- With Mayo Clinic genetic counselor
Carrie A. Zabel, M.S., C.G.C.
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Carrie A. Zabel, M.S., C.G.C.
Carrie A. Zabel, M.S., C.G.C.
"We must begin now to prepare for the future; we cannot wait until the details are known or fully understood."*
— David B. Schowalter, M.D., Ph.D., former Mayo geneticist, (*posthumous)
Carrie A. Zabel, M.S., C.G.C., is a board-certified genetic counselor who specializes in hereditary cancer syndromes. One of her main professional interests is the family medical history.
"Recognizing features in the family history which may suggest an underlying single gene disorder can have a huge impact on families," she says. "Identifying a genetic susceptibility gene can allow family members to more accurately understand their risk of disease and empower those who have an increased genetic susceptibility to take control of their medical management and lifestyle factors which may influence this risk."
She received her B.S. in biology from the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse in 2002 and M.S. in genetic counseling from the University of Minnesota in 2004.
She was a clinical genetic counselor at the Marshfield Clinic in Marshfield, Wis., before joining Mayo Clinic in August 2006 as a genetic counselor and educator for the grant-funded Mayo Eisenberg Genomics Education Program. During her time in Wisconsin, she was also an active member of the metabolic subcommittee of the state Newborn Screening Program and co-facilitated a phenylketonuria clinic.
At Mayo Clinic, she provides physician and staff education about clinically relevant topics in genomics. She also manages multiple education projects championed by Mayo Clinic physicians and is a faculty member for Mayo Medical School. In addition to her education roles, she sees adult patients in the Department of Medical Genetics.
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Genetics blog
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March 3, 2009
Can genetic tests steer children to the right activity?
By Carrie A. Zabel, M.S., C.G.C.
Advances in scientific knowledge and availability of technology have made genetic testing readily accessible to you. And, genetic testing is no longer just reserved for the doctors' office.
Multiple biotech companies have capitalized on your interest in genetics; they take the complexities out of genetic testing and make it as simple as online shopping. Each of these companies has a different list of options, but promises the same thing — the chance to better understand your health through genetic testing.
Some of the companies test for common health conditions such as diabetes, heart disease and cancer; others are focused on biological traits. For example, one company is now marketing a genetic test for children which will tell you what category of sports they are most likely to excel at.
This specific test looks for a common genetic variant in the gene ACTN3, one out of approximately 25,000 genes present in every cell of the human body. ACTN3 has been shown to have an influence on sports performance because it affects the construction of muscle fibers.
If a person has two copies of the common variant, they may do extremely well at endurance activities, such as long distance running. If a person has zero copies of this variant, the muscle fibers are constructed in such a way that makes them better at power sports, such as football.
Many experts argue that a child's physical abilities are much more complicated than can be predicted by a single genetic test; that sports performance is based upon a combination of multiple genes and environmental factors acting together. Others may argue that there is no harm in trying to understand and steer your child into activities in which they are more likely to succeed.
Can we, and should we, predict the areas of strength and weakness for a child, in sports performance or otherwise? Would this information be helpful or harmful? Let's hear your thoughts.
7 comments posted
March 19, 2009 9:07 a.m.
I think this can be misleading. There is no accounting for the determination of the human spirit. I think it's a fine line between steering kids toward a sport they can excel at and fast tracking them toward the Olympics. (Exaggeration intended for impact.) Kids should be kids. Give them lots of opportunities to see what they are interested in and if they excel at it , then good for them. If not, let them enjoy it. It doesn't always have to be about winning. In my humble opinion....
- Chris Hill
March 18, 2009 4:15 p.m.
What is in a person’s genes is such a small part of what makes a person successful that I find the premise of this discussion borders on the absurd. Read “Outliers, the story of Success” to get the full picture. People’s believe that they know what is best for others is fine to a point, but when they think that they have scientific or religious support for their opinion, they can be tyrannical. Always keep in mind, “People learn to abuse a thing long before they learn how to use it!”
- Dr. Krug
March 14, 2009 6:44 p.m.
Russia and the the former East Germany have been doing this for 30 years. Slow twitch and fast twitch fibers ratios can also be used to determine an "endurance versus a power" athlete. I wish my parents did this with me...so I did not waste time trying to be good in a sport (gymnastics) that I just was not good at ! BUT I liked it. That is the crucial question: Are you good at something but you don't like it? Or do you like a sport but are not good at it. Playing a musical instrument versus becoming a dancer holds similar choices. In fact the Russians and East Germans "encouraged" male and female athletes to marry who were "athletically comptible!" The result was domination in many sports!
- Andre Cadet
March 12, 2009 7:03 p.m.
Children need to try many things before they experience enough to settle on one sport. Give them a chance to back up their choices with experience.
- Sufa
March 11, 2009 10:40 p.m.
I am a certified fitness trainer, specializing in stength and cardiopulmonary function enhancement. I have noticed that "star" athletes in different sports have different and specific body types and characteristics. At some point in the future, with genetic testing it will be possible to predict whether or not a child has the specific biophysical structure and psychophysical "wiring" to excell in a specific sport, such as soccer, football, cycling, etc. This, coupled with performance enhancing drugs (i.e., anabolic steroids) which eventually will be legalized, should make for an interest development. In fact, the same testing could be utilized when available to discern mental capacity (i.e., genius) and even manipulate it as desired.
- Dean Schlarbaum
March 8, 2009 11:12 p.m.
For my own daughter, I think it would make her feel better, ( even if after the fact) as she tried to be competitive in running and just couldn't get there no matter how hard she tried.
- JT
March 3, 2009 1:53 p.m.
There’s really nothing wrong with information if used appropriately. If a child is interested in sports, doesn’t knowing what they are best suited for have value? Don’t we all desire our kids to succeed? The information would be misused if a child is not interested in competitive sports and is pushed based on genetic predispositions. In sports as in anything else in life, determination and ambition still seem to have a greater influence than genetics. Unfortunately, some companies involved in genetic profiling make false, exaggerated or misleading claims about their products. This is particularly the case when a company “owns” a gene by way of having received a patent. Although the one mutation in the ACTN3 gene (patented) has some scientific relevance, it is only one of many genes related to athletic performance. CyGene Laboratories (I’m the CEO) developed an athletic performance test that is currently based on five genes and examines six mutation sites that have good scientific evidence relative to athleticism and risk of sports related injury. We upgraded this panel with a newly validated gene (third party peer reviewed studies) and our existing customers paid only $15 to upgrade a $100 product. Parents spend a lot on their children’s education and sports. If a genetic test gave information about your child having musical talent, would you not at least expose them to music to find out if they enjoy it enough to develop the drive and determination to be the best?
- Martin Munzer
7 comments posted