Let Genes Define who you are

Scenario:

To be or not to be is the question.

Should I head off to the race track?

Should I head off to the aerobics room?

Should I just sleep in the room because stretching a few muscles never makes any difference? Nor is it going to turn me into an athlete. But still there are stories of people who have started training late yet have made it to the top? Could I be one of the cases?

Or maybe no amount of training from the time I was born could change me? Even though both of my parents have a showcase full of trophies?

Oh! What should I do? What should I be?

Now our genes will help in clearing our dilemma. No one could have thought that a single nucleotide change could make the difference between the lanky clumsy kid who always finishes last and the cool kid who dashes through the 100 meter line easily without sweat.

WHAT?????
We all use fast muscle fibres for games which require maximum force and quick action such as running, skiing, and volleyball. Alpha-actinin 3 protein is present mostly in these fibres. This protein contributes to the muscle's ability to generate forceful, repetitive muscle contraction. It is encoded by ACTN3 gene

There may be R577X polymorphism in the ACTN3 gene which results in α-actinin-3 protein deficiency. But as can be seen this protein is essential for sprinting. So sprinters mostly have a genotype where in this polymorphism is absent. Almost all of the Olympic runners are of this type . Hence if you also have the full functional production of actinin 3 protein you may share the genetic composition as the Olympic players.

Alternative: In case you are really not interested in having your Cheek Swabs tested for this sports gene by personal genomics companies 23andMe and deCODEme, there is always the “Digit Ratio Theory”

 Hold your hand, palm up. Measure the lengths of your index finger and your ring finger. Divide the former by the latter. If the ratio is closer to .90 than 1.0, you may be a sport star with the likely genotype of R.

The amount of a foetus' exposure to testosterone in the womb determines the length of the ring finger, while estrogens levels are expressed in the length of the index finger. More testosterone means more physical ability which could imply your destiny to be a sprinter.

Warning:

Of course having the ratio of .90 or RR genotype does not necessarily mean you are automatically qualified for Olympics. The genes are additive and not exclusive. You need to have training along with genetic testing if you consider sprinting seriously.

Other tests for people who might have “failed “in this sports genetic testing:

COMT gene- Mutations results in better working memory and higher verbal reasoning.

SNAP-25 – The SNPs in this decides whether you have the higher or lower IQ value.