Study of GDF8 polymorphisms and their influence on musculature and strength in weightlifting

Background: Further deepening is required in studies that include objective indicators of sports performance and its direct correlation with the genotype in the analysis on variations of the GDF8 Gene and its association to the sports phenotype in the weightlifting discipline in the department of Valle del Cauca, Colombia. Objective: To determine the presence of genetic variants in the GDF8 gene in weightlifters belonging to the Valle del Cauca Weightlifting League. Methods: Descriptive cross-sectional study of 25 athletes from the Valle del Cauca Weightlifting League, detection of genetic variants by genotyping through next generation sequencing from peripheral blood samples, and use of the IBM® SPSS® Statistics 21 statistical program. Results: 92% of the participating athletes presented the genetic variant rs1805086 of the GDF8 gene; 57% of the population that presented the variant were male, and 91% of the population that presented the variant were of African descent. It was found that 43% of the population with the presence of the variant obtained more than 5 local medals and more than 1 medal in international tournaments. Conclusions: A frequency of 92% for the R allele of the rs1805086 polymorphism (MSTN K153R) observed in the study population suggests a possible selection effect associated with the participants' sports profile and highlights the importance of this genetic marker as a potential predictor of performance in strength and power disciplines.