Cover Your DNA test can offer insight to the information your genes carry, and what you do with that information may matter more than the strand itself (Photo: Getty Images)
Your DNA test can offer insight to the information your genes carry, and what you do with that information may matter more than the strand itself (Photo: Getty Images)
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Six high-achieving professionals share how genetic results shaped their health decisions. Their answers suggest that a DNA test offers one useful source of information, and that the habits they all rely on—regardless of their results—may surprise you
Longevity has acquired a glamorous vocabulary: hyperbaric oxygen therapy, peptides, NAD+. Across social media, biohacking offers an alluring proposition—not simply more years, but more energy, sharper thinking and greater control over how we age. Consumer research reflects the growing appetite for healthy ageing, while experimental treatments increasingly compete for attention. Popularity, however, is not proof.
Before adding another protocol to an already crowded calendar, I would suggest a less photogenic starting point: understanding your own health history.
Lanserhof’s longevity pyramid places “Genetic & Family History” beneath lifestyle, medical check-ups, therapy and longevity medicine. What appeals to me is the sequence: understand the foundations before reaching for the sophisticated interventions. That does not make a consumer DNA kit compulsory; genetic testing is one potential source of information, not a substitute for a clinical assessment.
I discovered how important that distinction is this summer.
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When green does not mean “all clear”
Above A DNA test can flag an elevated genetic risk, but it can also miss a condition unrelated to your genes (Photo: Getty Images)
A DNA test can flag an elevated genetic risk, but it can also miss a condition unrelated to your genes (Photo: Getty Images)
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As I shared in my previous article, I received an autoimmune diagnosis during my longevity retreat at Lanserhof, and the clinic’s team sent me back to an old DNA report. When I received the report, I wondered: Had it flagged autoimmune disease or rheumatoid arthritis? Had I overlooked something? But those relevant results were green. Instead, the elevated-risk flags concerned childhood ear infections, chronic periodontitis, duodenal ulcers, flu susceptibility and inflammatory skin disease. None reflected a condition I had experienced, touch wood. With no known family history of those conditions, I had made no changes.
Looking back, I had treated the report as something to read rather than something to discuss. But I also realised a reassuring result is not a guarantee. Consumer tests may examine only some relevant genetic variants, and disease risk also involves factors beyond genetics. Equally, an elevated risk is not a diagnosis.
That left me with a more interesting question than whether to test: what would make us act on what we learn?
To explore this, I spoke with six high-achieving professionals from diverse industries. For these leaders who juggle intense careers, family demands, and the constant pressure to perform, time is a luxury. Their approaches to genetic testing revealed fascinating insights into how high performers process risk, uncertainty and the ultimate pursuit of longevity.
Read more: Longevity’s most used words, decoded
The data-driven intuitionists
For some, a DNA test is simply another data point in a well-oiled machine of self-quantification. Andrey Berdichevskiy, a partner at the Boston Consulting Group (BCG), took his first DNA test back in 2016. As someone who has tracked his sleep and recovery on a wearable device for over 930 consecutive days, the test felt like a natural extension of his data-driven mindset.
Recently, his evolving DNA data flagged a new elevated risk for Type 2 diabetes. Did he act? Yes. “It reconfirmed for me the need to cut back on sugar—which is genuinely hard, as sweets run in my family—and eat more specific foods like broccoli to target visceral fat,” he explains. Yet, Berdichevskiy notes that the data doesn’t dictate his life; it quiets his mind. “The numbers inform, the intuition decides,” he says.
Similarly, Tim Schwartz, founding partner at Wholesome Capital, views DNA testing as the crucial first step before even looking at a blood panel. For Schwartz, the value lies entirely in actionability. “I don’t need 100% certainty, but I want to know if there’s something I can actually do about it,” he explains. Sometimes, he notes, the most profound lifestyle shift isn’t about adding a new wellness protocol, but knowing what to avoid.
The preventative pivoters
For others, a DNA test triggers an immediate, life-altering pivot. Maaike Steinebach, founder of FemTech Future, took a test out of pure curiosity, only to discover she carries the gene for Alzheimer’s.
“I went down a rabbit hole” she admits. Leveraging emerging research linking Alzheimer’s risk in women to midlife and menopause, Steinebach took decisive action. She started hormone replacement therapy (HRT) to help protect her brain, overhauled her diet and exercise routines, and strictly limited her alcohol intake. Interestingly, when she offered the test to her parents, who are in their late 70s, they declined, feeling it was too late to make meaningful changes. But for Steinebach, the early warning was a gift of time.
Your genes are not your destiny
Dr Sinead Sheridan, a clinical exercise physiology and kecturer at Chinese University Hong Kong recently took a test due to a strong family history of cardiovascular disease—the leading cause of death for women globally. While awaiting her results, she remains grounded in science. “Your genes are not your destiny,” she reminds us. Knowing that a healthy lifestyle can reduce genetic cardiovascular risk by 50 per cent, she is prepared to schedule more frequent health screenings or seek pharmacological treatment if her results come back positive.
The balanced pragmatists
Above No DNA result changes the basics: eat well, move your body and protect your sleep (Photo: Getty Images)
No DNA result changes the basics: eat well, move your body and protect your sleep (Photo: Getty Images)
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Then there are those who weigh genetic risks against the sheer joy of living. Peter Yu, an investment banking executive at JPMorgan Chase, is open to testing but views the results through the lens of probability.
“If you tell me it’s a 10 per cent probability, that’s one thing. If it’s more than 50 per cent, you have to take it really seriously,” Yu explains. While he would easily tweak his diet or exercise routine, giving up alcohol entirely would be a tougher pill to swallow. “Life is short, and you want to be able to enjoy it. You have to balance the risks with the rewards,” he shares. He would need a high-risk score or a doctor’s firm directive to make drastic sacrifices.
Celine Sciortina, Group VP of brand and marketing at FWD Insurance, offers a sobering reminder of the limitations of genetic testing. She took a DNA test after being diagnosed with breast cancer to see if her family carried a genetic risk. The results were negative, bringing immense relief for her children’s future. However, it also highlighted a crucial reality: because her cancer was not genetic, a DNA test taken years prior would never have detected it.
The foundation of the future self
Whether they use DNA to overhaul their lives, validate their intuition, or simply gain peace of mind, all six achievers agreed on one thing: the basics matter most. When asked what they already do for their future selves, regardless of what their genes say, their answers were strikingly unglamorous.
They don’t rely on hyperbaric chambers or exotic peptides. Instead their choices include eating well, exercising, surrounding themselves with positive energy and loved ones. And, increasingly, they protect their rest. As Dr Sheridan summarised, prioritising consistent sleep—going to bed and waking up at the same time every day—is one of the most powerful tools we have to reduce overall disease risk.
Before we look to the top of the longevity pyramid, we must secure the base. Knowing your DNA might just be the ultimate luxury, giving you the foresight to build a lifestyle that doesn’t just look good on social media, but actually keeps you alive, thriving and limitless.
Jessie Li is a public speaker, philanthropist and the founder of Lead with Balance.
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