Marcel R. Boulay

Aerobic performance in brothers, dizygotic and monozygotic twins.

Forty-two brothers, 66 dizygotic twins of both sexes and 106 monozygotic twins of both sexes, 16 to 34 yr of age, took part in this study that was designed to investigate the effect of heredity in aerobic performance. Maximal oxygen uptake (VO2 max), maximal heart rate (HR max), maximal ventilation, and maximal oxygen pulse were obtained from a progressive ergocycle test to exhaustion. Total work output in a 90-min maximal ergocycle test was also determined in the twins. Fat-free weight was estimated from body density measurements obtained through underwater weighing. Aerobic performance scores were adjusted for age (brothers), and age and sex (dizygotic and monozygotic twins) by regression procedures. Dizygotic twins and brothers of same sibship exhibited about the same level of resemblance for all variables or were only slightly different, with the exception of HR max. Monozygotic pairs were generally more alike than the other sibs, as suggested by the intra-class coefficients. Twin data were used to compute the genetic effects. The within-pair estimate of genetic variance revealed that it was significant (P less than or equal to 0.05) for all variables except VO2 max X kg-1 fat-free weight X min-1. In the case of HR max, the among-pairs component estimate had to be used, and it also proved significant (P less than or equal to 0.01). The size of the genetic effect was computed from three different methods, and it reached about 40% for VO2 max X kg-1 X min-1, 50% for HR max, 60% for maximal oxygen pulse and maximal ventilation, and 70% for 90-min work output X kg-1.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Genetic effect in resting and exercise metabolic rates

Two studies dealing with the contribution of the genotype in individual differences for resting metabolic rate (RMR), thermic effect of a 4.2 MJ carbohydrate meal (TEM), and energy cost of submaximal exercise are reported. The genetic effect for RMR and TEM was studied in 31 pairs of parent-child, 21 pairs of dizygotic (DZ) twins, and 37 pairs of monozygotic (MZ) twins, whereas the heritability of the energy cost of submaximal exercise was determined from data on 22 pairs of DZ twins and 31 pairs of MZ twins. The heritability of RMR reached approximately 40% of the variance remaining after adjustment for age, gender, and fat-free mass, (FFM). The genetic effect for TEM was equivalent to at least 40% to 50% of the variation in the energy expended during four hours after the meal test. A highly significant genetic effect was found for fasting plasma glucose (greater than .72), but the results for fasting plasma insulin are unclear. No significant genetic variance was seen for the glucose and insulin response to the carbohydrate meal. Finally, heritability for the metabolic rate during cycle exercise was high (greater than or equal to .46) at low power output, but it became nonsignificant when the energy cost reached about 6 times the RMR.

Human skeletal muscle fiber type alteration with high-intensity intermittent training

SummaryThe response of muscle fiber type proportions and fiber areas to 15 weeks of strenuous high-intensity intermittent training was investigated in twenty-four carefully ascertained sedentary (14 women and 10 men) and 10 control (4 women and 6 men) subjects. The supervised training program consisted mainly of series of supramaximal exercise lasting 15 s to 90 s on a cycle ergometer. Proportions of muscle fiber type and areas of the fibers were determined from a biopsy of the vastus lateralis before and after the training program. No significant change was observed for any of the histochemical charactertics in the control group. Training significantly increased the proportion of type I and decreased type IIb fibers, the proportion of type IIa remained unchanged. Areas of type I and IIb fibers increased significantly with training. These results suggest that high-intensity intermittent training in humans may alter the proportion of type I and the area of type I and IIb fibers and in consequence that fiber type composition in human vastus lateralis muscle is not determined solely by genetic factors.

