...Although we may not like it, genetics plays a key role in whether humans will be talented enough to play in different kinds of sports. Genetics like muscle fibers, muscle growth, and most importantly, height, determine whether somebody will be naturally gifted in the sport that they actually play. That’s not the only reason and if anything hard work and the culture of somebody affects sports performance more than genetics do depending on the work ethic of an athlete. If a person is genetically un-athletic, training every day to where it becomes a part of their culture will help them achieve their goal of becoming an elite athlete. Nowadays when you see people dunking, beating world record times in track, and protecting the quarterback from...
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...A Review: Genetics as a Predictor for Success for Elite Athletes Performing in Power vs. Endurance Sports Common wisdom tells us that a sprinter is highly unlikely to excel in a marathon, and vice versa. It is easy to conceive that genetic variation is a major source of such differences in athletic ability. Actually identifying these genetic causes requires classification of athletic traits and in depth data analysis. Every year the number of polymorphisms that are candidates to clarify individual variations in sports performance increases. The growth of complexity and disproportion between studies parallels with advances in sports genetics. Additionally, there are numerous factors that play a part in these studies of elite athletes. These factors include gender, size of population, ethnic origin or level of competition of candidates, and the statistical approaches all make correlations between studies difficult. Recent studies support the possibility of developing polygenic profiles that could be used as a method to determine an athlete’s genetic predisposition to certain sports and events. A recent study conducted by Buxens et al., investigated the correlation between genetic polymorphisms and world-class endurance vs power athletes. Their research was published in an academic journal and was titled; “Can we predict top-level sports performance in power vs endurance events? A genetic approach”. The goal of their study was to discriminate potential genetic differences...
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...480 Article April 1, 2013 Genetic testing for sports is not something that is very common. Some people think that it is needed so that any type of athlete can do well in their preferred sport/skills. On the other hand, the disadvantage could be that sports may not just be for fun anymore. According to Bill Miller, genetic testing will change sports in a way that each individual will be able to maximize their performance in certain areas and minimize their risk for any sort of problems. Even though they say that they can alter these genes, does it really work? Eventually, according to the Washington Post, the Food and Drug Administration had to get involved because they never cleared this kind of testing. Atlas Sports Genetics, out of Boulder Colorado, was the first company to offer Athletic DNA testing in the United States. They decided to test a specific gene, which controls muscle protein, ACTN3. This protein helps the muscles create quicker spurs of energy and power in the body. According to Atlas’s president of operations, “A lot of people get confused and think we’re saying this can tell you whether you or your child will be the next Michael Jordan”. He also stated, “It doesn’t tell you that. But it will tell you whether you are producing this protein and whether you are predisposed to be good at a sprint sport or an endurance sport.” He is saying that if a person does develop this protein well they should be focusing more on sports that have a greater amount of...
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...Purpose: The purpose of this article is to describe gene-based therapy and how it transforms the way doctors treat and prevent disease, revolutionize the way we view illness and health and may eventually alter the way we perceive the normative human state. Gene transfer technology will inevitably spread to the world of athletics, bringing with it myriad medical, social, ethical, and philosophical challenges. This article explores some of these issues, with particular attention paid to concepts of harm and privacy. Problem: The problem with gene therapy is that using certain genes like would greatly benefit individuals with anemia and kidney failure or aggressive treatments of cancer but some of these genes are commonly abused in sports. The...
