Genate Test Review: What It Tests, Price, Privacy, and Who It Suits

The Genate Test is a $299 at-home saliva test that, according to Genate, looks at more than 325 genetic markers tied to how your body handles folate, choline, B vitamins, and fatty acids, then turns them into prenatal nutrition suggestions.¹ It may interest people who want a detailed nutrigenetic report before or during pregnancy, but it does not diagnose anything, and it does not change CDC's advice to take 400 mcg of folic acid daily if you could become pregnant.¹²

We have not used the Genate Test. This is a researched overview built from Genate's own pages, checked on October 2, 2026, and public health sources.

Quick answer: who it suits and who can skip it

May suit you if: you are planning a pregnancy or are pregnant, you want a detailed report on nutrient-related genes beyond MTHFR, and you are comfortable paying out of pocket and storing genetic data with a private company.

You can probably skip it if: your main question is "Should I take folic acid?" The answer is already yes for anyone who could become pregnant, with or without a common MTHFR variant.²³ It is also not the right tool if a clinician needs a specific diagnostic genetic result, because MedlinePlus says direct-to-consumer results usually need confirmation through a healthcare provider before they guide care.⁴

What Genate is and how it works

Genate is made by SNP Therapeutics, which describes itself as a genetic testing company focused on precision nutrition for prenatal health.⁵ Genate lists its founder as Steven Zeisel, MD, PhD, founding director of the University of North Carolina's Nutrition Research Institute, and names a scientific advisory team that includes obstetrician-gynecologists and a maternal fetal medicine specialist.⁵

According to the product page, the process is:¹

1. Order the kit online.
2. Collect a saliva sample with the included kit and mail it back in the postage-paid box.
3. Receive your Genate Report through a secure, password-protected portal, in about 2 weeks.
4. Optionally add single-nutrient supplements or book a session with a Genate registered dietitian.

What's included and what it reports

Genate describes the summary score as a polygenic risk score for one-carbon metabolic efficiency.¹ That is the company's framing. The report is designed to guide diet and supplement choices, and Genate says the test does not provide medical advice or diagnose any medical condition.¹

Folate and MTHFR: how to read a Genate result

Genate's report includes MTHFR, so it is worth being clear about what an MTHFR result can and cannot mean.

• CDC says people with common MTHFR variants can process all forms of folate, including folic acid, and should not avoid folic acid on that basis.²
• People with the 677TT genotype average about 16% lower blood folate than 677CC at the same intake, but daily folic acid intake and duration matter more than the genotype.²
• CDC continues to recommend 400 mcg of folic acid daily for people who could become pregnant, even with a common variant, because folic acid is the form directly shown to prevent neural tube defects.²⁶
• A common variant alone is not proof that methylfolate is required.²

Genate's marketing mentions methylfolate among nutrients for fetal brain development.¹ Methylfolate is a real folate form, but formal DFE conversion factors for it have not been set, and it has not been shown to prevent neural tube defects the way folic acid has.⁷⁶ See methylfolate vs folic acid and our deeper guide to MTHFR and folic acid.

Pricing as listed (October 2026)

Privacy and data handling

Genate's product page says your report access "will not be shared with anyone," including SNP Therapeutics employees, healthcare providers, insurance companies, or law enforcement, without your consent or a court order.¹ The store privacy policy says Shopify, its store platform, does not have access to your genetic information, and that a separate genetic testing privacy policy is presented for review when you register the kit.⁹

The store policy we read did not describe sample retention, sample destruction, or data deletion steps, so read the genetic privacy policy at registration before you send a sample.⁹ MedlinePlus warns that genetic privacy can be compromised if a company sells or shares data, is breached, or changes ownership.¹⁰

Is Genate legit? What we could verify

"Legit" usually means three things: is the company real, is the lab accredited, and are the claims honest about limits. Here is what the published record shows.

• Company: Genate is a brand of SNP Therapeutics, which describes decades of academic clinical research experience in genetic testing and nutrition education.⁵
• People: the founder and advisory team are named, with university and clinical roles listed, including a maternal fetal medicine professor at the University of Colorado and an obstetrics and gynecology professor at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.⁵
• Lab: the product page shows a "CLIA/CAP Lab" badge, though the page we read did not name the specific laboratory.¹
• Limits: Genate states on its product page that the test does not provide medical advice or diagnose any medical condition, and tells customers to consult a healthcare provider about concerns.¹

What this does not tell you is whether acting on the report improves pregnancy outcomes for you. MedlinePlus notes that direct-to-consumer tests may look at only some of the variants involved in a trait, that most conditions also depend on lifestyle and environment, and that results usually need confirmation through a clinician.¹⁰⁴ For folate specifically, the evidence-based step does not depend on your genes: 400 mcg of folic acid daily if you could become pregnant.³²

Pros and cons (from published facts)

How Genate compares

• Plain MTHFR genotyping from lab services reports only C677T and A1298C, often for less money. See prices on our MTHFR test page.
• 23andMe+ Premium includes an MTHFR-related report among many others, on a yearly membership. Also on our MTHFR test page.
• A folate blood test measures your actual folate level rather than genes. See at-home and online folate and B12 tests.

Questions to ask your clinician

• Would any result from this test change my prenatal vitamin or folic acid dose?
• Do I have any history (such as a previous neural tube defect pregnancy) that calls for a different folic acid plan?³
• Should I check my folate or B12 levels with a blood test instead?
• If the report suggests extra supplements, could they push any nutrient above a safe upper limit?⁷

For choosing a prenatal, see our guide to the best prenatal vitamins and how much folic acid for pregnancy.

This article is for general education and is not medical advice. Doses and needs differ from person to person, so talk with your clinician or pharmacist about your situation. Read our editorial policy and medical disclaimer.