Heredity and muscle adaptation to endurance training

To determine whether sensitivity of muscle characteristics and aerobic performances to endurance training was genotype-dependent, 6 pairs of monozygotic (MZ) twins, 21 +/- 4 yr of age (mean +/- SD), took part in a 15-wk ergocycle endurance training program. Tests were performed before and after 7 and 15 weeks of training. A biopsy of the vastus lateralis muscle was obtained for the determination of fiber type composition and activities of creatine kinase, hexokinase, phosphofructokinase, lactate dehydrogenase, malate dehydrogenase, 3-hydroxyacyl CoA dehydrogenase, and oxoglutarate dehydrogenase. Maximal oxygen uptake was measured with a progressive maximal ergocycle test, while endurance performance was determined as the total work output during a 90-min maximal ergocycle test. Results indicated that maximal oxygen uptake X kg-1 and endurance performance X kg-1 increased significantly (14 and 31%, respectively) with training, and intra-pair resemblance (intra-class) in response to 15 wk of training ranged from 0.65 to 0.83. Hexokinase (31%), phosphofructokinase (37%), lactate dehydrogenase (21%), malate dehydrogenase (31%), and 3-hydroxyacyl CoA dehydrogenase (60%) were significantly increased with training whereas no mean change in fiber-type proportions, oxoglutarate dehydrogenase and creatine kinase activities and the phosphofructokinase/oxoglutarate dehydrogenase ratio was observed. Similarity within twin pairs in the response to enzyme activities was mainly detected in the second half of the training program. The present results confirm, therefore, that both maximal oxygen uptake and endurance performance responses to training are largely genotype-dependent.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Mitochondrial DNA sequence polymorphism, VO2max, and response to endurance training

Mitochondrial DNA sequence variation was determined in 46 sedentary young adult males who took part in ergocycle endurance training programs in two laboratories to assess whether mitochondrial DNA variants were associated with individual differences in maximal oxygen uptake (VO2max) and its response to training. VO2max was obtained from a progressive ergocycle test to exhaustion. White blood cell mitochondrial DNA was characterized with the restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) technique using 22 restriction enzymes and human mitochondrial DNA as a probe for hybridization. Multiple mitochondrial DNA variants were detected with 15 of the enzymes. Some subjects exhibited many RFLPs, while others showed no variation. These RFLPs (morphs) were generated by base substitutions located in gene regions coding for mitochondrial proteins as well as in the noncoding regions. Carriers of three mitochondrial DNA morphs, two in the subunit 5 of the NADH dehydrogenase gene and one in the tRNA for threonine, had a VO2max (ml.kg-1.min-1) in the untrained state significantly higher than noncarriers, while carriers of one mitochondrial DNA morph in subunit 2 of NADH dehydrogenase had a lower initial VO2max. Endurance training increased VO2max by a mean of 0.51 of O2, with individual differences ranging from gains of 0.06 to 1.03. After adjustment for training site and initial VO2max, a lower response was observed for three carriers of a variant in subunit 5 of the NADH dehydrogenase detected with HincII (mean gain of 0.28 I; P less than 0.05). These results suggest that sequence variation in mitochondrial DNA may contribute to individual difference in VO2max and its response to training.

Specificity of treadmill and cycle ergometer tests in triathletes, runners and cyclists

Abstract The objective of this study was to evaluate the viability of using a single test in which cardiorespiratory variables are measured, to establish training guidelines in running and/or cycling training activities. Six triathletes (two females and four males), six runners (two females and four males) and six males cyclists, all with 5.5 years of serious training and still involved in racing, were tested on a treadmill and cycle ergometer. Cardiorespiratory variables [e.g., heart rate (HR), minute ventilation, carbon dioxide output (V˙CO2)] were calculated relative to fixed percentages of maximal oxygen uptake (V˙O2max; from 50 to 100%). The entire group of subjects had significantly (P < 0.05) higher values of V˙O2max on the treadmill compared with the cycle ergometer [mean (SEM) 4.7 (0.8) and 4.4 (0.9) l · min−1, respectively], and differences between tests averaged 10.5% for runners, 6.1% for triathletes and 2.8% for cyclists. A three-way analysis of variance using a 3 × 2 × 6 design (groups × tests × intensities) demonstrated that all factors yielded highly significant F-ratios (P < 0.05) for all variables between tests, even though differences in HR were only 4 beats · min−1. When HR was plotted against a fixed percentage of V˙O2max, a high correlation was found between tests. These results demonstrate that for triathletes, cyclists and runners, the relationship between HR and percentage of V˙O2max, obtained in either a treadmill or a cycle ergometer test, may be used independently of absolute V˙O2max to obtain reference HR values that can be used to monitor their running and/or cycling training bouts.

Kinematics of cross-country ski racing.

This study investigated the evolution of skiing velocity, cycle length, and cycle rate in elite and subelite skiers during cross-country ski races. Senior male cross-country skiers engaged respectively in a 30-km skating race (N = 34) or a 50-km classical race (N = 27) were videotaped as they skied two different sections of 30 m, a 7 degrees uphill, and a flat section. In the skating race, most skiers used the offset technique on uphill and the 2-skate on flat, while the preferred techniques during the classical race were the diagonal stride for uphill and double-poling on flat. Results demonstrated that faster skiers had longer cycle lengths than slower skiers except for the flat sections of the classical race. Cycle rate was not different between skiers of different performance levels in any circumstances or races. Decreased velocity observed during the second half of the skating race was almost entirely due to a decrease in cycle length. We conclude that slower athletes should emphasize extending cycle length during their technical training. Therefore, skiers should place an emphasis on strength and power training to increase their kick and pole pushes and enhance cycle length.

