The Nuance
The Truth About DNA Fitness Tests
Genetic tests promise to optimize your workouts, but the science hasn’t caught up
Every week, the Nuance will go beyond the basics, offering a deep and researched look at the latest science and expert insights on a buzzed-about health topic.
The sales pitch is compelling: By revealing the secrets locked inside your DNA, genetic testing can optimize your workout gains while reducing your risk for injury. “Remove the guesswork from training,” claims one company. “Take your exercise choices to the next level,” says another.
The companies selling these services (often for hundreds of dollars) say they’re backed by hard science. But take a close look at the research undergirding these products and you’ll catch a distinct whiff of snake oil.
“There are some companies out there who are just making stuff up or exaggerating to the point of fraud, but even the companies that aren’t making fraudulent claims are utilizing the scientific aura surrounding DNA to imply that there’s more evidence than there really is,” says Robert Green, MD, a professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School and director of the Genomes2People Research Program based at Brigham and Women’s Hospital.
