Skip to content
Use your HSA or FSA funds

Sports & Performance

Sports & Performance

Thirteen loci across four chapters that shape how your body responds to training — from explosive power and the aerobic engine to injury resilience, recovery, and adaptation.

From $449Free shipping · Results in 6–8 weeks

Get my Genome Test

The 13 traits we analyse

Muscle Fibre & Power

The structural and metabolic loci that tune your muscles for explosive, oxygen-limited output — fibre composition, the hypoxia switch, and energy recycling under load.

  • Sprint vs. Endurance

    ACTN3 encodes alpha-actinin-3, a structural protein in fast-twitch (type II) muscle fibres. The 577R variant (C allele) produces functional protein; the 577X variant (T allele) introduces a stop codon, eliminating the protein entirely. Individuals homozygous for the non-functional 577X variant are overrepresented in elite endurance athletes; those carrying at least one functional 577R allele are enriched in sprint and power events.

    Possible results: Endurance-type profile · Balanced profile · Power-type profile

  • Hypoxia & Power Response

    HIF1A (hypoxia-inducible factor 1-alpha) is the master transcription factor regulating the body's response to low oxygen — driving anaerobic glucose metabolism and metabolic adaptation under intense, oxygen-limited efforts. The variant allele is associated with increased protein stability and greater metabolic responsiveness during anaerobic work, and is overrepresented in elite power and sprint athletes.

    Possible results: Endurance-suited profile · Mixed metabolic profile · Power-associated profile

  • Muscle Energy Metabolism

    AMPD1 (AMP deaminase 1) breaks down AMP during intense exercise to recycle ATP efficiently. Loss-of-function variants reduce enzyme activity and are associated with earlier muscle fatigue under very high-intensity efforts. Most carriers are asymptomatic at typical training loads.

    Possible results: Fully functional · Reduced activity · AMPD1 deficient

The Aerobic Engine

How your body delivers oxygen and builds endurance capacity: adrenergic response, mitochondrial biogenesis, blood-flow signalling, and the angiogenesis that expands your aerobic ceiling.

  • Aerobic Response (Gly16)

    ADRB2 (β2 adrenergic receptor) regulates the cardiovascular and bronchial response to adrenaline during exercise. The Gly16 variant is carried by the reference (G) allele and is theoretically associated with enhanced exercise-induced bronchodilation and potentially higher peak aerobic capacity in some training contexts.

    Possible results: Enhanced aerobic response · Mixed receptor profile · Baseline aerobic response

  • Aerobic Response (Gln27)

    ADRB2 encodes the β2 adrenergic receptor, which regulates cardiovascular and metabolic responses to adrenaline during exercise. At codon 27, two common alleles encode either Glu (G, reference) or Gln (C, alternate). These variants modulate how readily the receptor is downregulated under sustained adrenergic drive, affecting vascular response and substrate mobilisation during prolonged effort. Effect sizes are modest; training remains the dominant factor in aerobic capacity.

    Possible results: Glu27 profile · Mixed genotype · Gln27 profile

  • Mitochondrial Biogenesis

    PPARGC1A (PGC-1α) is the master regulator of mitochondrial biogenesis — it controls how readily your muscles build new mitochondria in response to endurance training. The Ser482 variant is associated with reduced PPARGC1A expression in some tissues and a blunted mitochondrial biogenesis response to endurance training.

    Possible results: Strong training response · Intermediate response · Reduced training response

  • Blood-Flow Signalling

    NOS3 produces endothelial nitric oxide — the signalling molecule that dilates blood vessels and matches oxygen delivery to working muscle. The -786 promoter variant affects NOS3 expression: the lower-expression pattern is associated in some cohorts with differences in vascular response and endurance status.

    Possible results: Lower NO signalling · Intermediate NO signalling · Higher NO signalling

  • Capillary Angiogenesis

    VEGFA drives angiogenesis — the growth of new capillaries that expands oxygen delivery as you train. This promoter variant is associated with differences in baseline VEGF expression and how much aerobic capacity improves with training.

    Possible results: Higher-expression profile · Intermediate profile · Lower-expression profile

Injury & Resilience

Connective-tissue genetics that influence tendon stiffness, ligament integrity, and bone strength — the variables that govern how well your body absorbs training load.

  • Tendon Injury Risk

    COL5A1 encodes type V collagen, which regulates fibril diameter in tendons and ligaments. The C allele (reference) is associated with greater tendon flexibility and reduced risk of Achilles tendinopathy and ACL injuries in athletic cohorts. The T allele is associated with stiffer tendon properties and elevated injury risk, particularly in high-volume runners and field-sport athletes.

    Possible results: Lower tendinopathy risk · Average risk · Increased tendon risk

  • Bone & Ligament Strength

    COL1A1 encodes the alpha-1 chain of type I collagen — the most abundant protein in bone, tendon, and ligament. A polymorphic Sp1 transcription-factor binding site in the COL1A1 promoter alters collagen gene expression; the alternate allele produces higher COL1A1 transcript levels, leading to altered collagen composition, reduced bone mineral density, and increased fracture risk.

    Possible results: Standard bone density · Slightly reduced density · Reduced bone density

Recovery & Adaptation

How your body clears inflammation, shuttles lactate, and translates training stress into long-term adaptation — both physical and cognitive.

