68 | id == 68
68 | category_id == 13
68 | category_order == 10
68 | category_name == Fitness
68 | category_color == #C47AC0
68 | slug == IL6-Athletic-Performance
68 | title == Power-Based Athletic Performance and IL6
68 | meta_description == Can this SNP in the IL6 gene improve performance in power based sports? Click here to find out more!
68 | summary == <p style="text-align:justify"><strong>The <em>IL6</em> gene helps create interleukin-6 (IL-6), an immune system compound which&nbsp;is important for muscle recovery and athletic performance. In fact, some scientists refer to IL-6 as &quot;an exercise factor&quot;! Furthermore, studies suggest that a certain variant in this gene may be more common in power-oriented athletes, and may even give some people a performance advantage when it comes to athletic performance in certain sports. Read on to find out more!</strong></p>
68 | overall_score_text == Athletic Power Score (based on IL6)
68 | image == https://sd-selfdecode-assets-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/blog/background/IL6_Fitness_post.jpg
68 | author_id == 10
68 | author_name == Biljana Novkovic
68 | author_title == PhD
68 | author_order == 50
68 | author_photo == https://sd-selfdecode-assets-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/blog/author-photo/Biljana.jpg
68 | author_intro == <p><strong>Biljana received her PhD in Ecological Genetics from Hokkaido University.</strong></p>    <p>Before joining SelfHacked, she was a research scientist with extensive field and laboratory experience. She spent 4 years reviewing the scientific literature on supplements, lab tests and other areas of health sciences. She is passionate about releasing the most accurate science &amp; health information available on topics, and she&#39;s meticulous when writing and reviewing articles to make sure the science is sound. She believes that SelfHacked has the best science that is also layperson-friendly on the web.</p>
68 | reviewer_id == 4
68 | reviewer_name == Matt Carland
68 | reviewer_title == PhD
68 | medical_reviewer_id == 11
68 | medical_reviewer_name == Puya Yazdi
68 | medical_reviewer_title == MD
68 | publish_date == 2019
68 | publish_date == 11
68 | publish_date == 2
68 | avg_rating == 4.8
68 | tags_id == 176
68 | tags_name == Athletic Performance
68 | tags_id == 207
68 | tags_name == Exercise
68 | tags_id == 206
68 | tags_name == Fitness
68 | tags_id == 203
68 | tags_name == IL6 Gene
68 | tags_id == 95
68 | tags_name == Immune System
68 | tags_id == 24
68 | tags_name == Inflammation
68 | permissions_favorite == False
68 | permissions_rate == False
68 | content_article == <table style="width: 90%; border-collapse: collapse; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" border="1" cellpadding="10"> <tbody> <tr> <td style="width: 100%; text-align: justify;"><strong>Note:</strong><span style="font-weight: 400;"> We discuss </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">IL6</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;"> &mdash; as well as many other important genes &mdash; in SelfDecode&rsquo;s </span><a href="https://get.selfdecode.com/gene-reports/nm/fitness/"><strong><em>Fitness DNA Wellness Report</em></strong></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">. If you&rsquo;re curious to learn more about the genetics of fitness, exercise, weight loss, and overall physical health, we recommend checking it out!</span></td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <p style="text-align: justify;">&nbsp;</p> <h2 style="text-align: justify;"><strong>IL-6 in Exercise</strong></h2> <p style="text-align: justify;"><a href="http://selfhacked.com/blog/interleukin-6/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Interleukin-6</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> (IL-6) is a </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">cytokine</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;"> &mdash; a signaling molecule released by cells to interact and communicate with other cells. It's best known for its role in the immune response. Research shows that, depending on the situation, IL-6 can have either pro- or anti-inflammatory properties [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26658771"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">]. Its important role in the immune system may even contribute to some genetic differences in </span><a href="../article/IL6-Longevity-66"><span style="font-weight: 400;">longevity</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">.</span></p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">But did you know that apart from the immune system, IL-6 also plays an important role in our muscles? So much so, in fact, that it has been dubbed an "</span><a href="https://selfhacked.com/blog/top-14-proven-health-benefits-exercise-references-mechanisms/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">exercise</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> factor" by some scientists due to its effects [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23470916"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Using your muscles causes them to make and release IL-6, which is why blood IL-6 levels increase during exercise. Exactly how much IL-6 gets produced depends heavily on the intensity and duration of the exercise. For example, IL-6 blood levels can increase by as much as 100-fold after a marathon race [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2278876/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4163639/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11303145"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">]!</span></p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Research suggests that muscle-derived IL-6 works mainly in an anti-inflammatory fashion, and that many of its effects are generally beneficial. Some studies have reported that it helps control blood sugar levels by signaling the liver, and that it may be responsible for fat-burning during exercise (by signaling the fat tissue). In addition, some studies found that muscle-derived IL-6 may also counteract the effect of other, pro-inflammatory cytokines, thereby potentially preventing </span><a href="https://selfhacked.com/blog/insulin-101/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">insulin</span></a><a href="https://www.selfhacked.com/blog/top-tips-for-fixing-insulin-resistance/"><span style="font-weight: 400;"> resistance</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, as well as cardiovascular issues such as hardening of the arteries (</span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">atherosclerosis</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;">) [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2278876/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19251052"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4677779/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3506236/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17144883"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: 400; background-color: #e8ebfc; border-left: 2px solid #4569fa; display: block; padding: 20px;">IL-6 is released by muscles during exercise. Some studies have shown that muscle-derived IL-6 works in an anti-inflammatory fashion, may help burn fat and maintain blood sugar levels, and may even prevent insulin resistance and promote overall cardiovascular health.