Sock Doc Podcast With Endurance Planet: Genetic Tests and The Pros and Cons To Discovering Your DNA

Listen to a super-informative Endurance Planet Podcast with Tawnee and me, The Sock Doc, focusing on genetics and DNA!

Topics Include:

DNA, gentics, epigenetics & on getting your genes tested:

• DNA is the long-term information storage.
• Via transcription, RNA is formed, and this is how the gene expresses itself = epigenetics.
• Circadian rhythms turn ~50% of genes on and off each day.
• Environmental factors are important here.
• Be careful of correlation vs. causation with genetic tests.
• Pros and cons of genetic tests.
• They may give data but not necessarily information that we can use.
• Even with tests, there are few things we can predict – it’s too complex.
• Timing is what’s important – what does that mean and why.
• Using genetic tests to make individualized nutritional recommendations, aka the emerging field of nutrigenomics.
• If your genetic test says you’re can metabolism a substance well or not (i.e. caffeine, alcohol) is that the be all end all? maybe not. health status matters.
• The athletes you see do better on a certain diet may likely have that encoded in their genes, due to ancestry and/or childhood rearing, and, thus, their gene expressions (performance) respond optimally when they re-align with their genetic predisposition – but this is not yet verified in the literature.
  Steve thoughts?
• Associations with diet improvement based on genetics (e.g. will some do better on low-carb, like those with FTO?), but we’re not there with genetic-based interventions.
• Take homes: clinical application and applying these tests to your own needs.
• Other health tests that may be more worth your buck and why.

Injury and biomechanical questions:

• Help for patellar tendonitis.
• Ramping up intensity and/or volume too quick is often the fast track to injury, take the time to heal and utilize a practitioner who will provide hands on help.

Should someone with a leg length discrepancy use orthotics?

• Or should you first identify if it’s a true leg length discrepancy or some other underlying issue that can be fixed?
• True leg length discrepancies are rare.

Dr. Stephen Gangemi "Sock Doc"

I'm a board-certified chiropractic physician and clinical nutritionist with a passion for true natural health care. I implement dietary & nutritional therapies, exercise & movement practices, and lifestyle changes along with manual therapy techniques to help the body heal and prevent illness and injuries.