Cold sores and forensic genealogy
New article on cold sores, and my thoughts on genetic data, privacy, and forensics
Hi there,
Recently, I was chatting with someone who commented that they didn't want the FBI looking at their genes on 23andMe... The context was regarding the murdered college students in Idaho and how forensic genealogy was used to find the accused perpetrator.
I think it is a common misconception that law enforcement is using AncestryDNA, 23andMe, etc. for finding suspects. They can't do that without a warrant that is specific to an individual account.[ref]
Instead, law enforcement uses public DNA genealogy sites where people have freely uploaded their genetic data for everyone to see. For example, over 1.4 million people have uploaded their raw data files and family trees to GEDmatch. Law enforcement doesn't need to use private data when people have publically posted their genes. (Here's more on why the police can search this data freely.)
Forensic genealogy is a rapidly growing field, with college courses offered and companies that specialize in doing it. Additionally, there are companies that specialize in creating a likeness of someone from a DNA sample to give law enforcement an idea of what a suspect may look like.
This is a good reminder that genetic data can reveal a lot of information about you and about your family.
Be smart on where you upload your data! There are companies out there asking you to 'upload your data for a free report on X', with a goal of capturing your genetic data.
I designed the Genetic Lifehacks reports to connect to your data locally on your hard drive, which means I can't see or store member genetic data. (The exception is if you order the Top 5 report and cheat sheet from me and upload your data -- but I store that data securely offline and then delete it after a few weeks!)
Gratefully yours,
Debbie Moon
Member requested article:
Are Cold Sores Genetic? Who gets them and why
Key takeaways:
~ Cold sores are caused by the herpes simplex virus (HSV).
~ Less than half of people with HSV will get cold sores from the virus.
~ Genetics plays a role in who will get cold sores, and environmental factors can trigger the occurrence.
Chronic Lyme: Genetic Susceptibility
Lyme disease affects almost 500,000 people a year in the US. While initially only in the Northeast and upper Midwest, ticks carrying Lyme disease are now found in almost all states.
Genetic variants are part of why Lyme disease affects people differently. Genes also play a role in how well antibiotics work to cure Lyme. In this article, I’ll explain how genes interact with chronic Lyme and possible solutions.
What I’ve been reading this week:
1 The artificial sweetener erythritol and cardiovascular event risk
This study from the Cleveland Clinic found that higher circulating levels of "multiple polyol sweeteners, especially erythritol" were linked to an almost doubled risk of heart attacks and strokes. The researchers then look at why this could be... They found that higher erythritol levels cause increased platelet reactivity and clot formation.
Erythritol is commonly used as an alternative sweetener. It is part of Splenda Stevia and monk fruit blends, and it is used in some diet beverages (e.g. Vitamin Water Zero, Blue Sky zero sugar, etc)
2. The sigh from the physiological perspective
Breathing is something that we don't think about a lot, but optimizing breathing can be pretty powerful (think yoga breathing, Wim Hof). Sighing is a natural part of breathing, and we naturally sigh every few minutes. The overview article linked above explores the changes in brain state from sighing.
In the brain, there is a complex interaction between CO2 and O2 levels, and altered levels can lead to anxiety and panic. Some people are genetically more sensitive to panic and anxiety with high CO2 levels. Sighing - or inhaling a couple of times and then sighing - may be something to have in your arsenal if you are prone to anxiety.
You can check your genes related to CO2 and anxiety here (towards the end of the Genotype report section).