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Unlocking Your Fitness Potential: The Genetics of Muscle Composition

You’re likely familiar with the way genes play a role in our eye color, height, or propensity for certain diseases. You may be less familiar with the role it plays in regards to your muscle strength and endurance so let’s go over the genetics of muscle composition. 

Muscle Fibers

 

Everyone has slow-twitch and fast-twitch muscle fibers. It’s the proportion of these different types of muscle fibers that varies in each individual and is influenced by genetic factors. 

 

Slow-twitch muscle fibers are more prevalent in endurance athletes because they are efficient at using oxygen to generate more fuel for continuous, extended muscle contractions over a long time. 

 

Fast-twitch muscle fibers are better at generating short bursts of strength or speed. They are more prevalent in athletes that power lift or sprint. 

 

Muscle Composition Genes

Some of the key genes involved in influencing muscle growth, endurance, and overall physical performance include:

 

ACE - this gene plays a role in determining muscle fiber type, endurance performance, and physiological response to exercise. Variants in this gene determine the likelihood of having more fast or slow twitch muscle fibers. This then gives you an idea of whether or not you are predisposed to the optimal oxygen delivery to your muscles, which gives an endurance advantage, or not. 

 

PPARGC1A - this gene is involved in the regulation of energy metabolism and the creation of new mitochondria. Certain variants in this geene may be associated with differences in aerobic capacity, muscle fiber type composition, and metabolic responses to exercise. Elite endurance athletes are more likely to possess certain variants of this gene. 

 

ACTN3 - this gene codes for a protein found in fast-twitch muscle fibers, which are primarily responsible for generating forceful contractions during activities like sprinting or weight lifting. Variants in this genotype can be associated with enhanced improvements in strength and protection from training-induced muscle damage, helping with injury prevention. 

Fitness Potential

 

Muscular Strength

You’ll find improved muscular strength with some genetic variants identified in our muscle composition report. Muscle strength is associated with a lower risk of developing chronic conditions like type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and osteoporosis. It’s also necessary for performing daily activities and is essential for maintaining functional independence as we age. 

 

Endurance

You’ll find improved endurance with other genetic variants also identified in our muscle composition report. This can also be beneficial since endurance exercise may improve cardiovascular health by strenthening the heart and improving blood circulation. It also reduces the risk for numerous chronic diseases including obesity and enhances lung function, improves insulin sensitivity, and boosts the immune system. 

 

Some people will fall heavily into one of the above categories, while others may have a balance of both. Our reports include recommendations on how best to train depending on your genetic profile. This includes recommendations on nutrition, injury prevention, maximizing your fitness potential and targeting non-dominant muscle fibers for continued health benefits. 

 

Summary

Understanding the genetics of muscle composition can provide insights into personalized training and nutrition plans, helping optimize athletic performance and overall muscle health.

Depending on the variations in your gene composition you may be better suited toward longer duration low intensity workouts or more explosive strength and power training type workouts. Knowing the genetics of your muscle composition can guide you towards the types of workouts that are most effective for your body. 

Our reports all come with personalized recommendations to help you realize your full fitness potential. So even if you are genetically predisposed to being an endurance athlete, there are things you can do to target your fast twitch muscle fibers and minimize your injury risk.