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Angiotensin-converting enzyme and human physical performance

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  09 March 2007

John Payne  and
Hugh Montgomery
John Payne
Affiliation:
Cardiovascular Genetics, British Heart Foundation Laboratories, Royal Free and University College London Medical School, Rayne Building, 5 University Street, London WC1E 6JF, UK
Hugh Montgomery*
Affiliation:
Cardiovascular Genetics, British Heart Foundation Laboratories, Royal Free and University College London Medical School, Rayne Building, 5 University Street, London WC1E 6JF, UK
*
* Email:h.montgomery@ucl.ac.uk
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Abstract

Genes undoubtedly play a role in the development of a successful athlete. This view has flourished on anecdotes such as the observation of a child who displays the same aptitude for a particular sport as one of their parents, or a pair of sisters who both excel in the same discipline. However, the conclusions made from this type of observation have an obvious limitation: that similar environmental factors may be just as responsible as genetic inheritance in explaining the passage and sharing of talent between family members. Here, we review briefly the salient data showing that genes do play a role in athletic performance, and although the data examining the effect of specific genes are limited, we present data examining the role of the angiotensin-converting enzyme gene in human physical performance.

Keywords

ACEgenepolymorphismperformanceexercise

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Type
Review Article
Information
Equine and Comparative Exercise Physiology , Volume 1 , Issue 4 , November 2004 , pp. 255 - 260
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2004

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