2 January 2008
What genes makes a champion?
Latest research from sport science
SCIENTISTS from Manchester Metropolitan have identified the 23 individual genetic variations that enhance athletic performance.
And they say the odds of any one person possessing the perfect combination are huge.
The research published in The Journal of Physiology shows that world athletic records would be considerably better if the optimum combination of genes were found together in one athlete.
Teams from MMU and Loughborough Universities calculated that the chance of any given person possessing all 23 genetic variants linked with physical endurance is just 1 in 1,212 trillion. Given the 6.5 billion world population, the chance of even one person possessing the ‘perfect’ genetic profile for endurance is just 1 in 200,000.
Dr Alun Williams from MMU's Department of Exercise and Sport Science, said: "Our calculations show that genetic ‘perfection’ for sport probably doesn’t exist, because so many different genes are involved. If the optimum genetic combination existed in one person, world records like Paula Radcliffe’s would probably be shattered."
Dr Williams said an era of genetic testing for athletic potential was approaching, but this can’t be done accurately until more research is done.
The paper: Similarity of polygenic profiles limits the potential for elite human physical performance by Alun G Williams and Jonathan P Folland was published in The Journal of Physiology’s Olympic Edition in January 1, 2008.
