DNA Unlocked Nutrition Secrets For Powerful Athletic Gains
10 February 2008
Imagine an army of Peter Schmeichel’s? Unlocking the genetic code has led scientists to unravel the secrets of sports performance in the competitive athlete. Back in the Early 90’s the U.S. Department of Energy and the Natural Institutes of Health unlocked the 25,000 genes that make us human. It was only a matter of time until sports scientists began to use our unique DNA to enhance the performance of individual athletes and international sporting teams. Nutrigenomics sprang from the idea that with the help of DNA, sports scientists are now able to see what glitches are inherent in an athletes genetic makeup, and therefore able to counteract these deficiencies with natural foods. Cool concept. Although still in its infancy, many sporting organisations are jumping on the bandwagon fast to claim the prize for generating the most powerful athletes in the big bad world of sports. Research has unlocked some of the following genes, and foods that are most closely aligned with that specific gene, to power up competitive performance:
* MnSOD: This super gene produces and regulates protein MnSOD which helps prevent muscle damage from free radicals and helps boost performance and recovery. The natural solution for a deficiency in this gene is pomegranate juice or a fistful of blueberries (my favourite post workout snack).
* IL-6 and TNFa: These power-houses produce cytokines that repair muscle damage after intense exercise. Wild salmon and good ol’ broccoli are the natural remedy to prevent inflammation and muscle damage.
* ACE: This spade is closely connected to muscular endurance. Increasing the amount of fish and flaxseed oil will help power up your muscles for longer periods of time.
Now I remember coming across this type of DNA testing at my local GP. I subsequently misplaced the pamphlet that contained the information. In the U.S. the cost of this easy swab test, plus nutritional advice, will set you back between $495 to $695. I can’t recall the pricing here in Australia. This type of DNA testing will really help a competitive goalkeeper or athlete iron out weaknesses in their training regime and bolster performance to new heights. The beauty of this type of testing is that it provides natural supplements from whole foods, that may not be utilised often to power goalkeeping performance. I think it’s worth the money, even if in the end, you only end up with a really good diet. It’s win-win either way!
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John Stevanja is an Aussie born, internationally certified fitness instructor, who has played competitive soccer at the highest levels in the position of goalkeeper. Being well travelled, John has worked in the leading corporate and private gym environments in the UK.
John offers a unique twist on goalkeeper specific nutrition and performance. His site, http://www.keeper-skool.com is updated daily and gives advice for not only the competitive soccer goalkeeper, but for athletes and fitness enthusiasts from all walks of life.
Tags: goalkeeper, nutrition, performance, power training, soccer, strength training, supplements
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