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FitnessGenes

Genetically tailored health and fitness. Start unlocking reports for free at fitnessgenes.com. We determine your genetic blueprint by analyzing your DNA.

FitnessGenes is pioneering the field of genetic data analysis to produce personalized fitness and diet recommendations to people wanting to lose weight, fitness fanatics, personal trainers, corporations and consumers at large worldwide. We check for 40+ genes that are related to fitness, health and nutrition. We combine this information with your environmental data and discover your body’s abiliti

es with regards to fitness, speed, endurance and recovery. These traits give us a clear view on how your body responds to exercise and diet. Knowing how your body responds to exercise and diet is just the start; it’s the beginning of the process of finding out what exercise and nutrition is the optimum to reach your goals. We have a team of scientist (Ph.D. geneticists, nutritionists and trainers) that understand this science and are experienced in defining the right workout and nutrition blueprint for you. On top of the valuable action blueprints our Genetic Training Systems provide you with a week by week, day by day training and nutrition plan that takes all the guesswork out of the equation. Based on your chosen goal we prepare the most efficient and effective plan for you. Your plans are unique to your physical traits and environment. www.fitnessgenes.com

30/04/2026

New Endurance Report: Exertional Rhabdomyolysis 🏃‍♀️

Do you need to be managing your training load more?

Exertional Rhabdomyolysis is the breakdown of muscle tissue that releases damaging proteins into the bloodstream following intense or unaccustomed exercise such as a marathon, or Ironman event.

Although many factors influence the risk of exertional rhabdomyolysis - including exercise intensity, heat, hydration status, and certain medications - research suggests that genetics also plays an important role. Studies have found that individuals vary substantially in their CK response to the same exercise, even when training levels and physical characteristics are similar.

This report combines the result of seven individual genes that affect muscle structure and inflammatory response to assess your genetic risk of this condition:

✅ ACE
✅ ACTN3
✅ CKMM
✅ IGF2
✅ IL6
✅ MLCK
✅ TNFα

Login now to discover which variants you carry and how you can train smarter, and recover better using these results.

Yet to get tested? Link in bio👆

29/04/2026

Be honest - do you ever feel like your body is fighting you from the inside, even when you're doing everything right? 🙋

Waking up stiff. Feeling puffy after meals you know are healthy. Recovery is taking longer than it used to. A kind of low-level fatigue that just... doesn't shift.

A lot of people assume that's just ageing. Or stress. Or that they need to try harder.

But for many of us, it's something more specific - a genetic dial that was set before we ever made a single lifestyle choice.

Genes like IL6 drive inflammation upward. Genes like IL10 bring it back down. If your particular combination is wired in favour of high IL-6, your body is running a kind of quiet, chronic inflammation in the background - 24/7. Scientists call it inflammaging. And it's one of the biggest drivers of how fast we actually age.

The good news? Once you know your profile, you stop fighting blind. 💡

Certain foods, training approaches, sleep strategies and supplements hit completely differently when they're matched to your actual biology, not a one-size-fits-all plan.

Your body isn't failing you. It's just speaking a language you haven't learned to read yet. 🧬

👉 Want to understand how your genetics are impacting your inflammation levels? Link in bio.

24/04/2026

Two people. Same gym. Same programme. Same number of sessions per week. One builds muscle noticeably faster than the other.

It's tempting to assume it's down to sleep, stress, diet quality, or just effort. And all of those things matter. But there's another factor that rarely gets talked about, and it's written into your DNA.

Two key biological drivers sit at the heart of muscle growth: IGF-1, a hormone that activates the specialised cells responsible for repairing and growing muscle fibres after exercise, and mTOR, a molecule that senses nutrient availability and signals your body to start producing new protein. When both are working efficiently, muscle adapts faster. When either is impaired, progress slows - even with everything else dialled in.

Variants in your IGF1 and MTOR genes influence how much of each you naturally produce and how effectively your body responds to training. Depending on your genetic profile, you may fall anywhere from reduced to increased baseline levels, and that affects everything from how you should structure your training to which foods and supplements will have the greatest impact.

The good news is that even lower baseline levels aren't a ceiling. But they do change the strategy. Understanding your profile means you stop guessing and start working with your biology.

22/04/2026

One in five UK adults is clinically deficient in vitamin D. Among people actively testing their health, around half fall below the optimal range.

And the most common advice - get more sun, eat better, take a supplement - often isn't enough. Here's why.

Vitamin D doesn't simply arrive in your bloodstream ready to use. It travels a multi-step pathway through your body, and at each stage, how efficiently that process works is shaped by your genetics. Variants in three key genes - GC, CYP2R1, and VDR - can affect how vitamin D is transported through the blood, converted into its active form, and how effectively your cells actually respond to it.

The result? Two people with the same lifestyle, the same diet, and the same supplement can end up with very different blood levels. And if you carry suboptimal variants across multiple genes, you may need significantly higher levels than someone else to achieve the same biological effect. Standard reference ranges don't account for this.