</span></p> <h2 style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Athletic Performance and rs1800795</strong></h2> <p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">When it comes to exercise, there is one SNP in the </span><a href="../../gene/il6/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">IL6</span></em></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"><a href="../../gene/il6/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> gene</a> in particular that stands out: </span><a href="../../snp/rs1800795/"><span style="font-weight: 400;"><strong>rs1800795</strong></span></a> (<span style="font-weight: 400;">also known as the &ldquo;-174G&gt;C&rdquo; polymorphism). Several studies have reported a link between the 'G' allele (especially the 'GG' genotype) of rs1800795 and the likelihood of a person engaging in power-oriented sports [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23470916"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19853505"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28666769"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/31343553"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">]</span><span style="font-weight: 400;">.</span></p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Based on these findings, some scientists suggest that carriers of the 'G' allele may have an advantage when it comes to performing in power-based sports, such as sprinting [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19853505"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/31343553"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">For example, power-oriented athletes (jumpers, throwers, sprinters) were more likely to have the 'GG' genotype compared to endurance athletes (cyclists, runners) and nonathletes [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23470916"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19853505"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Similarly, people with 'CC' or 'CG' genotypes were less likely to be power athletes [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28666769"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">However, it's important to recognize some significant limitations of these studies. One is the limited number of participants &mdash; only a couple hundred per study &mdash; which is usually not considered a enough people to look at when trying to detect the subtle genetic influences of individual SNPs. Another is that these studies were more-or-less focused only on European populations. Therefore, while these findings are suggestive, they will still need to be fully verified by studies in larger and more diverse populations.</span></p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: 400; background-color: #e8ebfc; border-left: 2px solid #4569fa; display: block; padding: 20px;">Studies suggest that the 'G' allele and the 'GG' genotype of rs1800795 may be more common in power athletes, and therefore may be beneficial for performance in power-based sports such as sprinting, jumping, and throwing.</span></p> <h2 style="text-align: justify;"><strong>How Exactly Do IL-6 and rs1800795 Relate to Power Sports?</strong></h2> <p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Muscle tissue is </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">dynamic</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;"> &mdash; it adapts to both the nature and intensity of muscle use. That's why your muscles get bigger when you exercise, and vice versa: if you don't use your muscles, you gradually lose them [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21270317"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">When it comes to exercising, gradually increasing the intensity of exercise can help avoid muscle damage &mdash; which often happens in people who are less experienced and/or try to do too much too soon [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21270317"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">]. There is a specific type of exercise that may lead to greater gains in strength and muscle mass than other types of exercise &mdash; but it can also cause greater muscle damage. It's called &ldquo;</span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">eccentric</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;">&rdquo; exercise [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6510035/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">]. Eccentric exercise refers to movements that lengthen a muscle under tension, such as lowering a weight/dumbbell, the downward motion of a squat or a push-up, or lowering the body during a crunch or a pull-up.</span></p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">The inflammation that happens in response to eccentric muscle damage helps in muscle repair [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6510035/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">]. Research shows that IL-6 helps muscles recover after damage due to this type of exercise. For example, IL-6 generally stays in the blood longer after eccentric exercise compared to other types of exercise, such as running [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20459474"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4983298/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">The 'C' allele of rs1800795 has been associated with lower blood IL-6 levels and greater increases in </span><a href="https://selfhacked.com/blog/creatine-kinase/"><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">creatine kinase</span></em></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, a biological marker of muscle damage. As a result, scientists have suggested that 'C' allele carriers may have increased muscle damage following resistance training, and therefore may be under-represented among athletes that require such training [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/31343553"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Conversely, that's why in power-oriented sports &mdash; which are associated with more muscle damage during training or competition &mdash; athletes with 'GG' genotypes may benefit from faster recovery times, giving them a slight genetic edge over their competition [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4983298/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: 400; background-color: #e8ebfc; border-left: 2px solid #4569fa; display: block; padding: 20px;">Studies suggest that IL-6 helps in muscle repair after damage due to eccentric exercise. The 'C' allele of rs1800795 has been associated with increased muscle damage after resistance training.</span></p> <h2 style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Your <em>IL6</em> Results for Fitness</strong></h2> <p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">You can see your genetic data for this </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">IL6</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;"> SNP in the table below. However, keep in mind that these results are based on association studies finding that certain genotypes are more common in particular kinds of athletes when looking at relatively large numbers of people. In other words, just because you have a certain variant for this SNP doesn&rsquo;t mean that you can&rsquo;t be a good power athlete!