The Truth About 5Strands, A DNA Testing Company

Throughout the years, DNA testing has become a hot topic. More and more people want to find out more about their ancestors and their heritage. The topic has become so popular that people gained interest in finding out their dogs' or cats' DNA. Finding out from which breed their pets come from has never been easier. 

When looking at the various types of DNA testing available in the world, we can not help but wonder, how do we choose the right one? How do we know the company is legit?

Well, in this article, we will find out a little more about this and specifically look more into a company called 5Strands.

According to our online research, the 5Strands HQ is apparently situated in Atlanta, EEUU,  and was founded in 2018. The question is, how true is this? 

Services and Products Offered By 5strands, According To Their Website

Mammals test

According to 5Strands, they offer DNA tests for all mammals. This includes humans and animals, which is quite a wide range of services. This instantly created suspicion for us. To offer DNA testing for both humans and animals, the company would need quite a large database and a few of those, which is practically impossible.

There are multiple other options to choose from, companies that will focus only on humans or only on pets. An example of a testing company for pets would be Embark.

If you want the best possible information on your pet, there’s no question that Embark is your best bet. The Embark kit is created in partnership with Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine. With Embark, you will get information on your pet’s breed breakdown and information about their ancestors going back to their great-grandparents. 

Nutrigenomics - Is their approach honest?

Did you know that all humans are 99.9% genetically identical? How crazy is this? That was one of the fascinating conclusions drawn after the Human Genome Project, the international scientific effort to map all of the genes in the human genome. That is amazing, but scientists have found that within that remaining 0.01% is where our differences lay. A good example is that our bodies respond differently to foods. 

This is where Nutrigenomics DNA Tests come in. Nutrigenomics is a science-based approach to health and wellness that recognizes people's unique nutrient needs. Nutrigenomics is one of the core services of 5Strands, according to their website. They offer several different ways to test nutrition, from minerals and metals to food intolerances. 

This is just another sign that would make one wonder and a little suspicious. How many services can one company offer? 

If it were up to us to recommend the best company for nutrigenomics, we would choose Vitagene.

BlueGreen Algae - Not a genetic test?

This service can not really be seen as a genetic test. What it does is, detects certain threshold concentrations of hepatotoxins, a metabolite of cyanobacteria. Dogs are very prone to intoxication by this compound as they come into contact with stagnant water more often.

Environmental Intolerance - Not A Valid Allergy Detection Test

What does Environmental intolerance mean? Well, it means bio-resonance testing,  a method considered pseudo-scientific by the scientific community. It has been used as an alternative therapy, and never as a method for allergy detection in the past. 

If we have a clear overview of all the services offered by 5Strands, it is clear that they are misleading the consumer into thinking that they offer DNA testing services of a certain standard. None of these can be proven by experts, and it is our opinion that everything points to the fact that they may be fraudulent. Luckily, there are many companies to choose from when it comes to DNA testing, as we mentioned before.

The Different Methods To Take DNA Samples

DNA samples from humans and many other animals are often extracted from blood or skin cells. The easiest way to collect skin cells from humans is to brush the inside of the cheek with a cotton swab. This is called a buccal swab. “Buccal” is a term meaning cheek or mouth.

DNA samples from animals or plants can be extracted from small tissue samples. To do a proper DNA analysis, scientists require pure DNA which is located in cells. To get pure DNA, scientists must separate and remove unwanted materials like membranes and proteins first. 

Now, how do 5Strands do it? Well, another suspicious point about 5Strands that stood out for us, is their testing method. To do their DNA tests, you simply use a few hairs. 

There are many reviews online from customers who claim to have used synthetic teddy bear hairs, and they got the same results as with the pet hairs. Suspicious, right?

The Importance Of Great Customer Support

We all know how important customer support is. When a company is there for you, and you can reach their customer support team without any struggle, customers will come back. They will also recommend the company to more people.

Let's take a look at the customer support that 5Strands has to offer:

Well, according to their website, they have a totally useless FAQ page. They blatantly lie about how the test works. Let's think about this, they talk about the wavelength of the energy of each microbe and toxin, but this has nothing to do with DNA testing, intolerances, or health. Another point is that if you search the site for "DNA" you will find 0 results.

There is no other customer support available for 5Strands. This is definitely not a good sign.

The Importance Of Accuracy When It Comes To DNA Testing

Accuracy when it comes to DNA testing is important, and a company needs to be able to prove that their tests are as accurate as possible. When we look at 5Strands, the issue is somewhat more controversial because randomness may cause them to hit some accuracy.

However, the company blatantly lies about its accuracy, which makes this an extremely dangerous product for any user. If you have health problems looking for words of encouragement and they provide you with random results, your life could hang in the balance. Their supposed method has no guarantees or scientific backing. 

When we take all the points we mentioned into consideration, it might be a good idea to steer your interest in the direction of other DNA testing companies that provides more scientific backing. 

While 5Strands does look like a great DNA testing company. It is important to keep in mind that using their kits can be dangerous for the health of humans and animals. 

There are several other options to choose from that will give accurate results in a fast turnover time. When it comes to DNA testing for animals, we recommend looking at Embark. You will receive accurate DNA results about your dog. This way, your furry friend can live a long and healthy life.