New genetic test asks which sport a child was born to play

[Guest guest]

I haven't read the entire article yet but still here's the link:

http://www.iht.com/articles/2008/11/29/sports/30genetics.php

Pérez

Reynosa, Mexico

[Extracts:

.....In this era of genetic testing, DNA is being analyzed to determine

predispositions to disease, but experts raise serious questions about marketing

it as a first step in finding a child's sports niche, which some parents

consider the road to a college scholarship or a career as a professional

athlete.

Atlas executives acknowledge that their test has limitations but say that it

could provide guidelines for placing youngsters in sports. The company is

focused on testing children from infancy to about 8 years old because physical

tests to gauge future sports performance at that age are, at best, unreliable.

Some experts say ACTN3 testing in its infancy and virtually useless. Dr.

Theodore Friedmann, the director of the University of California-San Diego

Medical Center's interdepartmental gene therapy program, called it " an

opportunity to sell new versions of snake oil. "

" This may or may not be quite that venal, but I would like to see a lot more

research done before it is offered to the general public, " he said. " I don't

deny that these genes have a role in athletic success, but it's not that black

and white. "

Dr. Roth, director of the functional genomics laboratory at the

University of land's School of Public Health who has studied ACTN3, said he

thought the test would become popular. But he had reservations.

" The idea that it will be one or two genes that are contributing to the

Phelpses or the Usain Bolts of the world I think is shortsighted because it's

much more complex than that, " he said, adding that athletic performance has been

found to be affected by at least 200 genes.

Roth called ACTN3 " one of the most exciting and eyebrow-raising genes out there

in the sports-performance arena, " but he said that any test for the gene would

be best used only on top athletes looking to tailor workouts to their body

types.

" It seems to be important at very elite levels of competition, " Roth said. " But

is it going to affect little ny when he participates in soccer, or Suzy's

ability to perform sixth grade track and field? There's very little evidence to

suggest that. "

The study that identified the connection between ACTN3 and elite athletic

performance was published in 2003 by researchers primarily based in Australia.

Those scientists looked at the gene's combinations, one copy provided by each

parent. The R variant of ACTN3 instructs the body to produce a protein,

alpha-actinin-3, found specifically in fast-twitch muscles. Those muscles are

capable of the forceful, quick contractions necessary in speed and power sports.

The X variant prevents production of the protein.

The ACTN3 study looked at 429 elite white athletes, including 50 Olympians, and

found that 50 percent of the 107 sprint athletes had two copies of the R

variant. Even more telling, no female elite sprinter had two copies of the X

variant. All male Olympians in power sports had at least one copy of the R

variant.

Conversely, nearly 25 percent of the elite endurance athletes had two copies of

the X variant — only slightly higher than the control group at 18 percent. That

means people with two X copies are more likely to be suited for endurance

sports....

" The problem here is that the kids are not old enough to make rational

autonomous decisions about their own life, " he said.

Some parents will steer clear of the test for that reason.

Dr. Ray Howe, a general practitioner in Denver, said he would rather see his

2-year-old, ph, find his own way in life and discover what sports he likes

the best. Howe, a former professional cyclist, likened ACTN3 testing to gene

testing for breast cancer or other diseases.

" You might be able to find those things out, but do you really want to know? " he

said.

Others, like Lori Lacy, 36, said genetic testing would be inevitable. Lacy, who

lives in Broomfield, Colorado, has three children ranging in age from 2 months

to 5 years.

" Parents will start to say, 'I know one mom who's doing the test on her son, so

maybe we should do the test too,' " she said.

" Peer pressure and curiosity would send people over the edge. What if my son

could be a pro football player and I don't know it? " ]