Altitude & Genetics
Last season, one of my NBA clients had a back-to-back that included a stop in Denver. And if you've ever played (or even breathed) at altitude, you know how brutal it can be.
Less oxygen. More fatigue. Dehydration. Headaches. And if you're genetically sensitive? It's a whole different beast. So instead of just loading him with beet juice and hoping for the best, I pulled his genome.
The Genes That Mattered Most:
EPAS1 - a.k.a. the "Sherpa Gene"
Individuals with altitude-adapted EPAS1 variants show improved performance in low-oxygen environments. My client didn't have that variant. He had the AG genotype at rs13419896. This is one G allele, just enough to respond to the altitude protocol, but not the full high-altitude adaptation. So, we supported red blood cell production and oxygen delivery (without overloading iron).
The first step was iron optimization. Why? Because EPAS1 activates EPO (erythropoietin), which stimulates red blood cell production, but it’s useless without enough iron to build those cells. So we:
Boosted heme iron intake (grass-fed beef, organ meats).
Used vitamin C pairing to improve non-heme iron absorption.
Added low-dose iron bisglycinate short-term for altitude prep (d/t his ferritin being borderline).
2. EGLN1 - Regulates your body's oxygen sensor
This particular client had the GG genotype at rs12097901. This has been associated with hypersensitive hypoxia response and greater redox stress at altitude. The effect? Too reactive → Overcompensation → Fatigue, sluggishness, brain fog, early burnout when the air thins.
Since his genes made him a little too reactive to hypoxia, we used adaptogens and natural vasodilators to modulate his response.
Adaptogens for nervous system & mitochondrial modulation: to reduce over-response to stress and stabilize HIF signaling
Natural vasodilators to enhance oxygen delivery: to counteract oxygen drop and to improve tissue perfusion
3. SOD2: The antioxidant guardian
Altitude = oxidative stress. His SOD2 variant reduced mitochondrial antioxidant defense. We upped CoQ10, NAC, and magnesium to protect recovery.
4. AQP1 - Cellular hydration
At altitude, dehydration hits hard, and with his AQP1 variant, he was even more at risk. We front-loaded electrolytes, glycerol, and creatine to keep his cells hydrated.
The Result:
Zero altitude fatigue.
No mid-game crash.
Recovery was faster than normal.
Genetics gave us the blueprint, but precision nutrition turned it into a competitive edge.
—KB
