Experts Question Reliability and Value of At-Home Health Self-Tests

While convenient, many self-tests lack scientific backing and may lead to unnecessary costs or delayed medical care.

The popularity of at-home health self-tests has surged, covering areas like microbiome analysis, hormone levels, and vitamin deficiencies.
Medical professionals warn that many of these tests provide unreliable results due to factors like timing, diet, and sample variability.
Tests such as microbiome analyses can cost hundreds to thousands of euros, often accompanied by expensive, unproven treatment recommendations.
Experts emphasize that interpreting health data requires medical expertise, as results like hormone or cholesterol levels depend on broader health contexts.
While some self-tests, such as ovulation kits, can be useful, others risk misleading consumers or delaying proper diagnosis and treatment.