Neanderthal Genes May Limit Endurance Athletes’ Peak Performance

Speedy Summary:

• Scientists identified a Neanderthal gene variant that influences athletic performance, impacting energy production in skeletal muscle during intense exercise.
• Study findings indicate the mutation affects 8% of modern-day Europeans, alongside lower prevalence rates in Native Americans (3%) and South Asians (2%). It was absent in Africans, East Asians, and African-Americans.
• The variant impairs the activity of an enzyme called AMPD1 responsible for clearing AMP byproducts during energy creation processes. Consequently,carriers may struggle with ATP production during endurance or power sports.
• laboratory tests showed this enzyme was up to 80% less active in genetically-engineered mice expressing the Neanderthal variant than other humans’ variants.
• Data from over 2,700 individuals revealed carriers were half as likely to reach elite athletic status compared to non-carriers. Between 4%-14% of elite athletes carried the gene versus 9%-19% in non-athletic groups.
• Daily activities remain unaffected for those with this mutation; though, extreme physical performance requiring rapid ATP generation is limited.

!Neanderthal gene variant might affect people’s athletic abilities

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Indian Opinion Analysis:

The discovery of how ancient genetic traits impact modern physiological traits underlines the complex inheritance patterns shaping human health and capabilities. While relatively minor on a global scale-affecting only specific populations-the data has meaningful implications for understanding genetic diversity among South Asian communities where such variants exist at low prevalence levels.

For India-a nation increasingly invested in sports competitions-this research subtly sheds light on biological factors that can influence individual performance across endurance-heavy disciplines like marathon running or cycling. While environmental factors (training access) are primary determinants of success at large scales, inherent genetic markers such as this variant provide additional context about challenges some athletes might face despite equal resources or efforts.

As India’s focus grows towards scientific genetics research via initiatives like GenomeIndia Project and personalized medicine adaptations-investigating population-level impacts of ancestry-linked DNA could be worthwhile. However practical applications remain niche-specific lacking neighborhood lifestyle disruption broader!