CircleDNA Review: Is it Really the Most Comprehensive DNA Test?

As science keeps advancing, so does our understanding about how our own DNA can affect our wellness. Doing a comprehensive DNA test can give you the answers you've been looking for- and take out the guesswork (and paperwork) of multiple doctor visits.

CircleDNA's Premium DNA Test claims to be the most comprehensive DNA test around today. We tried it out- and you'll never guess what we found. Read on to discover our experience, and why we believe that CircleDNA lives up to its claims. 

Who Is CircleDNA?

CircleDNA was started with a simple mission in mind: “Prevention, not treatment,” as it’s written in CEO Danny Yeung’s little welcome note when you open your package. The Hong Kong-based firm made it their mission to not only give the most comprehensive analysis around but with better technology than other DNA companies could.

But let’s back up just a bit. Why did Danny even do this in the first place?

Years ago, he took a DNA test himself and found he was at risk for colorectal cancer. That set something off inside of him, he felt as if he just got a second chance at life. So he devoted himself to a life of healthy eating, fitness, and prevention. So, he thought, why not create a DNA test geared toward helping others focus on prevention over treatment as well?

With CircleDNA’s Whole Exome Sequencing technology, they are able to conduct a full scan on all your protein-coding genes, providing you with comprehensive and accurate results. So, as they put it, if traditional genotyping tech that other companies use only scan 700,000 data points, they are able to look at over 31,000,000.

The CircleDNA Process

The experience was simple and straightforward. You receive a very nice box and inside of it, a little welcome letter and bracelet with a charm that says “Change” on it. It’s that kind of personal touch that elevates a brand like CircleDNA.

The actual process of taking the test was so easy, it was over in less than a minute. As long as you haven’t drank water in the last 30 minutes, all you need to do is use their cotton swap and rub it against the inside of both cheeks 10 times each. Then insert the cotton swap (after breaking it off at the center) into a little tube with preservation liquid in it, put it in the sample bag, and safely put, and the small box the actual swab and tube came in, into the pre-address package. After you drop it off at your nearest FedEx, you wait.

Now, you’ll feel like you’re waiting for a while but most of that was just anticipation. After nearly a month, the results finally came.

It did take almost a month to get my results back, which left me in suspense the entire period. I was shocked at the depth of detail they provided. It felt very worth the wait and in some ways, it was a little overwhelming. But after a few deep breaths, I dove in. Now, while I will not share any personal information, I can say I was honestly relieved to know about some things at which I am possibly at risk and luckily, they are not serious at all. The depths at which they describe everything from certain cancer risks, risks for drug dependency to how we respond to pollutants like pesticide and emissions from cars and beyond.

I was also able to take advantage of the first of my two free consultations at the time of writing. They helped me understand some helpful tips on how to prevent some of these issues, be it holistic or a recommendation to ask my primary care provider, who I’m sure will be happy to see how proactive I’m being.

When it comes to the ancestry portion of the results, this is where CircleDNA has room to grow. Understandably, as explained by my Genetics Consultant, their DNA pool is considerably smaller than some of their ancestry genetics competitors. Where Circle excels in the health and wellness portion, my ancestral breakdown was not quite complete and in some ways, incorrect. That being said, if you use CircleDNA for your genetic blueprint (as opposed to ancestral origins), health and wellness analysis, early detection results, and more, you’ll be in great hands.