Elite endurance athletes and the ACE I allele--the role of genes in athletic performance.

Hum Genet 1998 Jul;103(1):48-50

Gayagay G, Yu B, Hambly B, Boston T, Hahn A, Celermajer DS, Trent RJ

MedlineŽ Abstract "Genetic markers that might contribute to the making of an elite athlete have not been identified. Potential candidate genes might be found in the renin-angiotensin pathway, which plays a key role in the regulation of both cardiac and vascular physiology. In this study, DNA polymorphisms derived from the angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE), the angiotensin type 1 receptor (AT1) and the angiotensin type 2 receptor (AT2) were studied in 64 Australian national rowers. Compared with a normal population, the rowers had an excess of the ACE I allele (P<0.02) and the ACE II genotype (P=0.03). The ACE I allele is a genetic marker that might be associated with athletic excellence. It is proposed that the underlying mechanism relates to a healthier cardiovascular system."

My Comments:  There is a saying that great athletes are born and not made.  There is probably some truth to that saying.  Although it takes a tremendous amount of work to become a world class athlete, some of us, no matter how hard we train, will never be world class in our event of choice.  There is a growing body of evidence to suggest that world class endurance athletes have some genetic advantages (higher VO2 max, greater VO2 max increase with training, higher maximum heart rate).   The gene measured here is the one that codes for angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE).  ACE converts angiotensin to it's active form.  Angiotensin increases blood pressure and stimulates the release of adrenaline hormones.  Differences in this gene might be expected to affect resting blood pressure or blood pressure or circulatory response to exercise.  When we look at physiological variables in elite athletes we often ask the question, "Is that particular variable different in elite athletes because of the way they train or is that particular variable necessary to become an elite athlete in that particular sport?"  The classic example is the high percentage of fast twitch fibers in elite sprinters.  Does sprint training cause an increase in the percentage of fast twitch fibers or is a high percentage of fast twitch fibers neccesary to be a successful sprinter?  It is kind of like the classic "What came first, the chicken or the egg?" question.  By looking at the genes directly we can start to answer some of these questions because our genetic code does not change.