Greek DNA Health And Ancestry

Interest in Greek DNA health and ancestry tracing is a growing trend. It is not a new phenomenon, as Greeks have been interested in their lineage and ancestry from ancient times. Ancient Greek kings and aristocrats traced their ancestry to mythological heroes as a way of legitimising their claim to a throne or to reinforce their Hellenic identity.

Health and ancestry through DNA testing however is a relatively new trend. DNA was first used in a criminal investigation by Dr. Jeffreys in 1986. In 2007, 23 and Me became the first company to begin offering at home DNA testing for ancestry. Ancestry launched their at home DNA test in America in 2012 and expanded to the UK, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand, and Canada in 2015.

Although at home DNA tests are predominantly used for ancestry purposes, most companies also offer a health component. Tracing DNA for health can give you a deeper understanding of your genetic health risks, to help you make informed health decisions and take precautions for you and your family.

How to Trace your Greek DNA Health & Ancestry

Tracing your DNA for health and ancestry purposes is very easy, all you need to do is choose a testing service, purchase their at home test kit. The DNA health and ancestry kit will be posted out to you and all you have to do is follow the steps on the kit to get your DNA tested.

The steps to complete a DNA kit will normally include:

Either spitting into a tube or taking a swap of the inside of your cheek.
Registering your kit and sample online with the service.
Sending the your DNA sample (the saliva in the tube) with the required details back to the service.
Waiting for an email with your results!

Our top 3 picks for health and ancestry DNA tests are:

Ancestry DNA Test – Ancestry is the largest and therefore most accurate DNA testing service with over 26 million tests conducted and can detect 80% or more of the known DNA differences linked to genetic medical conditions.
23 and Me DNA Test – 23 and Me claims its DNA reports to be 99% accurate and is a pioneer in the field.
My Heritage DNA Test – My Heritage has a large database of Greek Genealogy records and is also another large and trustworthy service, however doesn’t currently include a health component.

If you’d like additional resources for Greek genealogy records, see our recent article here.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) about Health & Ancestry DNA Testing

What does Ancestry Health include?

If you take the Ancestry Health DNA test, you will receive all the features of the Ancestry DNA test (ethnicity results), as well as health reports for selected conditions including: Cancer Risk, Heart and Blood Health, Carrier Status and Wellness.

Can you upgrade ancestry DNA to health?

Existing Ancestry DNA customers can upgrade to Ancestry Health (Core or Plus) for an additional fee (depending where you reside – $49 USD, $99 AUD).

Which is better Ancestry or 23 and Me?

It depends what your main objective is. With the largest database and most accurate ancestry results, Ancestry would be a better choice if your predominantly after ethnicity results and building your family tree.

For health purposes however, both Ancestry and 23 and Me are very competitive and both claim to have more accurate testing. Ancestry’s new NGS technology claims to detect up to 80% of DNA differences linked to medical conditions as oppose to 23 and Me’s microarray technology which can only detect 20% of differences. Unlike Ancestry though, 23 and Me has FDA approval as a risk screener for a handful of genetic conditions and diseases. For this reason, many pick 23 and Me over Ancestry for health testing.

Do siblings have the same DNA?

On average, siblings only share about 50% of the same DNA. This is because of how DNA is passed down and is true even for fraternal twins.

Greek Health Statistics & Genetic Risks

Thalassemia is the most common genetic medical condition in Greece. β-Thalassemia (β-thal) is common in approximately 8% of the population, while about 1.5% of Greeks are carriers of the HbS [β6(A3)Glu→Val] mutation, sickle cell disease (SCD). Some areas of Greece have a higher chance of each variation of Thalassemia. For instance, in Thessaly, Western Peloponnese, and Western Epirus 15–20% of the population are carriers of β-thal. Whereas in Boeotia, Western Peloponnese, and the Chalkidiki Peninsula – up to 20% of the population are carriers of HbS.

The second most common genetic medical condition in Greece is Cystic Fibrosis, with up to 5% of the population being carriers.

Other relatively common genetic medical conditions amongst Greeks include Huntington’s Disease (HD), Congenital Deafness, Familial Breast Cancer (BRCA1 & BRCA2), Muscular Dystrophy, and Sickle Cell Anaemia.

Are you looking to commence your Greek DNA health and ancestry journey?