Understanding Your Genetics to Improve Sports Performance
What if you knew that you metabolized vitamin D slower than your teammate or needed to spend more time focusing on recovery after heavy training? Having more knowledge about your body could improve your performance, recovery, and ultimately help you achieve your greatest athletic potential. That is why the field of nutrigenomics could be a “game-changer” to help allow your athletic performance team to individualize both your nutrition and exercise program.
What is Nutrigenomics?
Nutrigenomics is the study of the interaction between what we eat and how our genes react to this environmental trigger. The test that you receive in your membership looks at two areas:
- Sports Performance: The first test examines how your genes may influence your aerobic capacity, muscular strength, exercise benefits to your heart health, and understanding your predispositions to risk of injury.
- Nutrition: The second test looks at specific genes that may determine how your body reacts or doesn’t react to certain nutrients and which vitamins and minerals your body may absorb poorly. Having this knowledge allows your team to test for certain vitamin deficiencies and correct them through a “food first” approach and provide additional supplementation as necessary.
Each athlete is given a customized performance program. This holistic approach encompasses the mind, body, and fuel you need to train harder, recover faster, and live a healthy lifestyle through a proactive approach to disease prevention.
Our team can’t wait to get started in your journey to unlock your greatest athletic potential!
APD Team
Emily Mitchell, MS, RDN, CSSD, CDCES – Sports Performance Dietitian
