Obesity gene variant and elite endurance performance

beta2-adrenergic receptor (ADRB2) Gln27Glu genotype was determined in sedentary (n = 19), active (n = 20), and elite endurance athletic (n = 24) Caucasian postmenopausal women. Age was similar in all physical activity and ADRB2 genotype groups. ADRB2 genotypes were in Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium in sedentary and active women, but not in the athletes (chi(2) = 4.28, P <.05), due to the near absence of ADRB2 Glu27Glu homozygotes among the athletes. Weight tended to be higher in ADRB2 Glu27Glu women (63.5 +/- 1.8 v 57.7 +/- 1.7 and 60.0 +/- 1.8, P =.08), as did body mass index (BMI) (25.0 +/- 0.4 v 22.9 +/- 0.6 and 23.4 +/- 0.5 kg/m(2), P =.05), due to a higher fat mass in Glu27Glu women (24.1 +/- 1.0 v 18.1 +/- 1.4 and 20.1 +/- 1.4 kg, P <.05). Maximal O2 consumption was lower in ADRB2 Glu27Glu than in ADRB2 Glu27Gln and Gln27Gln genotype women (25.4 +/- 1.1 v 32.4 +/- 1.5 and 29.1 +/- 1.7 mL/kg/min, P <.05). We conclude that the Glu27Glu ADRB2 genotype may dissociate from and the Gln27Gln and Gln27Glu genotypes may associate with elite endurance performance in older women.