Pennington Biomedical is hoping to begin recruitment in February or March for a groundbreaking study into why some people benefit from exercise more than others.
Director of Biomedical Imaging Dr. Owen Carmichael said many who exercise just don’t see results. The study hopes to figure out the genetics behind that.
“We measure how people respond to exercise and then compare their improvements to some of the genetic factors that they started off with,” said Carmichael.
The study is a national effort that will take place at five sites across the country, Baton Rouge being one of them.
Carmichael said at the end of the study they hope to be able to tailor exercise programs to individuals just by studying their genetics and giving them a report.
“It will come back with an exercise program for you telling you that running may be really good for you or that swimming is not, or vice versa,” said Carmichael.
Around 375 people total will be enrolled across all five sites for the four-year study. Carmichael said they’re looking for participants from all age groups along with folks of varying levels of physical fitness.
“They would be asked to undergo an exercise plan and undergo some measurements before and afterward that would include an MRI scan and drawing blood and a few other things,” said Carmichael.
This research is coming thanks to a 2.5 million dollar National Institutes of Health’s National Institute on Aging grant.
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