</span></p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>*2186427937474826*</strong></p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><strong><em>IL6</em></strong><strong> <a href="../../snp/rs1800795/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">rs1800795</a>:</strong></p> <ul style="text-align: justify;"> <li style="font-weight: 400; text-align: justify;"><strong>&lsquo;GG&rsquo; (<em>homozygous major</em> genotype</strong><span style="font-weight: 400;"><strong>):</strong> Relatively faster recovery after muscle damage from eccentric exercise; more likely to be a power athlete.</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: 400;"><strong>&lsquo;C&rsquo; allele:</strong> Relatively slower recovery after muscle damage from eccentric exercise; somewhat less likely to be a power athlete.</span></li> </ul> <p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">About 23% of people in the world carry the minor 'C' allele. This variant, however, is much more common in Europeans, where the majority of people (69%) have it.</span></p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">However, remember that this doesn't mean that all successful power athletes have the 'GG' genotype! It only means that, statistically, people with the 'CC' genotype tend to be less common in power sports compared to endurance sports, or compared to the general population.</span></p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>*4919282488880427*</strong></p> <h2 style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Strategies To Improve Muscle Recovery Vs. Performance</strong></h2> <p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">If you don't have the beneficial 'GG' genotype, don't despair! Not having this genotype certainly doesn't mean that you can't excel in power-oriented sports. Remember, </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">IL6 </span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;">isn't the only gene that influences athletic performance, and this gene alone does not represent your overall genetic score when it comes to performance in power-oriented sports &mdash; it&rsquo;s just one factor of many!</span></p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Always make sure to always speak with your doctor before making any significant changes to your daily routine &mdash; and especially before starting any new supplements, as they could interfere with your current medications or conditions.</span></p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>*3536361732048094*</strong></p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">When it comes to improving muscle recovery, you may find a lot of suggestions online: from warming up before exercise and stretching after, to getting lots of </span><a href="https://selfhacked.com/blog/health-benefits-sleep/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">sleep</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="http://selfhacked.com/blog/12-reasons-embrace-cold/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">cold</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> showers, and massages. What's surprising is that science suggests that none of these actually influence muscle recovery, though they may improve other exercise-related traits [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/31567839"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24139151"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/31469710"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27704555"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29685828"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">However, what </span><strong><em>does</em></strong><span style="font-weight: 400;"> seem to help is getting enough protein after exercise. People who do strength/power training have higher protein requirements, because they need more amino acids to repair their muscles [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2129150/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/30110239/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29106812"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">There is an initial small-scale study that has looked at the effect of melatonin supplementation on people engaging in strenuous exercise. In this study, supplementing with </span><a href="https://selfhacked.com/blog/melatonin/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">melatonin</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> decreased baseline (pro-inflammatory) IL-6 levels. Meanwhile, it also increased the release of muscle-derived (anti-inflammatory) IL-6 levels after the exercise [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21615492"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">]. This would suggest that melatonin may help in muscle recovery in response to eccentric exercise &mdash; however, much larger studies will be needed to fully verify this finding.</span></p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">When it comes to other nutrients and supplements, most of them decrease soreness and muscle damage: but they also work to </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">decrease</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;"> muscle-derived IL-6 levels after exercise, and therefore may actually </span><strong><em>interfere</em></strong><span style="font-weight: 400;"> with the desired effects of exercise (mainly adaptation of muscles to exercise and increased muscle strength) [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/30110239/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">]. In other words, some supplements may make you feel better &mdash; such as removing that soreness you feel in the days following a strenuous exercise session &mdash; but they may also decrease the benefits your muscles would otherwise experience without taking them! While research in this field is still ongoing and there is a lot we still don't know about muscle adaptation and recovery, scientists suggest there may be a way to supplement smart: choosing supplements (and timing when you take them) based on whether it's more important for you to recover quickly, or to adapt and increase muscle strength. Stay tuned &mdash; we will share new information as soon as we learn more!</span></p> <p style="text-align: justify;">&nbsp;</p>
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68 | content_learn_more_4919282488880427_text == Based on the variants we looked at, your IL6 gene might make you more prone to muscle damage after eccentric exercise, and therefore less likely to specialize in power-based exercise. However, this doesn't necessarily reflect your overall disposition towards power-based exercise — it's just an insight based on a single gene. Keep scrolling to find out more!
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rsIDs = rs1800795
rsStatus = rs1800795,IL6,chr7,22727026,C,G,T,,6,27,HET
