Genetic Test May Be Able To Predict The Sport Your Child Should Play

It sounds like something out of a science fiction novel. But a company believes it can help determine if you or someone in your family has the predisposition to become the next Michael Jordan, Wayne Gretzky or Tiger Woods.

And if you believe their tests, it’s all in your genes.

The company, Atlas Sports Genetics, claims it can take a sample of your kid’s DNA and use it to see which sport he or she might excel in. The idea is to be able to point your offspring into an area where they’re expected to be more successful.

They look at something called the ACTN3 gene, which researchers have pinpointed as a marker for athletic prowess. Several different kinds of variants (“R” or “X”) on the gene could mean your child would be better at endurance events – like long distance running, swimming or skiing – or good at power and speed pursuits, including weight lifting or football.

A lucky few may do well at both.

“The ACTN3 gene instructs our body to produce a specific muscle protein called alpha-actinin-3,” its website explains. “Researchers have found that some people have the variant which prevents the ACTN3 gene from making this specific muscle protein.

“Having this variant does not seem to have any harmful health effects, but there does seem to be an effect on sports performance. Scientific studies involving elite level athletes suggest that the presence of this specific muscle protein contributes to the muscle’s ability to generate forceful contractions at high velocity.

“In fact, one study found that a high number of Olympic sprint athlete tested had neither copy of their ACTN3 gene.”

The test involves only a simply swab of a child’s mouth, and costs around $166 in Canadian funds. Results take about four weeks to come back and parents are sent a certificate confirming what was found and what it might mean for their sports-minded youngster.

The company can’t guarantee you’ll be raising the next Donovan Bailey (top left) or Usain Bolt but it’s designed to show if there’s a predisposition to doing better in one activity than another. But even Atlas has a caveat. “While genetic potential for sports type may be indicated by this result, success will be influenced by training and conditioning,” it warns.

The testing is based on research originally done in Australia in 2003, and Atlas claims it’s simply following up on those studies.

Parents like Jeff Chung think it’s at least worth exploring. He played volleyball for Team Canada and was a professional in Europe. His wife was a whiz at varsity basketball. And now their infant daughter is showing off her skills.

“We bought her the jolly jumper and she’s been going crazy on this thing and she’s been kicking non-stop,” Jeff laughs.

What do doctors here think of the idea? “There’s data to support this, that all of the 100 metre gold medalists over the last ten years have two “R” forms of the ACTN3 gene,” explains Dr. Stephen Scherer of the Hospital for Sick Children. “It is quite predictive … that you will be able to perform at very high levels. But how you use that information is a different story.

It turns out Jeff’s daughter has one “R” variant of the gene, but a lot depends on how it’s nurtured. “Hopefully she’s going to grow up with a good attitude and a good work ethic,” Jeff surmises. “And with the proper training, she’ll go in the right direction.”

But some experts wonder if an analysis done on infants or those eight years of age or older really shows anything. They suggest it’s a waste of money and that it could have the opposite effect, steering kids with a natural propensity for one sport away from the competition based on the results of a speculative test.

Still, for parents who want to give their kids a leg up on the field, it’s not so expensive that they’re willing to rule it out. If you’d like to find out more about the tests and how to arrange for one, click here.

Photo credit: Patrick Hertzog/AFP/Getty Images