CRI Genetics review 2022

Cellular Research Institute (CRI) Genetics is a company that provides ancestry, genetic, and DNA testing. It offers different test packages that may indicate a person’s history, health, or traits.
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This article explores the CRI Genetics brand, its tests, certifications, and some customer reviews. It also looks at the potential costs and some advantages and disadvantages.
What is CRI Genetics?
CRI Genetics offers DNA and ancestry analysis. Individuals provide their DNA samples, and the company runs tests to determine their traits, health, nutrition, and allergies.
It also offers continuous customer support to answer any questions before, during, and after the test. The service comes with an 8-week money-back guarantee.
When a person orders one of the test packages, they receive a DNA sample collection kit within 5 days. The kit contains instructions on collecting a saliva swab and mailing it back in a prepaid package.
An individual’s results become available via their online account approximately 8 weeks later.
Pros and cons
Some of the advantages and disadvantages of CRI Genetics include:
CRI Genetics
Delivery guarantee: The company promises to deliver genetic reports in under 8 weeks after receiving an individual’s DNA sample. If it does not deliver in this time frame, CRI Genetics promises a full refund.
Privacy: CRI Genetics states that personal and DNA information is under strict protection. The samples and results do not hold any personal identification, and an individual can instruct the company to delete and destroy all of their information.
Certification: The ancestry testing methods feature Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments (CLIA) certification. This means its results come from clinical research-quality methods.
Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments (CLIA)
Cost: The standard nondiscounted test price can reach up to around $200.
Accuracy: The company received mixed reviews on TrustPilot. Most average and negative reviews said that the reports do not contain enough detail and are inaccurate.
TrustPilot
Claims: The CRI Genetics website lists the different reports people can access. However, it does not provide supporting evidence to the reasoning behind its analysis and calculations.
Who might use CRI Genetics?
According to a 2021 study, more than 26 million people worldwide have undergone genetic ancestry testing.
2021 study
Many individuals undergo these tests to better understand their genealogical ancestry. For example, those who suspect their ancestors originated from another part of the world may take a test to learn more about their history.
Others prefer to use these tests to learn something more recent about themselves. This includes finding fourth or fifth cousins or helping them make decisions about their health.
Do the tests work?
A 2020 study states that while genetic ancestry testing can provide insights into a person’s history and inherited conditions, it could have limited accuracy. This is because of the mixing of migrations and populations over time.
2020 study
The study also indicates that there are no guidelines regarding ancestry testing, so the measurement of ancestry and any health conclusions are subject to error. In addition, any associations between ancestry and disease may be indirect.
This indicates that scientists need to conduct more research before individuals can be confident about ancestry reports that claim decisive health risks.
Additionally, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) warns that not all genetic tests go through its review process. It states that different companies use different variants and calculations, which can significantly impact any results and conclusions from these tests. These companies may also not provide any proof relating to health and genetic claims.
Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
Brand reputation and reviews
There is no indication that tests from CRI Genetics have approval from the FDA.
On TrustPilot, the company has a 4.3-star rating out of 5. Negative reviews mostly focused on issues with cost, accuracy, report detail, and customer support. However, positive reviews mentioned how easy it was to take and send DNA samples and praised its ethnic accuracy and quick results.
TrustPilot
The company has a B rating on Better Business Bureau (BBB) and 678 customer complaints. These mostly detailed feelings of false advertising, with reviews stating that the company asked them to pay more for detailed reporting once they received their paid reports.
Better Business Bureau (BBB)
What third-party certifications does it have?
The testing methods of CRI Genetics have CLIA certification.
According to the FDA, this certification is mandatory and regulates laboratory testing before they can accept human samples for diagnostic testing.
FDA
What are the different types of reports a person may receive?
Depending on the test package a customer orders, they may receive results from over 120 different tests within six different categories.
These include reports about recent and ancient ancestry and a 1,000-year timeline for the family history. They even detail any relations an individual may have with well-known people from the past.
This category’s reports include the ancestry analysis report and the haplo report.
The ancestry analysis report provides information about an individual’s family history from the last five generations or more. It also can indicate the origin countries and regions of a person’s ancestors.
