The future of genetically based nutritional and pharmacological ergogenic aids in sport

Abstract Personalized sport supplementation in athletic populations aims to optimize health, body composition, and exercise performance by targeting ergogenic aid recommendations, both nutritional and pharmacological, to an individual's genetic profile. Nutrigenomics and nutrigenetics are experimental approaches that use genomic information and genetic testing technologies to examine the role of individual genetic differences in modifying an athlete's response to nutrients and ergogenic aids. To date, there have been few randomized, controlled trials examining the effects of genetic variation on performance in response to ergogenic aids. However, there is a growing body of evidence linking caffeine-gene interactions, and variability in response to caffeine, which in turn impact exercise and sport performance. This foundation, in the caffeine-exercise body of literature, forms the basis from which the field of nutrigenomics and ergogenic aids continues to develop. Here we review the current science that associates genetic modifiers to ergogenic aids, and the impacts to athletic performance. In addition, we identify several plausible pathways where genetic polymorphisms may play a role in variability in response to ergogenic aids and the potential for personalized sport supplement research and development.