Performance & Energy DNA Analysis

This article is taken from the eBook ‘The Percent-Σdge Modules’ and is part 3 in a series of 9.

Are you Sporty?

We all know someone that seems to have a natural ability to be good at a particular sport.

Perhaps it’s you?

Did you know that your body is genetically engineered with a specific muscle type?

Knowing which muscle type you have can help you find the right type of exercise for you. Your body may be designed to function best when doing power exercises, like fast sprints or short bursts of energy when at the gym. You could be more endurance based, meaning your body works best when walking longer distances, or cycling through the countryside.

Imagine knowing which type you are, or if you are a mixture of both, would that help you decide the best ways to get in shape, and stay that way?

Recover faster

Would you like to know your genetic risk to types of injury when seeking a fitness routine, and how best to mitigate against it? Would you like to stay fitter, for longer, knowing when the right time to slow down and the right time to recover?

Human muscle fibres can be classified into two categories. Firstly, there are the so-called “slow twitch” (red) muscle fibres, which are well supplied with blood, and therefore are optimally supplied with oxygen. As such, they fatigue slower, which has a positive effect on persistent activity. These muscle fibres are, however, slow and do not generate high forces, presenting a disadvantage for fast and powerful movements.

The second type are the “fast-twitch” (white) muscle fibres, which are less supplied with blood, and therefore get tired more quickly but they also react faster and generate higher forces. This property makes these fibres powerful with fast powerful movements.

We can check your genes and show you which muscle type you have.

Free Radicals

Your body constantly produces free radicals (poisonous molecules) which damage your tissues and cells and accelerate the ageing process. Athletes produce considerably more of these molecules because they consume more energy during intensive exercise. These molecules affect your health and athletic performance very negatively therefore your body has specific genes that can recognise and neutralise these molecules.

Unfortunately, many people have genetic variations in these genes which disturb their function and protection and therefore increase oxidative stress.

Micronutrients

Certain micronutrients, however, called antioxidants, can compensate for the lack of protection if they are in the right dose.

It is possible to test the appropriate gene and compensate for any genetic weakness with the right amount of micronutrients, regardless of the result.

A DNA test can tell you your risk factor of oxidative stress and if you need a normal or an increased amount of antioxidants to protect you from free radical damage.

Antioxidants

High levels of free radicals contribute to the biggest health concerns of the modern age and it is why antioxidants are seen as the fountain of youth.

Antioxidants neutralise free radicals by giving up some of their own electrons. In making this sacrifice, they act as a natural “off” switch for the free radicals. This helps break the chain reaction and helps the body to maintain ‘healthy’ cells.