You Big Cave Man You!

I would probably prefer not to know when and from what I will die.

Prior knowledge of that fact is not what living and enjoying a full life is about.

Advances or, should it more realistically be, reductions in the cost of getting hold of your raw genetic data now means that what could bring about your demise can be notified to you through the post.

Under a typical marketing slogan of "What does your DNA say about you?"more than one company can, for a price and a sample of your saliva, deliver to you a raft of information on your overall health and susceptibility to 100 health conditions, your potential response to certain medications, character traits, lineage and find DNA relatives on a world wide basis.

The advantages, again heavily marketed are claimed to be the ability to plan for the future should you have a high risk of a debilitating or life threatening disease or illness, to stay one step ahead where possible and to engage in health care.

It is stressed that whilst there is a considerable volume of genetic data this is not interpreted nor is there the offer of a diagnosis.

Those paying for the service have reported receiving an impressive set of on-line information much of it confirming pre-existing health conditions and ancestral facts but also with a few surprises and even the ability to answer a few suspicions or giving clues to allow additional research on long lost family characteristics.

The DNA profiling of Maternal and Paternal lineages may reveal a genetic background from European stock, Asian, Aryan or from all corners of the globe and many recipients of the test results have reported African ancestry even if having no prior perception that this could be the case.

The potential for health problems is expressed as being the most important to those subscribing to this type of DNA report. Screening can indicate the risk factor of being afflicted by such conditions as Bloom Syndrome, Sickle Cell Anaemia and Tay Sachs Disease amongst, from one company,a total of 43 inherited conditions.

A possible response to drugs is equally important covering treatments for hypersensitivity, Hepatitis, and where commonly prescribed drugs such as Warfarin are used.

Genetic Risk Factors can give early warning for Alzheimers, Breast and Ovarian Cancers and Parkinsons amongst up to 11 offered by many companies.

Character Traits can be more of a novelty and up to 39 of these can be the subject of the raw data with a typical list being;

Alcohol Flush Reaction
Asparagus Metabolite Detection
Birth Weight
Bitter Taste Perception
Breast Morphology
Caffeine Consumption
Caffeine Metabolism
Childhood and Adolescent Growth
Cilantro (Coriander) Aversion
Earwax Type
Eye Color
Eye Color: Preliminary Research
Finger Length Ratio
Food Preference
Freckling
Hair Color
Hair Curl
Hair Curl: Preliminary Research
Hair Thickness
Height
Hypospadias
Iris Patterns
Lactose Intolerance
Male Pattern Baldness
Male Pattern Baldness: Preliminary Research
Measures of Obesity
Memory
Menarche
Menopause
Muscle Performance
Nearsightedness and Farsightedness
Norovirus Resistance
Odor Detection
Pain Sensitivity
Photic Sneeze Reflex
Response to Diet
Response to Exercise
Smoking Behavior
Tooth Development

Information is also provided on whether the individual has any DNA inheritance from Neanderthal Man. In my experience such a trait is more visually evident in some than with others and so an investment of around £125 would appear to be a waste of money.