  • Inflammatory Recovery

    IL6 (interleukin-6) is a cytokine that orchestrates the inflammatory response to exercise-induced muscle damage. The -174 promoter position contains a common G/C polymorphism; the G allele is associated with higher post-exercise IL-6 expression, driving both inflammation (which delays recovery) and adaptive signalling (which fuels training response).

    Possible results: Lower inflammation · Intermediate response · Higher inflammation

  • Lactate Transport

    SLC16A1 encodes MCT1, the monocarboxylate transporter that moves lactate in and out of muscle during and after intense exercise. The Glu490Asp polymorphism affects how efficiently lactate is cleared from the blood — carriers of the Glu-490 variant show faster lactate removal and lower blood-lactate accumulation during high-intensity efforts.

    Possible results: Reduced lactate clearance · Intermediate clearance · Enhanced lactate clearance

  • Exercise & Neuroplasticity

    BDNF (brain-derived neurotrophic factor) is upregulated by aerobic exercise and drives neuroplasticity, memory consolidation, and mood regulation. The Met variant (T allele) reduces activity-dependent BDNF secretion and is associated with smaller exercise-induced cognitive gains in some cohorts.

    Possible results: Robust BDNF response · Intermediate response · Reduced response

References

  1. Yang et al., 2003. ACTN3 genotype is associated with human elite athletic performance. American Journal of Human Genetics
  2. dbSNP reference SNP record (rs1815739). NCBI dbSNP
  3. Döring et al., 2010. A common haplotype and the Pro582Ser polymorphism of the hypoxia-inducible factor-1alpha (HIF1A) gene in elite endurance athletes. Journal of Applied Physiology
  4. dbSNP reference SNP record (rs11549465). NCBI dbSNP
  5. dbSNP reference SNP record (rs17602729). NCBI dbSNP
  6. Fischer H, Esbjornsson M, Sabina RL, Stromberg A, Peyrard-Janvid M, Norman B, 2007. AMP deaminase deficiency is associated with lower sprint cycling performance in healthy subjects. Journal of Applied Physiology
  7. Sarpeshkar V, Bentley DJ, 2010. Adrenergic-beta(2) receptor polymorphism and athletic performance. Journal of Human Genetics
  8. dbSNP reference SNP record (rs1042713). NCBI dbSNP
  9. Lucia A, Gomez-Gallego F, Barroso I, et al., 2005. PPARGC1A genotype (Gly482Ser) predicts exceptional endurance capacity in European men. Journal of Applied Physiology
  10. dbSNP reference SNP record (rs8192678). NCBI dbSNP
  11. Gómez-Gallego F, Ruiz JR, Buxens A, et al., 2009. The -786 T/C polymorphism of the NOS3 gene is associated with elite performance in power sports. European Journal of Applied Physiology
  12. dbSNP reference SNP record (rs2070744). NCBI dbSNP
  13. Prior SJ, Hagberg JM, Paton CM, et al., 2006. DNA sequence variation in the promoter region of the VEGF gene impacts VEGF gene expression and maximal oxygen consumption. American Journal of Physiology - Heart and Circulatory Physiology
  14. dbSNP reference SNP record (rs2010963). NCBI dbSNP
  15. Heffernan SM, Kilduff LP, Erskine RM, et al., 2017. COL5A1 gene variants previously associated with reduced soft tissue injury risk are associated with elite athlete status in rugby. BMC Genomics
  16. Pabalan N, Tharabenjasin P, Phababpha S, Jarjanazi H, 2018. Association of COL5A1 gene polymorphisms and risk of tendon-ligament injuries among Caucasians: a meta-analysis. Sports Medicine - Open
  17. dbSNP reference SNP record (rs12722). NCBI dbSNP
  18. Mokone GG, Schwellnus MP, Noakes TD, Collins M, 2006. The COL5A1 gene and Achilles tendon pathology. Scandinavian Journal of Medical Science in Sports
  19. dbSNP reference SNP record (rs1800012). NCBI dbSNP
  20. Mann et al., 2001. A COL1A1 Sp1 binding site polymorphism predisposes to osteoporotic fracture by affecting bone density and quality. Journal of Clinical Investigation
  21. dbSNP reference SNP record (rs1800795). NCBI dbSNP
  22. Fishman D, Faulds G, Jeffery R, et al., 1998. The effect of novel polymorphisms in the interleukin-6 (IL-6) gene on IL-6 transcription and plasma IL-6 levels, and an association with systemic-onset juvenile chronic arthritis. Journal of Clinical Investigation
  23. dbSNP reference SNP record (rs1049434). NCBI dbSNP
  24. Guilherme et al., 2021. The MCT1 gene Glu490Asp polymorphism (rs1049434) is associated with endurance athlete status, lower blood lactate accumulation and higher maximum oxygen uptake. Biology of Sport
  25. Egan et al., 2003. The BDNF val66met polymorphism affects activity-dependent secretion of BDNF and human memory and hippocampal function. Cell
  26. dbSNP reference SNP record (rs6265). NCBI dbSNP

More reports

Everything in the Genome Test →

One test. A lifetime of answers.

One kit, sent to your home. Your entire genome sequenced at the clinical standard used for diagnostic decisions. Physician-ready reports delivered to your Genome Manager in 6–8 weeks — permanent and updated as science advances.

From $449

Free shipping · Results in 6–8 weeks

Get my Genome Test