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...Genetic therapy vs Genetic enhancement (P282) The woman with the spiky hair recognized him and yelled at him, ‘Leave playing God to God’” One of the most controversial discussions there has been in genetics, is whether the use of genetic therapy or genetic enhancement are moral permissible or not. On one side, there is the genetic therapy which uses genetic research to cure an illness. In the novel ‘Sister’ by Rosamund Lupton, there is a big example of this, since the sister of the protagonist, Tess, dies after being injected with a gene that was supposed to save his baby from Cystic Fibrosis. On the other side, there is the genetic enhancement which is considered to be good because it pushes people to fill their greatest potential. Yet, the latest is not legal and for that reason in the novel the scientist who uses this practice risks the lives of most of its protagonists. And Lupton adds yet another source of tension into this tingling welter of unknowns: she uses technology not as a deus ex machinabut as a kind of diabolus in machina. Early on, Bee reveals that Tess took part in an experimental medical trial to cure her baby in utero of the cystic fibrosis that killed their brother. The unsettling science behind this procedure accompanies the narrative like an unsmiling doctor in a white lab coat, injecting a mood of anxious uncertainty. Initially Bee, “wearing my full older-sister uniform,” had counseled Tess against the treatment; but it had worked. Hearing that news from...
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...| Should parents screen for desirable genetic traits in their offspring? | | | | | | Critical Thinking 11 June 2012 Final Project As technology advances and scientists carry on with everyday research in medicine, a new way of life is created. With simply a test tube and perfectly selected genes a family can welcome their designer baby to the world with open arms. Should parents screen for desirable genetic traits in their offspring? Pre-implantation Genetic Diagnosis (PGD) also known as a designer baby is a genetic modification that is used to alter anything from gender to disease, even appearance, personality, and IQ. The Oxford Dictionary defines the term 'Designer Babies' as "a baby whose genetic makeup has been artificially selected by genetic engineering combined with in vitro fertilization to ensure the presence or absence of particular genes or characteristics." According to Wall Street Journal, “PGD is a technique whereby a three-day-old embryo, consisting of about six cells, is tested in a lab to see if it carries a particular genetic disease. Embryos free of that disease are implanted in the mother's womb. Introduced in the 1990s, it has allowed thousands of parents to avoid passing on deadly disorders to their children.” Are you willing to pay the price to have this perfect child? Many do not but the few that do, fully support it. Despite the limited amount of knowledge and awareness of the potential threats that are to be had by going...
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...transgender as denoting or relating to a person whose self-identity does not conform unambiguously to conventional notions of male or female gender. Currently, you’re unable to escape the endless reports of Caitlyn Jenner; a biological male whom has recently decided to live outwardly as a female. When one lives as a different gender than their genetics encode, whether by choice or by a distinct medical anomaly, where is the line drawn? In the world of sports could a male presented as a female, compete as a female? Would the athletic abilities be comparable or even fair? Bruce Jenner has lived as a male the vast majority of his life, in which he won numerous athletic events. Including a gold medal in the Olympics and he was even voted the 1976 AP Male Athlete of the Year. (Wikipedia contributors) His strong athletic abilities and lavish relationships with women allowed the public to categorize him as a real “man’s man”. However, he had been struggling with the nuisances of transgender. Now, what if he would have chosen to live as a female earlier in life? Could he have enjoyed the same athletic splendor as a female? Competitive sports aren’t taken lightly, anything that may suggest an unfair advantage is wildly debated. Oscar Pistorius, a South African athlete, who has prosthetics in place of his feet and lower legs, has been scrutinized for years regarding the possible advantage his prosthetics may allow. Pistorius was born with fibular hemimelia, the congenital absence...
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...between the two is only mutual interaction. The hereditary part will set the growth factors from genes and the environment part will set an extended amount of genetic potential within society. One psychologist, Sandra Scarr, has sent her own point of view with the subject of hereditary and environment with three different points of passive, evocative, and active. The passive perspective deals with the individual’s genes and surroundings of environment that are correlated with one another (Salkind, 2004). This occurs when the biological parents created a child and provide a nurture environment to their genetically related child (Santrock, 2011). They also provide a rear bearing for the child with in their own environment. An example of this from my parents is the need to want me to be intelligent and successfully read. My parents provided me with books to read and to learn enjoy reading. In return to getting me to read skillfully, I, the child, effectively became an exceptional reader. This was both due to both of my parents and their inherited predispositions and their very own environmental encouragements (Black Hawk College, 2012). Another example of the passive genotype-environment correlation is my heavily sport inclined parents. They have always been very involved in playing, participating are enjoying professional sports. My dad has coached while my mom just participated in watching him. Since my parents are...
