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My cousin in Des Moines got a gene test for lactose intolerance and it was wrong
He paid for one of those direct-to-consumer kits, the kind that says it checks for the MCM6 gene variant linked to lactose persistence. The results said he should be fine, but he still gets sick every time he has real milk or ice cream. It made me wonder, how accurate are these tests for complex traits that involve more than one gene? Has anyone else had a genetic test come back with a result that just didn't match reality?
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the_betty7mo ago
Wait, he paid for that? Those kits are a total gamble for something like digestion. They only look for the most common gene markers, not the whole picture. Your body can have other issues that stop you from digesting lactose, things a simple spit test would never find. I'd trust getting sick from a bowl of ice cream way more than a report from some lab.
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the_rose7mo ago
The MCM6 variant is only one piece of the lactose puzzle. Those direct to consumer tests often miss other genes that affect digestion, like LCT. They also can't test for non genetic factors, like a simple gut bacteria change after taking antibiotics. Your cousin's reality is the real test, and it sounds like the kit failed.
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