Apelin as a Potential Regulator of Peak Athletic Performance

Area of Science:

• Exercise physiology
• Endocrinology
• Sports science

Background:

• Apelin is a cardiokine/myokine regulating cardiac and skeletal muscle homeostasis.
• Apelin signaling loss leads to cardiac aging and sarcopenia.
• The role of apelin in peak athletic performance is not well understood.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the impact of maximal exercise on plasma apelin levels in professional athletes.
• To explore the relationship between apelin response to exercise and athletic performance indicators.

Main Methods:

• Maximal cardiorespiratory exercise testing was performed on 58 male professional soccer players.
• Plasma levels of apelin-13 and apelin-36 were measured before and after exercise.
• Correlations between apelin changes and performance metrics (METs, VO2 max, peak power) were analyzed.

Main Results:

• Plasma apelin-13 and apelin-36 levels showed transient increases post-exercise, with significant interindividual variability.
• Baseline apelin-13 inversely correlated with exercise-induced changes in apelin-13 and apelin-36.
• Apelin-13 response positively correlated with maximal metabolic equivalent, VO2 max, and peak circulatory power.

Conclusions:

• Exercise-induced changes in plasma apelin levels exhibit substantial individual variation.
• Apelin-13, as a novel exerkine, may play a role in determining peak athletic performance.
• Apelin's correlation with oxygen consumption and cardiac function highlights its potential significance in sports.