Abstract
Aerobic power (VO2max), aerobic capacity (RCP), and running efficiency (RE) are important markers of aerobic fitness. However, the influence of the angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) polymorphism on these markers has not been investigated in healthy individuals. One hundred and fifty physically active young men (age 25 ± 3 years; height 1.77 ± 0.06 m; body mass 76.6 ± 0.9 kg; VO2max 47.7 ± 5.5 ml·kg-1·min-1) visited the laboratory on two separate occasions, and performed the following tests: a) a maximal incremental treadmill test to determine VO2max and RCP, and b) two constant-speed running tests (10 km·h-1 and 12 km·h-1) to determine RE. The genotype frequency was II = 21%; ID = 52%; and DD = 27%. There was a tendency for higher VO2max with the ACE II genotype (p = 0.08) compared to DD and ID genotypes. Magnitude based inferences suggested a likely beneficial effect on VO2max with the ACE II genotype. There was no association between genotypes for other variable. These findings suggest that individuals with the ACE II genotype have a tendency towards better values in aerobic power, but not with aerobic capacity or running economy.
Highlights
In the last decade several components of physical fitness have been identified as essential to maintaining healthy life-style [1], including cardiorespiratory endurance and aerobic fitness [2]
The most relevant physiological variables related to aerobic fitness include aerobic power, i.e. maximal oxygen uptake (VO2max) [2, 3], aerobic capacity, i.e. the respiratory compensation point (RCP) [4] and efficiency of energy use during running, i.e. running economy (RE) [5]
The present study aimed to investigate the influence of ACE genotypes on cardiorespiratory variables relating to aerobic fitness during running (VO2max, RCP and RE)
Summary
In the last decade several components of physical fitness have been identified as essential to maintaining healthy life-style [1], including cardiorespiratory endurance and aerobic fitness [2]. Studies have demonstrated superior oxygen extraction (a-vO2 difference), due to the action of vasodilator factors such as bradykinin [10], higher oxygen supply to the exercising muscles provide by higher capillarity in skeletal muscle [11] and a greater energy supply due to a greater concentration of the enzymes and organelles involved in aerobic metabolism [12] Taken together, these findings suggest that processes related to oxygen consumption may mediate the relationship between the ACE gene polymorphism and aerobic fitness. These findings suggest that processes related to oxygen consumption may mediate the relationship between the ACE gene polymorphism and aerobic fitness Despite this association between the ACE II genotype and success in endurance sports [7, 9], few studies have investigated the direct relationship between the ACE genotype and aerobic fitness in healthy individuals [10,13]. It was hypothesized that individuals with ACE II genotype would have a greater VO2max, RCP and RE in comparison to individuals with ID and DD genotypes
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