4 min readWhy does my friend build muscle faster on the same workout?Your friend may build muscle faster because of genes like ACTN3, which favours fast-twitch power fibres, ACE, linked to strength versus endurance, and PPARGC1A, which shapes how muscles respond to training, so identical workouts produce different gains across people.
Reviewed· 3 sources· 3 genes
4 min read
Why do I keep getting injured when I run?Recurring running injuries can be partly genetic: variants in collagen genes like COL1A1 and COL5A1, plus GDF5, affect the strength and elasticity of your tendons, ligaments and joints, making some people more prone to strains, sprains and tendon problems.
Reviewed· 3 sources· 3 genes
3 min readWhy am I exhausted after workouts that energise everyone else?You may be wiped out after workouts that energise others because of genes like COMT, which affects stress-hormone and dopamine clearance, IL6, tied to inflammation and recovery, and ACTN3, which shapes muscle fibre type, so the same session taxes your body and recovery differently.
Reviewed· 3 sources· 3 genes
4 min readWhy do South Asians carry more belly fat at a lower weight?South Asians tend to carry more belly fat at a lower weight because of the thin-fat phenotype: a genetic and developmental tendency to store fat around the organs (visceral fat) rather than under the skin, raising diabetes and heart risk even at a normal BMI.
Reviewed· 3 sources· 1 genes