What Genetic Traits Does Health and Wellness Testing Cover?

These traits are different than those tested for diagnostic purposes. Rather than testing for things like cancer or a genetic predisposition for Alzheimer’s disease or Huntington’s disease, health and wellness testing will assess things like weight loss ability, macronutrient utilization or athletic performance. 

Typically, health and wellness tests break down into three categories:

• Weight loss ability

• Athletic performance 

• Nutrients

Weight Loss Ability

Labs review different genetic variants of several different traits when assessing this category. When analyzed together, those traits indicate the person’s weight loss ability based on their genetics. Something to keep in mind here is that everyone can lose weight, so this test is not going to tell them they won’t lose weight. What it will tell them is what they need to do to achieve that weight loss goal based on their genetic predisposition. 

Common traits evaluated for weight loss ability may include:

• Fat loss response to cardio

• Body composition response to strength training

• Macronutrient utilization

• Micronutrient tendencies

• Fitness response to cardio

• HDL, glucose, triglyceride, and insulin sensitivity response to cardio

• Impulse control and tasting preference

Athletic Performance 

The process for a genetic test for athletic performance is the same as the weight loss ability test. The difference is the genetic variants and genetic traits that get tested. An athletic performance genetic test isn’t going to say that your client could be a professional athlete or not. Rather, it indicates areas where they can excel and use their genetics to their advantage. Conversely, it will also show them where they may need to work a little harder to combat a genetic predisposition. 

Typical traits tests for athletic performance are:

• Body composition response to exercise

• Macronutrient utilization

• Caffeine metabolism

• Fitness response to cardio

• Intrinsic motivation to exercise

• Power and endurance potential

• VO2 Max

• Exercise heart rate response and stroke volume 

• Recovery and Injury Risk

Nutrients

As with both weight loss and athletic performance testing, nutrient testing looks a third configuration of genetic variants and genetic traits. This is where your client will learn more about traits such as their ability to process protein. Typical traits tested for nutrients may include:

• Protein, carbohydrate, and fat utilization

• Vitamin and mineral tendencies

• Addictive behavior and stimulus control 

• Impulse control and tasting preference

• Injury risk

• Systemic inflammation

• Sleep duration

The results of these DNA tests are interesting to know, and you could just leave it at that. However, the real power behind this information comes into play when a trainer uses it to help a client reach their goals more efficiently. It doesn’t have to be a guessing game trying to figure out how your client’s body responds cardio or how likely they are to give in to cravings. Genetic testing for health and wellness can open doors and enhance your ability to design increasingly effective health and fitness programs.