Wits & Weights | Fat Loss, Nutrition, & Strength Training for Lifters Can Your DNA Predict How Fast You'll Build Muscle and Lose Fat? (Joe Cohen) | Ep 364
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Aug 22, 2025 Joe Cohen, founder and CEO of SelfDecode, discusses the role of genetics in fitness and nutrition. He separates the hype from the science of DNA testing, revealing why most genetic health tests fall short. Joe explains how understanding genetic pathways and combining them with lab data can create personalized fitness strategies. He shares his personal journey battling food intolerances and the importance of tailored dietary approaches. This conversation is a deep dive into how your DNA might hold the key to your fitness success.
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Polygenic Complexity Overrides Single-SNP Claims
- Most common consumer DNA reports are misleading because they base big claims on one or a few SNPs instead of polygenic risk.
- Accurate prediction for complex traits requires thousands of variants and validated polygenic risk scores.
Validation Trumps Algorithmic Hype
- Predictive genetics must be validated against outcomes, not only constructed by models combining SNPs.
- Without external validation, consumer genetic predictions remain unreliable despite fancy algorithms.
Disease Genetics Is More Predictable Than Traits
- Different genetic topics have a hierarchy of predictability; disease risk is currently the most predictable.
- Nutrition and fitness traits are less accurate because fewer large, validated datasets exist for them.