The magnitude of Yo-Yo test improvements following an aerobic training intervention are associated with total genotype score

• Published in: PloS one Vol. 13; no. 11; p. e0207597
• Main Authors: Pickering, C., Kiely, J., Suraci, B., Collins, D.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Public Library of Science 28.11.2018; Public Library of Science (PLoS)
• Subjects: Adaptation; Adaptation, Physiological - genetics; Adaptation, Physiological - physiology; Adaptations; Adolescent; Aerobics; Algorithms; Analysis; Athletes; Athletic Performance - physiology; Biology and Life Sciences; C-Reactive Protein - genetics; Cardiorespiratory fitness; Chromosomes; Endothelial growth factors; Endurance; Exercise; Exercise Test - methods; Fitness; Fitness training programs; Genetic algorithms; Genetic factors; Genetic polymorphisms; Genetic testing; Genetics; Genomics; Genotype; Group dynamics; Health aspects; Humans; Intervention; Male; Medicine and Health Sciences; Peroxisome Proliferator-Activated Receptor Gamma Coactivator 1-alpha - genetics; Physical Conditioning, Human - physiology; Physical Endurance - physiology; Physical fitness; Physical Fitness - physiology; Physical Sciences; Physiological aspects; Polymorphism; Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide; Receptors, Adrenergic, beta-2 - genetics; Research and Analysis Methods; Single nucleotide polymorphisms; Single-nucleotide polymorphism; Soccer; Soccer - physiology; Soccer players; Social Sciences; Sports training; Strength training; Studies; Training; Vascular endothelial growth factor; Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A - genetics; Young Adult; Youth; United Kingdom > UK
• ISSN: 1932-6203; 1932-6203
• DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0207597

Recent research has demonstrated that there is considerable inter-individual variation in the response to aerobic training, and that this variation is partially mediated by genetic factors. As such, we aimed to investigate if a genetic based algorithm successfully predicted the magnitude of improvements following eight-weeks of aerobic training in youth soccer players. A genetic test was utilised to examine five single nucleotide polymorphisms (VEGF rs2010963, ADRB2 rs1042713 and rs1042714, CRP rs1205 & PPARGC1A rs8192678), whose occurrence is believed to impact aerobic training adaptations. 42 male soccer players (17.0 ± 1y, 176 ± 6 cm, 69 ± 9 kg) were tested and stratified into three different Total Genotype Score groups; "low", "medium"and "high", based on the possession of favourable polymorphisms. Subjects underwent two Yo-Yo tests separated by eight-weeks of sports-specific aerobic training. Overall, there were no significant differences between the genotype groups in pre-training Yo-Yo performance, but evident between-group response differentials emerged in post-training Yo-Yo test performance. Subjects in the "high" group saw much larger improvements (58%) than those in the 'medium" (35%) and "low" (7%) groups. There were significant (p<0.05) differences between the groups in the magnitude of improvement, with athletes in the "high" and medium group having larger improvements than the "low" group (d = 2.59 "high" vs "low"; d = 1.32 "medium" vs "low"). In conclusion, the magnitude of improvements in aerobic fitness following a training intervention were associated with a genetic algorithm comprised of five single nucleotide polymorphisms. This information could lead to the development of more individualised aerobic training designs, targeting optimal fitness adaptations.