The
ACTN3 gene contains instructions for making
alpha-actinin-3. Alpha-actinin-3 is a protein associated with fast twitch
muscles. I.e. the muscle sprinters, long jumpers and weight lifters use
for their explosive powers. You inherit this protein via your DNA from
your mother and your father. All Olympians have inherited this protein from at
least one parent with one known exception who like 18% of the population has
inherited a gene variant from both parents that doesn't make this protein.
I have had a DNA
test and my ACTN3 gene doesn't make the protein, meaning I have inherited a
variant from both of my parents that lacks it. In all the studies I
have read there is a general consensus that the alpha-actinin-3 protein gives
athletes about a 3% improvement in performance in explosive sports. There is
also a theory that the opposite may be true too, in that the lack of this
protein is predominate in endurance athletes and the lack of it seems to help
this end of the sporting spectrum. There is, though more research needed as the
link is tenuous at the moment.
Now let's say I was
a 5km runner and I was lacking this gene and lets also say I want to get
faster. If you look at a typical park run the winner is usually around sub 18
minutes. So a top amateur runner can run a 5km in 18 minutes (or less but let's
keep the numbers simple) I lack
alpha-actinin-3 so therefore I would be 3% slower. 3% of 18 is 0.54 which
equals 32.4 seconds. It is therefore
still possible for me to run my 5k in 18:34.4.
This would put me in the top 3 at a lot of parkruns. I therefore can't blame my genes for not
running a sub 20 5k yet.
I have always
believed it's hard work to get where you want to be and your genes have little
to do with this. Most people believe it's your genes that give you your IQ,
your athletic ability, your inability to lose weight, but blaming or praising
your genes for your short comings or 'natural abilities' is wrong. It leads you
to not putting in the effort required to get where you want to be. Most
'natural' athletes, musicians, chess players, etc etc have spent countless
hours and hard work honing their craft.
Children of musicians often end up as musicians themselves because they
had access to instruments from the day they were born.
It took 10 years to become an overnight success
If you want to run faster, don't blame your genes. Get out there and train properly. Yes you have to do those hill repeats and those intervals.
If you want to speak a
foreign language stop saying I don't have that sort of brain, start believing
and start learning, we all have the right sort of brain if we want to do it.
If
you want to lose weight, be honest with yourself and don't blame the 'fat' gene
for the chocolate biscuits you just ate.