If your vitamin D keeps coming back low, your genes may be the reason nobody has told you about yet.

Read our latest blog to discover more, including the three genes most likely to be behind it, and what to do if you carry them.

21/04/2026

The supplement industry is worth billions. The number of products claiming to transform your health, your recovery, your performance? Almost impossible to navigate.

The honest truth is that most supplements are marketed to everyone — which means they're really built for no one in particular. Whether something works for you depends on your biology, your diet, your training load, and increasingly, your genetics. 🧬

BASIL cuts through the noise. Rather than pointing you towards what's trending, it uses evidence from meta-analyses and randomised controlled trials to surface the specific interventions — including supplements — that have the strongest scientific case for someone with your genetic profile. If the evidence isn't strong, we rank it to reflect this.

From there, we wanted to make acting on those recommendations as easy as possible. That's why we've partnered with .uk — a premium supplement brand that shares our commitment to quality, transparency, and products that are actually worth taking.

Check your BASIL dashboard to see which supplements made your personalised list 🍃

Ps. Check the comments for a FitnessGenes exclusive discount code

17/04/2026

Our team member Alex has competed in 70.3 triathlons across four countries, the British Standard Distance Championships, and is now preparing for his London Marathon debut. But for years, recurring Achilles issues and a steep learning curve in endurance training held him back.

That changed when he started training with his DNA.

His FitnessGenes results revealed four things that shifted his approach entirely:

☕ As a fast caffeine metaboliser, 100mg taken 30 minutes before training or racing helps him push through the mid-race dip.

🦵 A high genetic risk for soft tissue injuries explained years of Achilles pain - and led him to prioritise eccentric S&C twice a week.

🩸 Reduced NOS3 function prompted a simple fix: daily beetroot shots to support blood flow and cardiovascular load.

🔥 Elevated TNF-α levels mean inflammation management is non-negotiable - foam rolling, 30g of protein per meal, and curcumin are now staples.

Your DNA won't do the training for you. But it can make sure every session counts.

📖 Full story in our latest blog: https://www.fitnessgenes.com/blog/triathlon-and-dna-performance

15/04/2026

The 'gene for speed' is one of the most studied variants in sports science. But most people misunderstand what it actually means for them. Let's fix that 🧵

ACTN3 determines whether you produce alpha-actinin-3 - a protein found only in fast-twitch muscle fibres. The R allele = you produce it. Two X alleles = you produce none. About 1 in 5 Europeans are XX.

The data on elite athletes is striking. No Olympic power athletes in one cohort had the XX genotype. The R allele is consistently overrepresented in sprint and strength sports across multiple large studies.

However, research indicates that approximately 40% of the variation in your muscle fibre proportions is determined by environmental factors, such as how specifically you train, rather than just the genes you were born with.

Six weeks of sprint training has been shown to reduce slow-twitch fibres by 7% and increase fast-twitch fibres by 12% - regardless of genotype.

How can you use your ACTN3 result to your advantage?

If you're XX: higher rep training, sustained aerobic volume, and adequate recovery between sessions may serve you better. Creatine and HMB supplementation can also help offset greater exercise-induced muscle damage.

If you're RR: lower rep, higher load resistance work and neuromuscular training preserves and develops fast-twitch function.

If you're RX: you sit between both profiles and adapt well to a wider training range.

Your genotype should inform how you train, not limit what you believe you're capable of 💪

10/04/2026

Is Zinc the Missing Link in Your Muscle Building? 🧬💪

We’ve all heard that protein and creatine are the "holy grail" of gains, but there is a forgotten factor that might be limiting your progress: Zinc.

Zinc isn't just a "nice-to-have" mineral; it’s a critical driver of muscle development through several interconnected mechanisms:

1️⃣Hormonal Power: Zinc supports the synthesis and secretion of testosterone, the primary anabolic hormone responsible for skeletal muscle hypertrophy.

2️⃣The Growth Factor: It acts as a cofactor for IGF-1, which stimulates muscle protein synthesis and activates the satellite cells that repair and grow your muscle fibers.

3️⃣Recovery & Repair: During intense exercise, your body redistributes zinc to muscle tissue to manage the inflammatory response. If you’re sweating hard, you’re losing zinc—making replenishment vital for recovery.

4️⃣Oxidative Defence: As an antioxidant cofactor, zinc helps mitigate the oxidative damage caused by heavy training that can otherwise impair your muscle function.

How much do you actually need?

While the RDA is 11mg for men and 8mg for women, athletes under high physiological stress often benefit from higher intakes (up to 25-30mg) to optimize testosterone and recovery.

The Genetic Twist 🧬

Did you know your DNA influences your zinc needs? Variations in the SLC30A and SLC39A gene families can change how efficiently you absorb and utilise zinc.

