Can the Talent of Champions Inherited?

London 2012 Olympic games medals.
(Picture from: http://www.genome-engineering.com/)

The sports stars have a lot to thank their parents, mainly thanks to the genes they inherited from his second. A study found that several genes determine the type of athlete performance while competing in the arena.

"Genetic influence on the performance of athletes," said Stephen Roth, a geneticist from the University of Maryland at Baltimore, USA.

Roth statement supported by a study of identical twins hereditary or non-identical. Two twins were given different treatment to boost their physical abilities, ie, with or without exercise training. The result, 80 percent physical ability is determined by genes, not exercise.

Researchers then looked for genes which play a major role in every winning athlete. Several candidate genes began to be discovered.

• The first candidate is the gene that controls the angiotensin-converting enzyme that helps the heart muscle to absorb more oxygen. This gene has two variants depending on the needs of athletes, namely the marathon endurance or explosive power in short-distance swimming.
• The second candidate is a gene called ACTN3. These genes control the number of fast muscle twitching and jerking slow. Slow twitching muscles work in a long time to absorb oxygen, so determining the race that demands physical endurance. Athletes who need big power and fast, as in weight lifting exercise, muscles need a quick hitch is capable of digesting oxygen twice as fast.

Although genes play a major role determining the winning athletes, researchers do not dismiss the importance of training before the race. Mental firmness and self-confidence is also needed in order to able to spend his best athletes.

Sports medicine experts from the University of London, Nicola Maffulli, said gene factor determining the success of 30-60 percent ordinary physical exercise. In athletes, the gene determining the success of up to 83 percent. *** [NEWSCIENTIST | ANTON WILLIAM | KORAN TEMPO 3958]

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