Iain R. Konigsberg, PhD, a analysis teacher of biomedical informatics on the College of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, tells SELF that when you’ve got a excessive polygenic danger rating for a illness, then it’s extra-important so that you can lean into way of life selections that assist your well-being and deal with the chance elements related to that situation. Some analysis reveals that when folks know their polygenic danger, significantly once they have a excessive rating for a selected situation, it motivates them to make every day selections that prioritize their bodily and psychological well being (like not smoking, having common checkups and screenings, consuming heart-healthy meals, and exercising).²

There are a number of potential drawbacks to polygenic assessments. Discovering out you’re at a excessive danger of creating a illness might have a really actual psychological impact, says Dr. Konigsberg—it may be tough studying that you simply’re predisposed to a possible well being subject. And, based on Dr. Berger, this can be very true if there’s not a lot you are able to do to decrease your danger (as is the case with some illnesses, like Alzheimer’s) or be taught you’re in danger for a sort of most cancers that may require preventative surgical procedure (comparable to breast most cancers). “Generally, the outcomes can have an effect on one’s stress degree far more negatively than the potential good thing about the knowledge,” Dr. Berger says.

This half is admittedly essential to remember: Your polygenic danger rating isn’t an end-all, be-all oracle about your well being. It’s attainable you might have a excessive genetic danger of a situation, like atrial fibrillation, however by no means develop it.² There’s additionally an opportunity you might have a low polygenic danger rating for, say, coronary coronary heart illness, however develop it regardless as a consequence of different danger elements, says Dr. Konigsberg.

These assessments—and the analysis on them—have additionally largely been used and carried out on white folks, says Dr. Konigsberg.⁶ They won’t be as exact for nonwhite folks and will probably exacerbate well being disparities.²

So must you get a polygenic take a look at?

There aren’t well-established tips on precisely who ought to get a polygenic danger rating take a look at (though that can hopefully change into clearer within the coming years as analysis progresses, says Dr. Konigsberg). Some analysis means that these assessments could be significantly helpful for folks with a household historical past of sure well being situations with hereditary elements.⁷ In case you have a number of relations who’ve had a stroke or sudden cardiac arrest, for instance, you may wish to know for those who’ve inherited the genes that could be associated to that. However a danger rating will not be as revealing in somebody who has, say, one relative who out of the blue developed coronary heart illness at age 85, as a result of there simply won’t be a robust genetic side of their sickness, Leslie Lange, PhD, a professor of biomedicine on the College of Colorado Faculty of Public Well being, tells SELF.