Professionals in Sport

Optimum performance is in every athlete’s body, just waiting to be discovered. The smartDNA Genomic Wellness Test offers insight in tailored methods for building the body-specific power that generates better performance.

Tailored training, vitamin metabolism, nutritional pathways, recovery strategies and more. Understand your athlete’s specific genomic profile to achieve optimal performance.

VEGFR2 rs1870377, ACE rs4341 and rs4343, ACTN3 rs1815739, HIF1 rs11549465

 

Endurance genetic variants are associated with a slow twitch muscle fiber type and an efficient cardiovascular system. Slow twitch muscle fibers are capable of producing relatively larger energy units more slowly over time, whereas fast twitch muscle fibers produce relatively smaller units of energy quickly. The explosive power and sprint based performance is genetically associated with a relatively higher proportion of type II fast twitch muscles. Type II muscles can be further classified into Type IIa or intermediate fibers which are involved in both aerobic and anaerobic energy metabolism and Type IIb which provide quicker more powerful energy supply. Genetic variants in the VEGFR2, ACTN3, HIF1 and ACE gene have been analyzed to assist in defining if the individual is predisposed to endurance or power/sprint-based training.

MCT-1 rs1049434

 

Recovery is an important and over looked aspect in relation to exercise and training. The MCT-1 gene variant provides information in relation to removal of lactate from the cells. If the individual has slow removal of lactate from muscles recovery time may be longer after intense physical exercise and muscle soreness.

eNOS3 rs2070744

 

Endurance is associated with a good supply of oxygenated blood to muscles during exercise. This allows the individual to expend more energy over a longer period of time. Variations in the gene promoter region of eNOS result in reduced endothelial nitric oxide synthesis. Individuals are classified as being associated with power performance, mixed power or endurance phenotypes. Power performance is associated with jumping, throwing and sprinting events. A mixed power and endurance profile was reported to be over represented in elite soccer players who require both power and endurance to compete.

“Optimum performance is in every athlete's body”

- Jan van Veen, Olympic trainer

“I have always worked with laboratory research for the athletes on my team, but that is limited to blood and urine research and those have limitations. They don’t show the traits and challenges to specific athletes, making it harder for them to perform to their fullest potential. And winning is about milliseconds, so you have to be able to take everything into account. The smartDNA Genomic Wellness Test helped identify how to create the perfect combination of training, nutrition and recovery for each and every athlete.”