ALDH2 gene polymorphism is associated with fitness in the elderly Japanese population.

PURPOSE: The aldehyde dehydrogenase 2 (ALDH2) rs671 polymorphism, which is exclusive to the Asian population, is related to many diseases. A high reactive oxygen species production in mitochondria, and low muscle strength in athletes and non-athletes, has been observed, as our previous study demonstrated. The purpose of this research was to investigate the influence of ALDH2 rs671 on the loss of muscle strength with aging and replicate our previous study in non-athletes. METHODS: Healthy Japanese individuals (n = 1804) aged 23-94 years were genotyped using DNA extracted from saliva. Muscle strength was assessed using grip strength and chair stand test (CST). The interaction between age and genotypes was analyzed by two-way analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) adjusted for sex, body mass index (BMI), and exercise habit. RESULTS: Individuals aged ≧55 with the AA genotype had a lower performance than those with the GG + GA genotype in the grip strength test (28.1 ± 9.1 kg vs. 29.1 ± 8.3 kg, p = 0.021). There was an interaction between age and genotype, where individuals with ≧55 years old AA genotype had a higher loss of strength compared to GG + GA genotypes in the CST (0.025). No interaction in other models and no sex differences were found. CONCLUSION: This study replicated previous results of the relationship between the AA genotype with lower muscle strength and as a novelty showed that this genotype is associated with a higher age-related loss of strength.

The Association between Total Genotype Score and Athletic Performance in Weightlifters.

This study aimed to investigate the relationship between power-oriented genetic polymorphisms and weightlifting status, create a total genotype score (TGS), and validate the association between TGS models and power-oriented athletes. First, 192 weightlifters and 416 controls were studied, and 12 polymorphisms that have previously been associated with strength, power status, and phenotype were genotyped using the TaqMan SNP genotyping assay. We calculated the TGS for the 12 polymorphisms using a PWM (power-oriented whole model) and for 6 of them using a WRM (weightlifting-related model) based on a case-control study. Second, the TGS of the WRM was compared for 177 strength and power athletes and 416 controls. There was no significant difference in the PWM score between weightlifters and the controls. Weightlifters and elite weightlifters had higher WRM scores than the controls. However, the WRM score had no association with weightlifting performance. There was no significant difference in the WRM between power-oriented athletes and the controls. Our study was able to create a TGS model for weightlifters based on case-control results. However, the TGS model could not be applied to other power-oriented athletes.

The Association between the ALDH2 rs671 Polymorphism and Athletic Performance in Japanese Power and Strength Athletes.

The rs671 polymorphism is associated with the enzymatic activity of aldehyde dehydrogenase 2 (ALDH2), which is weakened by the A allele in East Asians. We recently reported the association of this polymorphism with the athletic status in athletic cohorts and the muscle strength of non-athletic cohorts. Therefore, we hypothesized the association of ALDH2 rs671 polymorphism with the performance in power/strength athletes. We aimed to clarify the relationship between the ALDH2 rs671 polymorphism and performance in power/strength athletes. Participants comprising 253 power/strength athletes (167 men and 86 women) and 721 healthy controls (303 men and 418 women) were investigated. The power/strength athletes were divided into classic powerlifting (n = 84) and weightlifting (n = 169). No differences in the genotypes and allele frequencies of the ALDH2 rs671 polymorphism and an association between performance and the ALDH2 rs671 genotype were observed in weightlifters. However, the relative values per body weight of the total record were lower in powerlifters with the GA + AA genotype than those with the GG genotype (7.1 ± 1.2 vs. 7.8 ± 1.0; p = 0.010, partial η2 = 0.08). Our results collectively indicate a role of the ALDH2 rs671 polymorphism in strength performance in powerlifters.