W ELLENESS
A FEW MONTHS AGO, I swabbed the inside of
my cheek, put the swab in a prepaid envelope and
mailed it off to myDNA, a genetics company in
Melbourne. There, a team extracted and analysed
my genes to answer a pressing question: how can
I make exercise more effective?
Direct-to-consumer genetic testing companies,
like myDNA or the popular 23andMe, are
undeniably enticing to people who seek birth
relatives or are simply curious about where their
ancestors came from. But it’s not just family
connection that these tests have on offer — it’s also
medical detection. Are you built for long-distance
running? Do your muscles struggle with recovery?
Most consumer tests currently on the market work by
looking at some of the specific variants in genes that
can indicate risks for disease or fitness capabilities.
The keyword here is “some” — it’s now well
established in the scientific community that most traits
are not the result of one gene but thousands, says
Dr Guillaume Paré, director of the genetic and
molecular epidemiology laboratory at Canada’s
McMaster University. “Testing only one gene, even
if this gene is indeed linked to a trait, is therefore
missing the whole story,” he cautions. It’s one reason
an international group of geneticists published
a statement in a 2015 edition of the British Journal
Of Sports Medicine cautioning against the use of
DNA testing for predicting fitness potential.
Nevertheless, the test is still appealing to me, even
if it’s not entirely predictive of my abilities. As an Apple
Watch-wearing, food-diary-app-using millennial,
I viewed it as another way to quantify my physical
health. And if something in my genetic makeup could
potentially make it easier for me to obtain the toned
arms of Jennifer Aniston, I wanted to know.
myDNA isolates seven genes that have the most
scientific research behind them relating to their effects
on muscle power, strength, endurance and flexibility.
Your personal genotype — how these genes are
expressed — is then assessed to predict your stamina,
injury risk and recovery time. Turns out I’m average
for stamina and at a high risk for injury, but I have
a faster-than-average recovery time. My results also
come with a customised fitness plan, which I take to
my trainer. Turns out, I need to start with an extra long
warm-up thanks to my Interleukin 6 gene, responsible
for muscle recovery. My ACTN3 gene, which
produces a protein that improves muscle power, is
surprisingly well expressed, and I power through
single-arm snatches and rows, but when I’m asked to
do sprints on the Technogym Skillmill — a sleek self-
propelled treadmill — I baulk. It’s my PPARGC1A gene,
I explain. My aerobic fitness isn’t naturally high.
Between complaints, I begin to wonder: is my
genetic makeup an excuse for how I perform? Or
can I use my new knowledge to make the most of
what I have — or even change my genetic blueprint?
Healthy habits can offset genetic risks, says Paré.
“Where we need more research is how to tailor
habits to best fit our genetic profile.” I leave my
workout exhausted, but when my trainer calls to
check in the next day, I realise I’m sore but not painfully
so. The extra stretching helped — and that’s a start. ETHINGS TO KNOW BEFORE
SENDING OFF YOUR DNA
Unfortunately, there’s a lack of regulation
in Australia to protect genetic testing
consumers. Life insurance companies can
make decisions based on the results of these
tests (which you’re obligated to disclose), and
there are still questions surrounding the privacy
of your data. Still keen? Make sure to ask:
where is my DNA being stored? How will my
identity be protected? Can I request that
my data be destroyed at any time?161
FITNESS
IS THE SECRET TO
MORE EFFECTIVE
WORKOUTS IN
OUR DNA?BY VICTORIA DIPLACIDOBODY
OF WORK