Cellular biomarker concentrations more accurately reflect functional athletic capacity than standard blood tests
Performance biomarker analysis represents a significant advancement in athletic testing by examining markers within the cellular environment where metabolic processes driving performance actually occur. Traditional blood tests often reflect only circulating levels, which may not accurately represent cellular utilisation, functional reserves, or metabolic activity relevant to athletic performance.
Advanced mass spectrometry enables precise quantification of performance-related molecules. The balance of anabolic and catabolic markers directly influences recovery capacity and adaptations to training. Comprehensive analysis across amino acids, hormones, fatty acids, vitamins, and minerals provides integrated athletic assessment. Your results create a personalised blueprint for targeted performance optimisation across four key dimensions.
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How your lifestyle choices influence gene expression without changing DNA—and why this matters for athletic.
Performance biomarker analysis represents a significant advancement in athletic testing by examining markers within the cellular environment where metabolic processes driving performance actually occur. Traditional blood tests often reflect only circulating levels, which may not accurately represent cellular utilisation, functional reserves, or metabolic activity relevant to athletic performance.
Our Performance Biomarker Profile employs advanced Dried Blood Spot (DBS) technology coupled with high-resolution mass spectrometry to analyse critical markers across four primary performance dimensions.
The epigenome plays a crucial role in numerous physiological processes:
This comprehensive approach provides unprecedented insight into your athletic biochemistry at the functional level where it impacts training, recovery, and performance outcomes.
Our Performance Biomarker Profile examines 30 critical markers across four major categories, providing a detailed assessment of your athletic biochemistry:
These foundational biomarkers establish the baseline capacity for athletic output:
Vitamin D functions as a hormone-like compound affecting numerous athletic processes. It regulates over 1,000 genes throughout the body, providing critical support for neuromuscular function, coordination, and structural integrity. Vitamin D also modulates inflammatory responses to training and influences hormonal balance related to recovery capacity.
Research has consistently demonstrated associations between vitamin D status and various aspects of athletic performance, including muscle function, power output, and recovery rates. Athletes with optimal vitamin D levels typically demonstrate enhanced force production, reduced injury rates, and improved training adaptations.
This semi-essential amino acid serves as a precursor to nitric oxide, a critical vasodilator affecting blood flow to working muscles. Arginine enhances oxygen and nutrient delivery during exercise while supporting ammonia detoxification during intense training sessions. It also influences growth hormone secretion and anabolic processes that support recovery and adaptation.
During high-intensity training, arginine helps facilitate waste product removal and buffer metabolic byproducts that can impair performance. Its role in nitric oxide production has been associated with enhanced blood flow to skeletal muscle, potentially improving nutrient delivery and metabolic waste clearance.
Citrulline increases arginine bioavailability in endothelial cells, enhancing nitric oxide production more effectively than arginine supplementation alone. This amino acid has been shown to reduce perceived exertion during high-intensity exercise while accelerating lactate and ammonia clearance. It also supports ATP regeneration during intense efforts.
Recent research has demonstrated citrulline's ability to improve performance in high-intensity exercise, particularly in repeated bout scenarios where metabolic clearance becomes a limiting factor. Its efficiency in enhancing nitric oxide production makes it a valuable marker for assessing vascular function related to performance.
This conditionally essential amino acid regulates calcium homeostasis in skeletal muscle and stabilises cell membranes during mechanical stress. Taurine modulates insulin sensitivity and glucose metabolism while supporting osmoregulation and cell volume maintenance crucial for optimal muscle function. It also enhances fat oxidation capacity during endurance exercise.
Taurine's abundance in skeletal muscle reflects its importance in contractile function, with research demonstrating its role in excitation-contraction coupling, force production, and fatigue resistance. Athletes in high-intensity sports typically benefit from optimal taurine status due to its protective effects against exercise-induced cellular damage.
This monounsaturated fatty acid maintains cell membrane fluidity and receptor function while supporting anti-inflammatory pathways during recovery. Oleic acid enhances mitochondrial membrane integrity and influences substrate utilisation during prolonged activity. It also modulates gene expression related to metabolic function and adaptation.
Research has shown associations between oleic acid status and exercise-induced inflammation, with higher levels potentially supporting more effective inflammatory resolution after training. Its role in membrane fluidity affects numerous cellular processes relevant to athletic performance and recovery.
These biomarkers directly influence sustained energy production and aerobic performance:
Tyrosine serves as a precursor to dopamine, norepinephrine, and epinephrine, supporting cognitive function during prolonged exercise and enhancing focus during fatigue states. It modulates central fatigue mechanisms and influences thermoregulation during extended efforts.