Stop guessing and start optimizing. Whether you’re loading up on oysters and red meat or looking for the right supplement dose, understanding your genetic requirement is key.

🔗 Read the full breakdown on our blog: https://www.fitnessgenes.com/blog/zinc-and-muscle-building

08/04/2026

Same plan. Same effort. Wildly different results. Why? 🧬

If you’ve ever followed a training program to the letter but didn't see the gains your gym partner did, it’s probably not your discipline - it’s your biology.

Data from the HERITAGE Family Study shows that 50% of the variation in VO₂ max trainability is genetic. Some people see a 40% improvement on a standard plan, while others see less than 5%.

The Science:

✅The PPARGC1A Gene: This "master regulator" dictates how quickly your cells build new mitochondria. If you have the "low-responder" variant, stacking high-intensity intervals might not work as well for you. You likely need higher volume at lower intensities to see comparable results.

✅The ACTN3 Gene: Are you built for power (R/R genotype) or endurance (X/X genotype)? Event selection is one thing, but knowing this helps you structure your recovery and intensity correctly to optimise your adaptations.

The Bottom Line: Training harder isn't always the answer - training smarter for your unique genome is. When you align your program with your DNA, you stop guessing and start adapting.

🔗 https://www.fitnessgenes.com/blog/genetic-training-response

03/04/2026

Stop guessing. Your genes are the missing piece of your health puzzle. 🧬

A family bereavement led to our CEO using her genetic research background to build a data-driven approach to healthy ageing. The truth is, "do more exercise" or "eat well" is too generic to be effective long-term.

To maximise your odds, you must understand your genetic risks and predispositions.

How DNA changes the game:

✅ Beyond "Balanced Diet": DNA helps you identify personal "superfoods." (For our CEO, it was focusing on cholesterol-lowering foods).

✅ Smart Supps: Stop taking what’s popular. DNA highlights exactly which supplements (like Omega-3 or Berberine) your body actually needs.

✅ Efficient Exercise: Your DNA informs your muscle fiber composition, recovery speed, and injury risk. This dictates how you should train for maximum functional strength.

✅ Precision Recovery: Your genes dictate your sleep-wake preference. Work with your biology, not against it.

Recent research shows genetics accounts for >50% of the variation in human healthspan. When you understand your DNA, you understand where to focus your effort for the greatest impact.

Read more about our CEO’s story here: https://www.fitnessgenes.com/blog/dna-and-longevity

01/04/2026

Ever feel like you’re doing "everything right" but not seeing the results? 📉

Most health advice is generalized. But at FitnessGenes, we know that your body’s response to exercise, nutrition, and lifestyle is dictated by your unique genetic makeup, and the environment around you.

At FitnessGenes, we translate complex genomic data into an actionable roadmap for your life.

Why choose FitnessGenes?

✅ Precision: Our patented TrueTrait™ model tracks how your genes and lifestyle work together.

✅ Credibility: We partner with institutions like the University of Oxford and Loughborough University, as well as having support from visionaries in the health and fitness field.

✅ Flexibility: Already tested with 23andMe or Ancestry? Just upload your data for instant insights!

✅ Longevity: Our BASIL platform helps you prioritise the daily actions that will impact your long-term health.

Stop following trends. Start following your DNA. 🧬✨

29/03/2026

A genetic variant in FADS1 emerged ~555,000–765,000 years ago, increasing our ability to convert dietary fats into biologically active long-chain PUFAs.

FADS1 encodes delta-5-desaturase — a key enzyme that converts:
→ Linoleic acid (omega-6) → Arachidonic acid
→ Alpha-linolenic acid (omega-3) → EPA

This was once advantageous, especially in environments low in direct sources of omega-3 and omega-6 LC-PUFAs.

Fast forward to today:
📈 Linoleic acid intake has increased ~2–3x in modern Western diets
🛢️ Driven largely by vegetable and seed oils

More substrate (linoleic acid) = more downstream production of arachidonic acid via FADS1

Arachidonic acid is a precursor to eicosanoids - signalling molecules involved in inflammation and immune responses

Genetic variation (SNPs) in the FADS1 gene determines how efficiently you convert these fats:
→ 🔥 Efficient converters: higher arachidonic acid production
→ ⚖️ Moderate converters: intermediate response
→ ❄️ Low converters: reduced conversion

In high-activity genotypes, excess omega-6 intake may:
→ Increase circulating arachidonic acid
→ Shift the balance toward a more pro-inflammatory state

This is a classic example of a gene–diet interaction - where the same diet can have different effects depending on your biology.

Nutritional takeaways:
→ Be mindful of excessive omega-6 (especially from refined seed oils)
→ Prioritise omega-3 intake (EPA/DHA) to support balance
→ Focus on overall fatty acid quality, not just quantity

Bottom line:
Not all fats - or responses to fats - are the same.

🧬 Your genetics can influence how your body handles them.

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Website

https://fitnessgenes.com/

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