and vague.
Users also reported problems with accessing the app and poor customer service.
In short, probably not. No scientific evidence supports claims that these tests can help you lose weight or improve your fitness.
A 2018 study found that DNA testing couldnt help guide people to a specific weight loss regimen that was more likely to be successful. Although many companies claim these effects, it seems there is no difference in weight loss between people following diets that allegedly match their genotype compared to those on standard diets.
The services offered by DNAfit are not inexpensive, starting at around $150 for Diet Fit. However, there is little scientific evidence underpinning their value, so its unlikely that DNAfit is worth the money.
That said, many of the reviews on Trustpilot are positive, with some people stating they would happily recommend DNAfit. So, it comes down to personal choice and budget as to whether DNAfit is worth it to you.
DNAfit states that their at-home DNA tests are accurate, but its tricky to find specific figures. However, they claim to regularly spot-check their labs to ensure they test samples correctly and provide results that are 100% accurate.
Currently, the FDA has only approved 23andMe for some of their at-home DNA tests. Overall, the industry is not regulated and has no independent analysis to verify the sellers claims, so you should still use caution when purchasing a test.
However, generally, DNA testing is a safe procedure. Most kits require a cheek swab or saliva sample, so there are essentially no associated risks. But, when samples are self-collected at home, theres an increased risk of contamination and inaccuracies.
DNAfit is a direct-to-consumer DNA testing company that offers several different tests, including Diet Fit, Health Fit, and Circle Premium.
The company has a good reputation, with few complaints from customers. However, the scientific evidence underpinning the value of their tests is lacking, and there are health claims unsupported by evidence.
Overall, its unclear whether DNAfit is worth the money, and we dont recommend purchasing or using the service for these reasons.
Zia Sherrell is a health copywriter and digital health journalist with over a decade of experience covering diverse topics from public health to medical cannabis, nutrition, and biomedical science. Her mission is to empower and educate people by bringing health matters to life with engaging, evidence-based writing.
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DNAfit Review: What It Can and Can't Tell You - Healthline
