The Genetic Athlete

Much attention has been paid to the recent decision by the American Medical Association to make obesity an official disease.  Although certainly lifestyle choices play a part in this, in some people genetics clearly play a role.  So what about the other extreme- do genes also play a role in athleticism?  The answer is similar - clearly it is a combination of lifestyle chocies and genes that make a great athlete.  As an avid CrossFitter for over 4 years now, I have come to accept that my athletic ability is limited no matter how hard I train.  Watch any sport at the professional level, however, and you will notice that often athletes, especially within the same sport, have similar body types and abilities.  Is this due to years of training and conditioning, or does DNA play a role?  In a new book  titled ‘The Sports Gene’ (which I caution I have not yet read but is on my list of to-read), author David Epstein explores this very question.  It may not be a surprise that the answer is yes, but it appears the things we may assume are genetic are not, and vice versa. 

Given DNA clearly does play some role in determining who becomes a great vs. mediocre athlete, however, the bigger question is will this translate into personalized medicine in the future?  I can imagine a situation in which knowing this genetic information might help doctors treat injuries or help those of us not as endowed with athletic genes to overcome some of our biological barriers.  Perhaps knowing this information will also help those with musculoskeletal disorders function easier.  Further still, will genetic information be used in the future to screen athletes as part of tryouts?  It is an interesting question that remains to be seen.