Asparagine supports cellular adaptation to increased training volumes while functioning in amino acid transport and metabolism. It facilitates ammonia management during prolonged exercise and supports glycolysis and gluconeogenesis during endurance activities. Asparagine also assists in maintaining acid-base balance during sustained efforts.
Carnitine transports long-chain fatty acids into mitochondria and is critical for fat oxidation during submaximal exercise. It enhances metabolic flexibility between carbohydrates and fats while improving mitochondrial function and energy efficiency. Carnitine also buffers metabolic acidosis during high-intensity efforts.
Valine is an essential branched-chain amino acid used as an energy substrate that supports gluconeogenesis during prolonged exercise. It prevents exercise-induced 5-HT (serotonin) increases in the brain, delaying central fatigue during extended activity. Valine also facilitates protein synthesis during recovery phases.
Vitamin A regulates gene expression related to metabolism and supports cellular adaptation to training stress. It influences iron metabolism and oxygen transport while maintaining epithelial barrier integrity in airways. Vitamin A also enhances visual acuity and reaction time performance.
Ferritin serves as the primary iron storage protein reflecting functional iron reserves critical for hemoglobin synthesis and oxygen transport. It supports electron transport within mitochondria and is essential for optimal aerobic energy production. Ferritin also influences cognitive function during endurance exercise.
Copper functions as a required cofactor for cytochrome c oxidase in the electron transport chain, making it critical for energy production via oxidative phosphorylation. It's essential for iron metabolism and hemoglobin synthesis and serves as a component of antioxidant defence systems. Copper also supports connective tissue integrity and elasticity.
Linoleic acid is an essential omega-6 fatty acid required for membrane structure that influences inflammatory signalling and recovery. It supports nerve conduction velocity and neuromuscular function while modulating cardiovascular function during exercise. Linoleic acid also facilitates energy substrate mobilisation and utilisation.
Intracellular magnesium serves as a cofactor for over 300 enzymatic reactions and is critical for ATP synthesis and energy transfer. It regulates muscle contraction and relaxation cycles while influencing glucose metabolism and glycogen utilisation. Magnesium also supports electrolyte balance and neuromuscular function essential for endurance performance.
These markers determine how quickly and effectively your body recovers from training stress:
This essential amino acid serves as a precursor to serotonin and melatonin, influencing sleep quality and recovery. Tryptophan modulates pain perception after intense training and regulates appetite and protein synthesis. It also supports immune function during high training loads.
Research has demonstrated tryptophan's importance in managing central fatigue during prolonged exercise and supporting recovery through improved sleep quality. Its conversion to serotonin and melatonin makes it a critical marker for assessing recovery potential, particularly for athletes with high training volumes.
This ratio serves as a critical marker of anabolic/catabolic balance, indicating recovery status and training tolerance. It predicts adaptive potential to training loads and reflects central nervous system recovery. The testosterone/cortisol ratio provides a sensitive indicator of overtraining risk and recovery capacity.
Longitudinal monitoring of this ratio throughout training cycles can identify early signs of overreaching or overtraining, allowing for timely intervention before performance decrements occur. Research supports its use as a reliable indicator of physiological stress and recovery status in response to training loads.
As the primary stress hormone regulating training adaptations, cortisol mobilises energy substrates during exercise and modulates inflammatory responses to training. It influences protein synthesis and breakdown while regulating fluid balance and cardiovascular function.
Optimal cortisol responses to training show a pattern of acute elevation followed by timely return to baseline, whereas chronically elevated levels may indicate inadequate recovery or excessive stress. Research has demonstrated associations between cortisol dynamics and various aspects of recovery and adaptation.
This trace mineral serves as a component of glutathione peroxidase antioxidant system that protects cell membranes from exercise-induced damage. Selenium supports thyroid hormone metabolism and energy regulation while enhancing immune function during intensive training. It also protects against oxidative damage to DNA and cellular structures.
Research has demonstrated selenium's importance in counteracting exercise-induced oxidative stress, particularly during high-volume or high-intensity training phases. Athletes with optimal selenium status typically demonstrate enhanced recovery capacity and reduced markers of cellular damage.
EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid) is an omega-3 fatty acid with potent anti-inflammatory properties that modulates resolution of exercise-induced inflammation. It enhances cell membrane fluidity and receptor function while supporting cardiovascular adaptation to training. EPA also influences mitochondrial biogenesis and function.
DHA (docosahexaenoic acid) functions as a structural omega-3 fatty acid essential for neuronal membranes and supports cognitive function and motor learning. It enhances recovery of muscle function after eccentric exercise and modulates systemic inflammatory resolution. DHA also influences gene expression related to adaptation.
