Unraveling the Roles of ACTN3, ACE, and PPARGC1A Genes in Power Performance: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.31004/joecy.v6i1.8296Keywords:
ACTN3, ACE, PPARGC1A, power, genetic polymorphisms, athletic performanceAbstract
Background:
Power performance is a crucial component of athletic success, particularly in sports requiring explosive movements. Genetic polymorphisms such as ACTN3, ACE, and PPARGC1A have been implicated in influencing muscle strength, metabolism, and efficiency. The ACTN3 RR genotype supports fast-twitch muscle fiber function, ACE DD enhances muscle efficiency, and PPARGC1A SerSer improves energy metabolism. This study aimed to compare the impact of these genotypes on power performance to address existing research gaps and support the development of personalized athletic training and rehabilitation strategies.
Methods:
A systematic search was conducted in PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science for studies published between 2015 and 2025 investigating the association of ACTN3, ACE, and PPARGC1A polymorphisms with power athletic status. Ten ACTN3, four ACE, and four PPARGC1A studies were included, comprising 2,530 power athletes and 6,652 controls. Data were analyzed using Review Manager to calculate pooled odds ratios (ORs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) under a random-effects model. Study quality and heterogeneity were assessed by three independent reviewers.
Results:
The pooled ORs [95% CI] for athletes versus controls were 1.32 [1.15–1.53] for ACTN3 RR, 1.08 [0.69–1.67] for ACE DD, and 1.20 [0.79–1.81] for PPARGC1A CC. The ACTN3 RR genotype showed a significant association with power performance, supported by low heterogeneity and narrower confidence intervals.
Conclusions:
The ACTN3 RR (rs1815739) variant plays the most significant role in enhancing muscle strength and speed, suggesting its importance in identifying genetic potential for power-based athletic excellence.
References
Pickering C, Kiely J. ACTN3: More than Just a Gene for Speed. Front Physiol [Internet]. 2017 Dec 18 [cited 2025 Oct 30];8(DEC):319172. Available from: www.frontiersin.org
Massidda M, Voisin S, Culigioni C, Piras F, Cugia P, Yan X, et al. ACTN3 R577X Polymorphism Is Associated with the Incidence and Severity of Injuries in Professional Football Players. Clinical Journal of Sport Medicine [Internet]. 2019 Jan 1 [cited 2025 Oct 30];29(1):57–61. Available from: https://journals.lww.com/cjsportsmed/fulltext/2019/01000/actn3_r577x_polymorphism_is_associated_with_the.10.aspx
Gineviciene V, Jakaitiene A, Aksenov M, Aksenova A, Druzhevskaya A, Astratenkova I, et al. Association analysis of ACE , ACTN3 and PPARGC1A gene polymorphisms in two cohorts of European strength and power athletes. Biol Sport [Internet]. 2016 [cited 2025 Oct 30];33(3). Available from: https://www.termedia.pl/Association-analysis-of-ACE-ACTN3-and-PPARGC1A-gene-polymorphisms-in-two-cohorts-of-European-strength-and-power-athletes,78,27587,1,1.html
McAuley ABT, Hughes DC, Tsaprouni LG, Varley I, Suraci B, Roos TR, et al. The association of the ACTN3 R577X and ACE I/D polymorphisms with athlete status in football: a systematic review and meta-analysis. J Sports Sci [Internet]. 2021 [cited 2025 Oct 30];39(2):200–11. Available from: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32856541/
Tharabenjasin P, Pabalan N, Jarjanazi H. Association of PPARGC1A Gly428Ser (rs8192678) polymorphism with potential for athletic ability and sports performance: A meta-analysis. PLoS One [Internet]. 2019 Jan 1 [cited 2025 Oct 30];14(1):e0200967. Available from: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6326506/
Chen Y, Wang D, Yan P, Yan S, Chang Q, Cheng Z. Meta-analyses of the association between the PPARGC1A Gly482Ser polymorphism and athletic performance. Biol Sport [Internet]. 2019 [cited 2025 Oct 30];36(4):301–9. Available from: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31938000/
Yang R, Shen X, Wang Y, Voisin S, Cai G, Fu Y, et al. ACTN3 R577X Gene Variant Is Associated With Muscle-Related Phenotypes in Elite Chinese Sprint/Power Athletes. J Strength Cond Res [Internet]. 2017 Apr 1 [cited 2025 Oct 31];31(4):1107–15. Available from: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27442335/
Kikuchi N, Miyamoto-Mikami E, Murakami H, Nakamura T, Min SK, Mizuno M, et al. ACTN3 R577X genotype and athletic performance in a large cohort of Japanese athletes. Eur J Sport Sci. 2016 Aug 17;16(6):694–701.
El Ouali EM, Barthelemy B, Del Coso J, Hackney AC, Laher I, Govindasamy K, et al. A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis of the Association Between ACTN3 R577X Genotypes and Performance in Endurance Versus Power Athletes and Non-athletes. Sports Med Open [Internet]. 2024 Dec 1 [cited 2025 Oct 31];10(1). Available from: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38609671/
Papadimitriou ID, Lucia A, Pitsiladis YP, Pushkarev VP, Dyatlov DA, Orekhov EF, et al. ACTN3 R577X and ACE I/D gene variants influence performance in elite sprinters: a multi-cohort study. BMC Genomics 2016 17:1 [Internet]. 2016 Apr 13 [cited 2025 Oct 31];17(1):1–8. Available from: https://bmcgenomics.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12864-016-2462-3
Ben-Zaken S, Eliakim A, Nemet D, Meckel Y. Genetic variability among power athletes: The stronger vs: The Faster. J Strength Cond Res [Internet]. 2019 Jun 1 [cited 2025 Oct 31];33(6):1505–11. Available from: https://cris.tau.ac.il/en/publications/genetic-variability-among-power-athletes-the-stronger-vs-the-fast/
Sommers L, Akam L, Hunter DJ, Bhatti JS, Mastana S. Role of the ACE I/D Polymorphism in Selected Public Health-Associated Sporting Modalities: An Updated Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 2024, Vol 21, Page 1439 [Internet]. 2024 Oct 29 [cited 2025 Oct 31];21(11):1439. Available from: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/21/11/1439/htm
Chen Y, Wang D, Yan P, Yan S, Chang Q, Cheng Z. Meta-analyses of the association between the PPARGC1A Gly482Ser polymorphism and athletic performance. Biol Sport [Internet]. 2019 [cited 2025 Oct 31];36(4):301. Available from: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6945052/
Hall ECR, Lockey SJ, Heffernan SM, Herbert AJ, Stebbings GK, Day SH, et al. The PPARGC1A Gly482Ser polymorphism is associated with elite long-distance running performance. J Sports Sci [Internet]. 2023 Jan 2 [cited 2025 Oct 31];41(1):56–62. Available from: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/pdf/10.1080/02640414.2023.2195737
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2026 Novia Tria Nurcahya, Agriefa Chrysantia Noormay El Kariim, Almira Clarissa Sungkono, Agung Rambang Permana, Arief Budi Witarto, Sherryn Sherryn
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
