Angiotensin-converting enzyme genotype and physical performance during US Army basic training

• Published in: Journal of applied physiology (1985) Vol. 91; no. 3; pp. 1355 - 1363
• Main Authors: Sonna, Larry A, Sharp, Marilyn A, Knapik, Joseph J, Cullivan, Michael, Angel, Karen C, Patton, John F, Lilly, Craig M
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Bethesda, MD Am Physiological Soc 01.09.2001; American Physiological Society
• Subjects: Adult; Armed forces; Biological and medical sciences; Cohort Studies; Enzymes; Exercise; Exercise - physiology; Female; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Gene Frequency; Genetics; Genetics of eukaryotes. Biological and molecular evolution; Genotype; Human; Humans; Male; Military Personnel; Oxygen; Oxygen Consumption - genetics; Peptidyl-Dipeptidase A - genetics; Physical Endurance - genetics; Physical fitness; Population genetics, reproduction patterns; Vertebrates: body movement. Posture. Locomotion. Flight. Swimming. Physical exercise. Rest. Sports; United States; North America; America; Human; Physical training; Physical performance; Enzyme; Oxygen consumption; Genotype; Genetic determinism; Population genetics; Peptidases; Physical fitness; Peptidyl-dipeptidase A; Hydrolases; Peptidyl-dipeptidases; Military
• ISSN: 8750-7587; 1522-1601
• DOI: 10.1152/jappl.2001.91.3.1355

1  Thermal and Mountain Medicine Division, and 3  Military Performance Division, US Army Research Institute of Environmental Medicine, Natick 01760; 2  Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 02115; and 4  US Army Center for Health Promotion and Preventive Medicine, Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland 21005 Prior studies have suggested that angiotensin I-converting enzyme (ACE) genotype correlates with superior physical performance in highly selected populations. This study assessed whether such an association exists in a heterogeneous population. Using polymerase chain reaction techniques, we determined the ACE genotypes (insertion/insertion, deletion/insertion, or deletion/deletion) of 62 male and 85 female US Army recruits. Before and after 8 wk of basic training, we determined peak oxygen uptake and performance on the Army Physical Fitness Test (APFT), which includes standardized measures of muscular endurance (sit-ups, push-ups) and a 2-mile run. Subjects of different ACE genotypes had similar peak oxygen uptakes and APFT scores, both before and after training. Subjects with genotype II had higher APFT scores than others, but the differences were not statistically significant. Furthermore, no ACE genotype group had a performance advantage in analyses that adjusted for baseline fitness. We conclude that ACE genotype does not have a strong effect on aerobic power or muscular endurance in healthy, young American adults drawn from an ethnically and geographically diverse population. physical training; physical fitness; oxygen uptake; genetics; exercise