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...------------------------------------------------- SPO1007: Sport in Context To be submitted by Wednesday 23rd March, 2016. ------------------------------------------------- An annotated bibliography of sports history related to ONE of the issues discussed in the module (class, gender or ‘race’) * 1500 words individual assignment * Summarising and evaluating the quality of 3 relevant articles * Exploring how the past can help explain the present in sport * SUBMIT your assignment ONLINE “An annotated bibliography of sports history related to one of the issues discussed in the module” The issue I have selected is Race. I have chosen three articles the articles I have chosen are as followed. “The Myth of Racial superiority in sports” this article was taken from the week 8b seminar, the second article is “'Race', sport, and British society” this article was retrieved from a literature search on nelson. The final article is “Why Black People Are Good at Sports” this article was from a web search. * A brief description of how you found the article and why you selected it * A summary of the key content of each article, related to your chosen topic – ‘race’, class or gender (main arguments, key concepts used, sporting examples used, etc.) * A quote taken directly from the article highlighting one of the main arguments (correctly referenced) * Show how the historical knowledge from the article can help us understand contemporary sport * An evaluation of the quality...
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...African Americans and their involvement in Olympic Swimming; Why are there so few African American swimmers? Marcos Mendez Georgia Southern University Abstract This paper explores the phenomena that we see in Olympic Swimming. Whites dominate this sport and African Americans hardly ever participate in this sport. This research paper explores why that is, by examining numerous sources. These sources were obtained using the internet. From the research conducted, their seem to be varying answers to this question. However the main ones are genetics and socioeconomic factors. Consequently, the genetic research is not a direct correlation to why African Americans don’t participate in swimming. Genetics only points out that differences in muscle composition, bone density, and buoyancy have some effect on a person’s ability to swim. The major cause for this goes into the past to segregation and economics. History of Olympic Swimming Swimming was learnt by prehistoric people in order to cross bodies of water. This can be proved in ancient egyptian paintings( 2011 Olympic. Org). Swimming did not truly become an organized sport until the early 19th century when British swimming clubs began to hold competitions. Swimming was added to the Olympic in 1896. History of African American Swimming Now lets look at African swimming. In 1451 when Europeans began exploring Africa. Europeans regarded Africans as “ The best swimmers in the world.” They attributed these swimming skills...
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...The nature versus nurture issue of sport is very controversial. When we come to talk about great athletes we tend to ask ourselves a question that has been around every since sports have started- are great athletes born or made? From my experiences, and other professional athlete’s experiences, I can tell you that they are made. I believe that you can achieve anything life if you want it bad enough, and are willing to do everything you can to achieve it. For instance, NBA great Reggie Miller of the Indiana Pacers is an un-athletic, skinny person who overcame leg deformities as a child that prevented him from walking. He had to wear leg braces for several years until his leg problems were corrected enough for him to start walking again. Eventually, Miller went on to play in the NBA for 13 seasons, while setting the record for most 3-point shots made (Beyond the Glory: Reggie Miller 2004). Therefore, in my opinion, Miller was not a “born” athlete. I feel that he worked hard to develop his skill, and make it into the NBA. On the other hand, many people believe that genetics make up good athletes. They believe that people are born with the ability to become a great athlete. For instance, people believe that Reggie Miller was born with genes that would make him a good basketball player since he was born with potential to grow tall. Miller is now 6’6, and almost every great basketball player surpasses the height of 6’4. Therefore, being tall gives you an advantage in basketball,...
