Longer Telomere Length in Elite Master Sprinters: Relationship to Performance and Body Composition

International Journal of Sports Medicine
Herbert Gustavo SimoesRosangela Vieira Andrade

Abstract

Emergent evidence suggests that the long-term healthy lifestyle of master athletes may attenuate aging. We compared telomere length (TL) of high-level master sprinters and non-athlete age-matched controls, and analyzed the relationships of TL with performance and body fat. Elite master sprinters (n=11; aged 50.1±9.2yrs) and healthy untrained controls (n=10; aged 45.4±10.9yrs) had blood samples collected for biochemical and biomolecular analyses. Master sprinters had longer TL, lower body fat and BMI, and a better lipid profile than age-matched controls (p<0.05). A large effect size was verified comparing TL between athletes vs. controls (Cohen's d=1.039), with a significant negative correlation between TL and performance decline per decade (r=-0.624, p<0.01) and a positive correlation of TL and actual performance level (r=0.641, p<0.01). In conclusion, TL of elite master sprinters was longer than their untrained peers, and seems to be not only a marker of health status, but also an indicator of sports longevity since both actual performance level and its decrease over years were related to TL. Further research might assess the TL of elite master endurance athletes for comparison with sprinters, and also investigate the underlyi...Continue Reading

Citations

Apr 21, 2018·Journal of Biophotonics·Vijendra PrabhuKrishna K Mahato
Sep 19, 2019·Sports Medicine·Despoina V TryfidouGareth W Davison
Jan 9, 2019·Frontiers in Physiology·Nikitas N NomikosBeat Knechtle
Jul 3, 2019·International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health·Caio Victor SousaBeat Knechtle
Dec 22, 2020·Frontiers in Sports and Active Living·Herbert Gustavo SimõesCarmen Silvia Grubert Campbell
Feb 20, 2021·Scientific Reports·Michael E NakaiFrancine Z Marques
Jan 15, 2019·Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research·Samuel S AguiarHerbert G Simões
May 23, 2021·Experimental Gerontology·Lucas Pinheiro BarbosaHerbert Gustavo Simões
Jun 24, 2021·Journal of the American Geriatrics Society·Cristina ValenteJoão Espregueira-Mendes
Jul 14, 2021·International Journal of Sports Medicine·Samuel S AguiarHerbert G Simões
Jun 23, 2020·Nitric Oxide : Biology and Chemistry·Thiago Santos RosaHerbert Gustavo Simões

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