“Food choices matter.” We’ve known that since we were kids. An apple a day…but more than keeping the doctor away, what about keeping yourself in shape for peak performance? With all of the fad diets and bad advice out there, it can be hard to know which foods or supplements are best for increasing your strength and keeping your body fit.
DNA testing to determine genetic factors for nutrition and fitness has taken a big leap forward over the past 10 years, not to mention DNA science as a whole. How your body responds to carbohydrates, fats and a lot of other things can now be predicted by looking at the genes in your DNA. Our genes influence how we metabolize fat, protein, carbohydrates, and how our body responds to different forms of exercise.
Depending on what these genes show, Fitgenetix makes recommendations, creates a meal plan, and delivers fresh organic meals based on that plan.
For example, your INSIG2 gene might show that milder forms of strength training are best for you, otherwise, you will accumulate extra fat. Or, that if your GC gene is low, you should incorporate more Vitamin D and eat more fish like trout, bass, and tuna. There’s even a gene, MTNR1B, a blood sugar gene, which is a receptor for melatonin and influences our circadian rhythms.
From high-intensity workouts to workout challenges, to ultra-marathons, there’s no limit to the extent some will go to push our bodies. For those, “nutrition for your genes” makes so much sense. Being in sync with what your body is asking for is no longer a gut sense.
High-end gyms have started offering DNA tests that target nutrition and fitness gene information so that you can make informed decisions about your diet and activities. Athletes serious about their fitness and what they put into their bodies now have the option to look deep into how their bodies will receive what they put into – and expect of – it.
Fitgenetix DNA test profiles and reports back on 128 genes. Learn more about how it works. Here are just a few:
| Gene | Effect of gene | Role of gene |
| GNPDA2 | Risk for being overweight | A gene involved in the development of excess body weight |
| APOE(1) | LDL cholesterol, HDL cholesterol | Protein essential for the breaking down of lipoproteins, rich in triglycerides |
| ALDH2 | Alcohol metabolism | Enzyme involved in the metabolic pathways of the breakdown of alcohol. It is responsible for an adequate alcohol metabolism. |
| INSIG2 | Strength training | Protein is present in the endoplasmic reticulum, where it regulates the processing of binding protein for the sterol regulatory element. |
| GC | Vitamin D | Binding and transport of Vitamin D and its metabolites through the body, and influencing the Vitamin D level. |
