Genetics

Now DNA testing could help you track down your Mr Right

Every couple experiences difficulties at some point, and it can be difficult to know whether your partner is the one for you.

Now there are DNA companies that are adding to this dilemma by offering couples to see whether they are compatible by comparing their genetic profiles.

This test also shows genetic compatibility between long-term partners.
Research has shown DNA affects our relationships and that we subconsciously seek out partners with ‘compatibility genes.’


It is based on the experiment where women would sniff the T-shirts worn by men for three days and then rate them for attractiveness.

The researchers analyzed a particular part of DNA which codes for HLA (human leukocyte antigen) molecules. They found out that women preferred T-shirts from men whose HLA molecules that were different than their own.

In this test, each couple takes a saliva swap from the inside of their cheek and send their samples back for analysis.
The test claims to measure the genetic compatibility between two individuals and make an ‘accurate prediction of the strength of their basis for a long-lasting and fulfilling romantic relationship.

Typically the tests cost around $150 (£102).

The one chosen was said to measure serotonin, dopamine, and oxytocin, which can be indicators of how people deal with stressful situations.

Attraction-based DNA was first studied in 1995 by Claus Wedekind.

The study is referred to as the ‘Sweaty T-Shirt Experiment,’ and the female participants involved were given t-shirts worn by men for several days.

None of the men were allowed to wear any scent that would mask their natural odor. The women were then asked to rate how ‘sexy’ they thought the t-shirts smelled, and the findings revealed a link between how good the shirts smelled to them and how dissimilar their immune DNA was to that of the man in question.

Nowadays, researchers believe what we refer to as ‘chemistry’ when we meet someone new is actually the body’s natural response to two immune systems connecting and recognizing that they fit well together because they are genetically dissimilar.

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The reason we look for this dissimilarity is not only because we are more likely to have a longer-lasting relationship with such a match but because a wider spread of genes means greater immunity to disease, so consequently, healthier children.

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