Propulsive and gliding phases in four cross-country skiing techniques.

The purpose of this study was to compare the relative durations of the propulsive and gliding phases between three skating techniques (1-skate, 2-skate, and offset) and the diagonal stride technique in elite cross-country skiers. Nine skiers of provincial and national level were videotaped with a Panasonic AG 170 camera. The camera speed was set at 30 frames.s-1 and the shutter speed at 1/500 s. The athletes were asked to ski at approximately 80% of their maximal skiing speed on a flat (50 m long) and on an uphill course (35 m long, 5 degrees grade). The relative propulsive phases of the skating techniques were significantly longer than those of the diagonal stride. The relative gliding phases were also longer with the skating techniques. In addition, velocities obtained while skiing with the diagonal stride were about 16% slower than those attained with the skating techniques, principally related to the longer cycle lengths observed with the skating techniques, while cycle rates were quite similar between all four techniques. The results of this study suggest that the longer relative phases of propulsion with the skating techniques may explain the greater speed attained with these techniques in comparison with the diagonal stride.

Effects of two high-intensity intermittent training programs interspaced by detraining on human skeletal muscle and performance

SummaryThe purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of repeated high-intensity intermittent training programs interspaced by detraining on human skeletal muscle and performances. First, nineteen subjects were submitted to a 15-week cycle ergometer training program which involved both continuous and high-intensity interval work patterns. Among these 19 subjects, six participated in a second 15-week training program after 7 weeks of detraining. Subjects were tested before and after each training program for maximal aerobic power and maximal short-term ergocycle performances of 10 and 90 s. Muscle biopsy from the vastus lateralis before and after both training programs served for the determination of creatine kinase (CK), hexokinase, phosphofructokinase (PFK), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), malate dehydrogenase, 3-hydroxyacyl-CoA dehydrogenase (HADH) and oxoglutarate dehydrogenase (OGDH) activities. The first training program induced significant increases in all performances and enzyme activities but not in CK. Seven weeks of detraining provoked significant decreases in maximal aerobic power and maximal 90 s ergocycle performance. While the interruption of training had no effect on glycolytic enzyme markers (PFK and LDH), oxidative enzyme activities (HADH and OGDH) declined. These results suggest that a fairly long interruption in training has negligeable effects on glycolytic enzymes while a persistent training stimulus is required to maintain high oxidative enzyme levels in human skeletal muscle. The degree of adaptation observed after the second training program confirms that the magnitude of the adaptive response to exercise-training is limited.

A polymorphism in the alpha2a-adrenoceptor gene and endurance athlete status.

PURPOSE In a case control study, we examined the allelic frequencies and genotype distributions of two restricted fragment length polymorphisms (RFLP) in the alpha-2A-adrenoceptor gene (ADRA2A) and beta-2-adrenoceptor gene (ADRB2) among elite endurance athletes (EEA) and sedentary controls (SC). METHODS The EEA group included 148 Caucasian male subjects recruited on the basis that they had a VO2max > 74 mL O2 x kg(-1) x min(-1). The SC group comprised 149 unrelated sedentary male subjects, all Caucasians, from the Quebec Family Study. After digestion with the restriction enzymes Dra I (ADRA2A) and Ban I (ADRB2), Southern blotting and hybridization techniques were used to detect the mutations in the two ADR genes, which are encoded on chromosomes 10 (q24-26) and 5 (q31-32), respectively. RESULTS For the Dra I ADRA2A RFLP, we observed a significant difference in genotype distributions between the two groups (P = 0.037). A higher frequency of the 6.7-kb allele was observed in the EEA group compared with the SC group (P = 0.013). No statistically significant difference was found between groups for the Ban I ADRB2 polymorphic site. Genotype frequencies for both genes in both groups were in Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium. CONCLUSIONS In summary, we found evidence that ADRA2A gene variability detected with Dra I is weakly associated with elite endurance athlete status, and we conclude that genetic variation in the ADRA2A gene or a locus in close proximity may play a role in being able to sustain the endurance training regimen necessary to attain a high level of maximal aerobic power.