No matter what you think about the phenomenon, genetic testing has become the ‘must have’ service for personal trainers not to mention olympic athletes, premiership footballers and elite coaches realising the benefits to performance and unlocking the guesswork surrounding diet and exercise prescription.

After all, every one of us is made differently.

Our DNA contain genes which provide instructions for what we look like and how our body’s function and it is the small variations in these genes that cause the differences in our make up.

It therefore makes sense to know which variation of a gene we carry, so that exercise professionals can prescribe the right exercise and diet plans to achieve your genetic potential.

Sounds revolutionary….how does it stack up?

The evidence to support using DNA to map potential in sport is staggering and we, at Benjamin Hodson Personal Fitness, have been conducting tests to provide a truly bespoke service for over a year now achieving remarkable results.

So what does DNA testing measure?

We use a pioneering company called DNAFit to test samples at a laboratory analysing a panel of 45 gene variants specific to diet and exercise.

We collect samples using a simple swab test and the report is sent through within two weeks.

Here are some of the parameters measured and unveilings that I found out about myself I never knew before.

Exercise

The test revealed what type of sport best suited my body.

I have a 50%/50% power to endurance ratio of genes, so for the exercises I enjoy, a mix of long distance running and high intensity interval training is recommended to get the best out of my training.

I have a tendency towards a high VO2 Max or aerobic capacity.

It’s therefore best to schedule competitive events regularly into my training plan to maximise performance.

I’m lucky enough to have a fast recovery rate.

I don’t need to schedule in as many rest days and can pretty much train hard most days of the week without compromising performance.

My personal injury risk is low.

I can continue with sports with high impact and thankfully don’t have to be over cautious when it comes to protecting my joints.

Diet

I’m able to eat carbohydrates and saturated fat without worrying about putting weight on.

I have a very low sensitivity to carbs and low sensitivity to saturated fat which means I receive less energy per calorie of both carbs and fat than someone who puts weight on easily when they eat bread, pasta or dairy products.

A low carb diet wouldn’t be advisable for me as I’d lack energy and wouldn’t be able to concentrate although sticking to slow releasing or low GI foods would help in weight management.

This was good to know!!

I should stay away from smoked or chargrilled meats as much as possible.

The test revealed that I have enzymes which activate potentially toxic substances present in meat cooked at high temperatures and recommends increasing my intake of cruciferous vegetables like broccoli, kale, cauliflower and spinach to improve my livers detoxification.

I should eat an abundance of foods with antioxidants.

I need to eat berries, dark leafy greens and citrus fruits as my body is predisposed not to neutralise what are called ‘free radicals’ which damage the body and can lead to illness.

I have a raised requirement for omega-3, vitamin B6, B12, vitamin D and folic acid.

Interestingly, I have a possible predisposition for hypertension when I eat too much salt.

Drinking alcohol in moderation activates a gene that increases my ‘good’ cholesterol.

Probably something I didn’t need to know!

I am lactose and gluten tolerant.

As well as this genetic deep-dive into your wellbeing, we offer one-to-one consultations to make sense of the data but the report does outline the findings clearly.

We also prescribe detailed genetic meal plans that suit your make-up to maximise weight loss and optimise health and bespoke fitness programs.

Ultimately, this cutting edge approach to diet and exercise has given our company the tools to offer clients the best possible service, taking the guess work out of ‘what works for some and not for others’.

If you’re interested in finding out how DNA testing will compliment your training and diet or to book an appointment for a swab test please visit our DNA Lifestyle Coaching page.

But is it lactic acid or some other process going on?

Research suggests that ‘lactic acid’ cannot exist in the human body.

The term has been thrown around sports science since the 1920’s due to the link between the production of ‘lactate’ during high intensity exercise and acidosis in the muscles.

Lactate, it then seems, does not cause acidosis in the muscles.

How is lactate produced?

When you do high intensity exercise, energy production through the normal ‘aerobic’ pathway isn’t available as there’s not enough oxygen coming into the system.

Energy production is therefore supplemented through a process called anaerobic glycolysis, the anaerobic route without the presence of oxygen, which creates a high energy compound called ATP and by products called Hydrogen and Lactate.

It is the hydrogen that interrupts the natural PH balance of the muscles, interfering in your muscles fibers’ ability to contract which causes the burn that eventually cuts your exercise short.

Lactate actually works against hydrogen to neutralise the acidity in the muscles so that you can exercise for longer.

What about the burn after you’ve finished exercising?

Between 12 – 72 hours after exercise the burn you’re experiencing then is known as Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness or DOMS, attributed to simple mechanical damage through microscopic tearing.

So lactate is a good thing?

Absolutely. You would not get fit without it to the same degree you do with it.

Lactate production during intense exercise stimulates a phenomenon called mitochondrial biogenesis after exercise.

The mitochondria are little factories inside the muscle cells where aerobic metabolism occurs to yield energy.

An increase in the concentration of mitochondria inside muscle cells is one of the major adaptations to training that improve endurance performance. And lactate makes it happen.

Hence why endurance athletes train high intensity intervals in order to improve their endurance capacity and performance.

How will it make you fitter?

The answer is train like an athlete.

High intensity interval training and more specifically lactate threshold training will boost your fitness like no other.

Training intervals where your heart rate is essentially going into the anaerobic training zone for sustained bouts (roughly over 80% of maximum heart rate) and then recovering in the aerobic training zone (below 80% of maximum heart rate) will train the buffering capacity of lactate to the burning effect of hydrogen and therefore enable you to work at higher intensities for longer.

Post-workout, the high lactate levels will increase the energy producing factories or mitochondria, increasing endurance and aerobic fitness.

Your shoulders’ are a complex, intertwining structure that are the fulcrum for hundreds of movements so it’s not surprising that when you overload the system, along comes injury.

In order to prevent this happening its essential that you don’t neglect the underlying support socket of the shoulder joint or the rotator cuff muscles.

Muscles of the Rotator Cuff

For optimal shoulder stability, integrate these exercises into your weekly routine using resistance bands or cables and there’ll be no more pain for your gain!

Rotator Cuff Exercise Routine