The Omega-3 Index provides a comprehensive measure of EPA and DHA in cell membranes, reflecting long-term omega-3 status and inflammatory potential. It predicts recovery capacity and adaptation to training stress while influencing heart rate variability and autonomic balance. The Omega-3 Index is also associated with reduced delayed-onset muscle soreness.
These biomarkers directly influence muscle protein synthesis and structural development:
Glutamine is the most abundant amino acid in muscle tissue and serves as a critical nitrogen transporter in amino acid metabolism. It supports immune function during intensive training and functions as a gluconeogenic precursor during glycogen depletion. Glutamine also enhances cell volumisation and anabolic signalling.
Lysine is an essential amino acid required for collagen formation and critical for structural protein synthesis. It supports calcium absorption and utilisation while influencing hormone production and tissue repair. Lysine also enhances recovery of connective tissues after training.
Proline serves as a key component of collagen structure and is essential for tendon, ligament, and fascial integrity. It supports joint health during resistance training and influences wound healing and tissue repair. Proline also contributes to structural adaptation to mechanical loading.
Threonine is an essential amino acid required for collagen and elastin and serves as a component of structural and contractile proteins. It supports immune function during intensive training and influences gut barrier integrity and nutrient absorption. Threonine also facilitates protein synthesis during post-exercise recovery.
Branched-Chain Amino Acids (BCAAs) are the primary amino acids catabolised in skeletal muscle that directly stimulate mTOR signalling for protein synthesis. They reduce exercise-induced muscle damage and soreness while attenuating central fatigue during prolonged exercise. BCAAs also support glycogen resynthesis during recovery.
Testosterone functions as the primary anabolic hormone driving adaptations that stimulates muscle protein synthesis. It enhances neural drive and force production while supporting bone density and structural integrity. Testosterone also influences recovery capacity and adaptation to training.
Intracellular zinc serves as a required cofactor for over 300 enzymes and is essential for protein synthesis and DNA repair. It's critical for testosterone production and function while supporting immune function during intensive training. Zinc also enhances growth hormone activity and IGF-1 production.
How we transform complex methylation data into actionable athletic insights.
Our proprietary scoring system synthesises multiple epigenetic indicators into actionable metrics across each module:
Our testing methodology represents the convergence of Swiss innovation and global scientific excellence:
This approach combines the highest standards of Swiss precision with convenient regional processing, ensuring reliable and actionable results.
Our technology allows for analysis at multiple levels of methylation specificity:
Our analysis and interpretation are grounded in peer-reviewed epigenetic research, including:
Our analysis begins with a simple, non-invasive collection process:
Our analysis and interpretation are grounded in peer-reviewed epigenetic research, including:
Recent research uncovers how epigenetic mechanisms regulate mitochondrial bioenergetics, shaping cellular energy production, aging, and resilience across tissue types. Studies highlight the role of nutrition in influencing the epigenome, revealing integrated pathways through which dietary patterns, methylation dynamics, and cellular programming converge to affect overall health and longevity.
Emerging findings illustrate how lifestyle-related epigenetic modifications influence mitochondrial function, heat shock response, and cellular stress resilience. Multi-omics integration reveals novel biomarkers tied to energy metabolism and longevity, while targeted factors like Klotho protein expression show direct links to protective methylation patterns that promote extended cellular function and lifespan.
Advanced methylation profiling platforms and high-throughput sequencing systems are driving precision health innovations. State-of-the-art arrays and genome-wide mapping technologies enable large-scale epigenetic assessment, while computational tools enhance the integration of complex multi-omics data for predictive health insights. Regulatory-grade components support clinical-grade methylation testing and application.
The Sports Performance Profile achieves its full potential when combined with our other testing modalities:
Together, these insights provide a complete view of your athletic landscape, enabling truly personalised approaches to optimisation.
Our platform is designed for continuous advancement:
This test is part of the broader P4Health platform—built on our Predictive, Preventative, Personalised, and Participatory approach. We don't just analyse data; we help you act on it through a connected ecosystem of tracking tools, health journeys, and community-led support.
Our comprehensive epigenetic analysis supports various applications:
Our clinical partnership program provides specialised access to patient management tools, batch testing options, and practitioner resources.
Our enterprise solutions offer scalable testing, analytics dashboards, and group health optimisation programs.
This scientific overview is provided for educational purposes only and is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. The epigenetic analysis is designed to provide insights about biological patterns that may support general wellness. Our analysis uses TGA-registered technology (ARTG entries 297844 and 398180). Individual results may vary. Always consult with your healthcare professional regarding health concerns or before making significant changes to your health regimen.
