Fitness Inventor

Ever wonder why some people can eat tons of carbs and more calories and not get fat? Or why some people have terrible diets and don’t exercise, yet live into their 90s? Or why some people eat too much salt but don’t get high blood pressure? As you may have guessed by the title of this article, the answer is “genetics.”

After years of research as the nutrition guy at MuscleGenes, I’ve determined that in our desire to be lean, muscular, and strong, these are the most important considerations when trying to determine the best diet for each of our unique gene profiles:
1) The way we metabolize carbs
2) Inflammation
3) Thermogenesis

Genetics of Carb Metabolism
As every experienced coach knows, the optimal amount of carbs to maximize performance and body composition can be radically different between different people. This is because there are a number of gene variations that are strongly associated with insulin function. Depending upon the version of these genes that you possess, you may be able to handle larger quantities of starchy carbs and sugar or you may be best advised to consume fewer carbs and to eat higher-fibre, lower-GI versions of carbs. This is because some people maintain their insulin efficiency, so they don’t have to release a lot of insulin to store the blood sugar that results from eating carbohydrates, whereas others experience more rapid reductions in insulin function and therefore need to release more insulin to get their blood sugar levels under control … and excess insulin shuts down fat burning in its tracks!

Genetics of Inflammation
Inflammation is an important topic for bodybuilders : Too little inflammation and you can blunt the anabolic response to lifting; too much inflammation and you’ll have trouble recovering before your next workout!

A few well-studied gene variations reveal who is likely to get a larger or a smaller inflammatory response from hitting the weights. By knowing this, you can use moderate anti-inflammatory strategies if you have normal or low inflammation tendencies, and you can throw in extra dietary and supplemental interventions into your routine if you have one of the gene variations that makes you likely to experience more inflammation.

Genetics of Thermogenesis
If you’ve been around the gym for a while, you’ve likely heard the word “thermogenesis.” This simply refers to burning calories as heat. It can be achieved by increasing protein intake or taking certain supplements such as green tea extracts, caffeine, and other stimulants. By burning calories as heat, those calories will no longer be available to be stored as fat. All things being equal, this results in decreased body fat. A key thermogenic pathway in the body is via uncoupling proteins (UCPs). It’s a bit complicated, but UCPs can burn excess energy as heat, instead of the usual route of using that energy to make the body’s energy molecule, ATP.

There is a large body of scientific research on the various genes that influence uncoupling proteins, such as UCP1, UCP2, and UCP3. MuscleGenes tests for all three, and we’ve found that certain versions seem to be more prominent in bodybuilders and physique athletes. Those with the slower versions (although saying “slower” is an oversimplification) can employ the strategies above.

Conclusion
Numerous other gene variations can affect the way your body metabolizes nutrients. They can be, most obviously, influenced by diet and supplementation.