Abstract
Background: most of the research concerning the influence of genetics on endurance performance has been carried out by investigating target genes separately. However, endurance performance is a complex trait that can stem from the interaction of several genes. The objective of this study was to compare the frequencies of polymorphisms in target genes involving cardiorespiratory functioning in elite endurance athletes vs. non-athlete controls. Methods: genotypic frequencies were determined in 123 elite endurance athletes and in 122 non-athletes. Genotyping of ACE (rs4340), NOS3 (rs2070744 and rs1799983), ADRA2a (rs1800544 and rs553668), ADRB2 (rs1042713 and rs1042714), and BDKRB2 (rs5810761) was performed by polymerase chain reaction. The total genotype score (TGS: from 0 to 100 arbitrary units; a.u.) was calculated from the genotype score in each polymorphism. Results: the mean TGS in non-athletes (47.72 ± 11.29 a.u.) was similar to elite endurance athletes (46.54 ± 11.32 a.u., p = 0.415). The distribution of TGS frequencies were also similar in non-athletes and elite endurance athletes (p = 0.333). There was no TGS cut-off point to discriminate being elite endurance athletes. Conclusions: the genetic profile in the selected genes was similar in elite endurance athletes and in controls, suggesting that the combination of these genes does not determine endurance performance.
Highlights
The “optimal” genotype score for ADRA2A was higher in elite endurance athletes than non-athletes (Table 1; p = 0.016)
The distribution of the total genotype score (TGS), obtained by the addition of eight polymorphisms in genes associated with cardiorespiratory function, was not different in elite endurance athletes when compared to non-athletes in the Caucasian population
This information suggests that the addition of polymorphic variants previously associated with endurance performance might not offer any benefit for the likelihood of becoming an elite endurance athlete, at least in the population studied (Spanish elite endurance runners and cyclists)
Summary
Publisher’s Note: MDPI stays neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations. Exercise performance is a complex trait resulting in different environmental factors, such as training, nutrition, social status, and gender. Inherited features, such as genetics, play a key role in the probability of becoming an elite athlete [1]. This is because genetics might impact muscle and cardiorespiratory function and adaptation to training stimuli, modifying exercise performance [2]. It has been shown that at least 120 polymorphisms in target genes are linked to the capacity of being an elite athlete by measuring genotypic frequencies in elite athletes and sedentary population
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