Athletes worldwide turn to genetic screening for improved performance. Experts, though, caution against over-reliance on this emerging science

Athletes worldwide turn to genetic screening for improved performance. Experts, though, caution against over-reliance on this emerging science

Subject: Sci

Sec: Health  

Context:

After winning seven gold medals in Commonwealth Games, 41-year-old table tennis player Sharath Kamal left no stone unturned in his preparations for the 2024 Paris Olympics, which began on July 26.

More on News:

• Genetic screening, an emerging science that is becoming popular among sportspersons.
• The tests informed of food allergies and the minerals and vitamins his body needed.
• In 2017, the Board of Control for Cricket in India reportedly introduced genetic testing to help the Indian men’s cricket team improve speed, fat-burning, endurance, recovery time and muscle-building.
• These tests were introduced in India around 2011.

Genetic test:

• Genetic tests, initially used for detecting diseases or predispositions, entered the sporting world in the late 1990s, when scientists began to gather evidence that genes influence various aspects of athletic performance, including endurance, flexibility and psychological traits.
• Genetic tests read instructions stored in deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA), a two-metre-long molecule present in our cells.
• The code in our DNA maintains our bodies’ functions, determines our appearance and influences our likelihood of developing certain diseases.
• Genetic data consists of four letters or chemicals—Adenine, Guanine, Cytosine and Thymine—repeated in specific sequences.
• These sequences are read by cellular machinery to create amino acids, the building blocks of proteins.
• Some athletes have won the genetic lottery, prompting scientists to probe the role of genes in athletic prowess.
• Scientists study genetic variants, which are differences that arise from mutations in specific DNA sequences.
• These mutations contribute to unique athletic characteristics and traits.

Decoding DNA

• Fifty years after the structure of DNA was first decoded, former US President Bill Clinton and former British Prime Minister Tony Blair announced a significant scientific achievement in 2000: the initial sequencing of the human genome as part of the Human Genome Project, launched in October 1990.
• Within 24 hours of this announcement, the information was made publicly available, allowing scientists worldwide to begin decoding the mysteries of human biology
• In 1998, angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) gene, involved in the control of blood pressure and skeletal muscle function, first captured scientists’ attention.
• A 2002 study that a variant of this gene, ACE-I, was linked to endurance performance, giving runners, rowers and mountaineers an edge over others. The study found another variant, ACE-D, associated with strength gain, essential for weightlifting.
• Another gene linked to sports performance is alpha-actinin 3 (ACTN3). This gene produces the ACTN3 protein found in skeletal muscle tissue, particularly in type 2 or “fast-twitch” muscle fibres. These fibres are known for generating short, powerful movements.
• Lactose intolerant: These tests can also identify specific food allergies and recommend dietary adjustments to improve performance.