Genetics of sports
How are sports achievements and genetics related
Asya Popova
At the beginning of the Winter Olympic Games, Atlas understands what sports achievements consist of, how genetics affects success in competitions and whether it is possible to choose sports according to a genetic test.
What do sports achievements consist of?
To earn a medal at competitions, the athlete's fitness and luck are important. The latter has a stronger effect in team games – the more people involved in the event, the more options for the outcome of the game.
In singles or doubles competitions, the athlete's preparation has a stronger effect on the result. The question is what ensures success more – genetics or practice.
Scientists have been trying to solve this for a long time. At the end of the 19th century, researcher Francis Galton, a cousin of Charles Darwin, studied heredity on twins and was the first to use the phrase "genetics or upbringing", around which debate is still ongoing.
What is more important, genetics or upbringing
It's hard to say. During physical activity, different areas of the body and brain work, which are influenced by different genes. For example, a certain variant of the ACTN3 gene gives an advantage in endurance exercises.
Quick results and bright successes lead to the release of dopamine, which is responsible for pleasure and a sense of euphoria. This pushes the athlete to work further and reach new heights in order to receive the next portion of the reward.
70% – maximum heritability of endurance. This means that in the best case scenario, 70% of the trait is determined by a genetic factor.
Scientist Andrew Erickson wanted to find out how many hours it takes to become a master of his craft. He conducted a survey and concluded that about 10 thousand hours would be enough for this.
Further studies have shown that among elite athletes, the amount of training is associated with the result only in 1% of cases. But among the athletes of the average professional level, practice meant more – it was the reason for success in 18% of cases.
It turns out that other factors play a role in the achievements of professional athletes, which and in what ratio – it is impossible to answer for sure. Success is influenced by the coaching staff, parents, age, accessibility of the stadium, skating rink, park, working hours of sports complexes, the size of the city and cultural characteristics of the environment.
For example, in Canada, hockey is one of the main symbols of the country. Perhaps that is why the percentage of hockey players there for the entire population is higher than in other countries.
Is it possible to choose the optimal sport by genes
Probably not. In the genetic test Atlas we provide information about the risk of sports injuries and which activities will be easier, for example, aerobic exercise or endurance. Based on this, you can choose the direction.
If you have already achieved success in one sport, then you are very likely to be able to succeed in another. Australia has a program for retraining athletes from summer sports to winter sports. People who have achieved success in surfing or sailing are selected to compete in bobsleigh, freestyle or skeleton competitions.
Another problem with the genetic test is that the coach or parents may take the results as a categorical verdict. Then a child with "inappropriate" genes may not be allowed to do what he likes, and children with a predisposition may be forced to do the "right" sport.
The consensus of researchers in the field of sports and exercise states that genetic tests cannot be used to determine a child's talent or abilities. And the British Commission on Human Genetics recommends that a geneticist consult with the test so that a specialist can assess the situation from different sides. Dmitry Nikogosov, a geneticist, head of the analytical department of the Atlas Biomedical Holding, agrees with this:
"Before deciding on the type and intensity of physical activity, we strongly recommend supplementing the results of DNA analysis with functional tests and consultation with doctors and trainers. Only a specialist can give a final conclusion, and a genetic test is one of the tools in his arsenal."
The Olympics will feature strong athletes who have come a long way to be in the competition. Let the best get medals, and it doesn't matter, thanks to genetics, perseverance or upbringing.
Sources:
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2. The Association of Sport Performance with ACE and ACTN3 Genetic Polymorphisms: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. NCBI, 24 Jan 2013.
3. Heritability estimates of endurance-related phenotypes: A systematic review and meta-analysis. NCBI, 12 Aug 2017.
4. The Relationship Between Deliberate Practice and Performance in Sports. Sage Journals, 22 May 2016.
5. Survey of Players (2017). International Ice Hockey Federation.
6. Advance Australia: five steps to Winter Games success. The Conversation, 13 Feb 2014.
7. Direct-to-consumer genetic testing for predicting sports performance and talent identification: Consensus statement. NCBI, Dec 2015.
8. When ‘‘where’’ is more important than ‘‘when’’: Birthplace and birthdate effects on the achievement of sporting expertise. Journal of Sport Sciences, 20 Jct 2005.
9. Understandig the importanceof sport infrastructure for participation in different sports – findingsfrom multi-level modeling. European Sport Magazine Quarterly, 23 May 2012.
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