The haplo report offers a more decisive answer to the male or female ancestry lines. It uses ancestry data from 10,500–18,000 years ago to link a person directly to an ancestral Mitochondrial Eve. According to the Library of Congress, this is the last female ancestor who started the individual’s family tree.
Library of Congress
This type of report provides information on different health areas, including:
caffeine metabolism
caffeine
ability to taste umami flavors
whether consuming alcohol can lead to flushing
flushing
Another is a bitter taste report, which may indicate an individual’s sensitivity to bitter tastes. CRI Genetics suggests that those unable to taste bitterness may consume fattier foods.
People with diabetes or a family history of diabetes may also find the triglycerides report interesting. CRI Genetics says that while this report is not a diagnosis, it can indicate a genetic susceptibility to high levels of triglycerides, a type of fat within the blood.
diabetes
triglycerides
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), a high amount of triglycerides may have links to obesity, diabetes, and cardiovascular issues.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
This set of reports indicates an individual’s tendency to specific allergies, including eggs, dogs, and peanuts.
One report also tests for the probability of lactose intolerance.
lactose intolerance
According to the company, if one of an individual’s birth parents can consume lactose properly, then that individual can digest milk and dairy products without issues. On the other hand, if a person has the lactose intolerance gene from both parents, it may be that they cannot digest milk or dairy.
By analyzing these genes from the DNA data, the test evaluation process can identify the likelihood of an individual being or becoming lactose intolerant.
This analysis looks at different genes to provide information about a person’s fat storage, exercise weight, and more.
For example, CRI Genetics says that it can analyze a specific gene that is part of chromosome 16. This gene can indicate whether a person is likely to have low or high food cravings, but not how they will react to them. It also says that an individual can have high food cravings but still be healthy.
These include reports on:
vitamin C
vitamin D
iron deficiency
zinc deficiency
A 2017 review suggests a link between DNA and vitamin D in the bloodstream. It suggests that vitamin D deficiency can result from a genetic DNA mutation.
2017 review
Another example is thalassemia. According to the CDC, this is a genetic blood disorder where the body does not make enough of the hemoglobin protein. The lack of this protein means that the body’s red blood cells do not function properly.
thalassemia
CDC
The company states that its DNA analysis can also produce reports that can identify the likelihood of certain traits, including:
earwax production
the ability to smell sulfur byproducts in urine, which occur, for example, after eating asparagus
sun sensitivity
red hair color
These reports may help identify a person’s risk of conditions or diseases due to genetic inheritance.
For example, the National Cancer Institute (NCI) suggests there is a link between genetic mutations and the likelihood of skin sensitivity and more than 100 types of tumors.
National Cancer Institute (NCI)
Individuals who learn about these risks can take preventive measures to reduce their likelihood of hereditary skin cancers, including avoiding sun exposure and using isotretinoin, a common treatment for acne.
How much do the tests cost, and are there any options to use insurance?
CRI Genetics offers five different tests. These are:
Ancestry + Traits: Includes biographical ancestry reports, a heritage breakdown, and an ancestry timeline report. It costs around $100.
Ancestry + Traits
Health + Ancestry: An upgrade of the Ancestry report, it features over 120 health reports, including caffeine levels, sleep conditions, metabolism, nutrition, and allergies. It costs around $200.
Health + Ancestry
Allergy + Health: This provides all allergy, health, and weight loss reports. It is available for around $200.
Allergy + Health
Weight Loss: This includes all weight loss reports and a diet plan. It also provides a DNA blueprint to help individuals learn more about their bodies. It costs around $100.
Weight Loss
Weight Loss + Health: This contains over 120 health reports and actionable guidelines for maintaining a moderate weight. It also provides genetic information, allergy, and trait reports. It retails for around $200.
Weight Loss + Health
The company states that most insurance providers do not cover these genetic tests.
Summary
CRI Genetics has many DNA and ancestry test packages that can give an indication of a person’s history and tendencies.
The benefit of these reports largely depends on the information an individual needs. However, the company strongly suggests that its data should only help a person learn more about themselves to make better decisions and understand their ancestry.
There is a lack of public scientific evidence to back the company’s claims, and individuals should be aware that many factors may lead to health conditions or predispositions. Furthermore, the FDA warns that there is no specific guarantee on the accuracy of genetic tests.
FDA