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...Food And Obesity L. Dominique DeVry University Food and Obesity Obesity has become a serious issue in The United States. According to two surveys conducted by the Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) and the National Health Interview Survey (NHIS, for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and cited by the Weight –Control Information Network (WIN), obesity affects one-third (35.7 percent) of adults and 18.2 percent of youth between the ages of 6 and 19. About 18.6 percent of boys and 15 percent of girls are considered to be obese. About 49.5 percent of African-Americans, 39 percent Hispanics and 34.3 percent of Caucasians are considered to be obese. Obesity is defined as an excess amount of body fat and is the consequence of an energy imbalance. The human body needs food to create energy necessary for basic life functions. However, when the amount of calories ingested is greater than the amount of calories burned, that leads to weight gain and subsequently to obesity. Obesity is generally linked to overconsumption of food and more specifically, fast food. Michael Pollan, in his book “the omnivore’s dilemma”, states: “when food is abundant and cheap, people will eat more and get fat”. He blames the obesity epidemic in the United States on the excess eating of food as a result of it being accessible and inexpensive. His statement is accurate; people tend to buy more of an item when it is cheap and the same goes for food and drink. And, because most cheap...
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...years ago, this was not possible. Now we are able to decide the sex of our children, and get rid of many genetic conditions or chromosomal disorders. Also, with upcoming technology, we could even choose the physical features and cognitive strengths of our children. Preimplantation genetic diagnosis (PGD) or embryo screening is the technique used to identify genetic defects in embryos created through in vitro fertilization (IVF) before pregnancy. When one or more parents are known to have a genetic disorder, this screening is performed on the embryo to determine if the child will also have the same genetic disorder (Medscape). In the lab fertilization occurs among the egg and the sperm, and then on day three, a cell is removed and is tested for any genetic disorders. If the cells are detected for a genetic disorder, those genes are removed and only the non-effected genes are placed back into the embryo and placed into the mother by IVF. Besides testing for genetic disorders, when taking out the cell, geneticists, can also detect the sex of the child and change it depending on what the parents want (Medscape). PGD has started a big debate on where to draw the line. With technology advancements, PGD will soon be able to detect what genes depict hair and eye color, cognitive and physical functions, and everything else that makes up a human. Like being able to get rid of genetic disorders, creating the perfect person will not be that hard. Most people would want to create the ultimate...
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...My essay will be making justified recommendations to the sport of Badminton’s general reputation by using statistics of Australian Children’s participation with references to the individual, interpersonal and institutional levels of Figueroa’s framework. Figueroa’s Framework is a structural foundation developed by Professor Peter Figueroa. His theory focuses on the different factors affecting an individual with regards to participation in health and physical activity such as a person’s race. His framework investigates social factors such as Individual, Interpersonal, Institutional, Structural and Cultural level of influence, of which are all connected in one way or another. The Individual level focuses on the individual’s personal values,...
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...“An alarming number of sports—baseball, football, track and field, and especially cycling—have been shaken by doping scandals in recent years,” reports Scientific American (Schermer, 2008). The performance enhancing drugs are becoming needed good for some athletes in order to succeed. There is a tremendous clash of ideas, what path we should take in according to these types of drugs. The million-dollar question is to legalize them or not. In “Good sport, bad sport” published in The Age, Julian Savalescu and Bennett Foddy (2004) argue that the use of performance enhancing drugs should be legalized in sports because it is not “against the spirit of sport.” First of all, the authors introduce the issue of using drugs in sports as something that has been around for a long period of time, even in the Ancient Olympics. Savalescu and Foddy then explain that the elimination of drug use in sports is failing. They say the athletes’ desire to win is a lot of times stronger than staying clean. In addition, Savalescu and Foddy argue that performance enhancing drugs do not doubt the spirit of sport. In their view, making human biology more effective symbolizes the human spirit. They say that sports are about striving to be better, and drugs allow athletes to do that. Savalescu and Foddy also claim that sports today are aimed against people without genetic predispositions to be the best, and so taking drugs would equalize people with different genetic predispositions. In their opinion, the...
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