Abstract
Nine male pairs of monozygotic twins aged 11–14 years, height 147 (7.6) cm and body mass 39.7 (9.6) kg, participated in this study. Twin zygocity was tested using morphological, dermatoglyphic and hematologic methods, and Tanner's five stages were used for the evaluation of biological maturation. One twin from each pair undertook training for 6 months, three times a week, with running at 85–120% of the lactate anaerobic threshold (LT). Anthropometrics, determination of maximum O2 uptake (V̇O2max), LT and maximal blood lactate concentration ([La]max) was carried out before, during and after training. No significant difference existed between the trained twins and their untrained brothers before training. After training, the trained twins increased their V̇O2max (per kg body mass) by 10.6% and their LT by 18.2% (P<0.01), reaching values that differed significantly from those of their untrained brothers [57.5 (3.6) ml·kg−1·min−1 vs 55.4 (3.3) ml·kg−1·min−1 and 13.4 (1.1) km·h−1 vs 12.7 (1.1) km·h−1, respectively]. In addition, in the trained twins relative body fat was reduced (P<0.05) from 17.8 to 16.2% and their somatotype altered significantly (decrease of endomorphy and mesomorphy and increase of ectomorphy), while in the untrained twins there was no change in these parameters. Both groups of twins significantly increased their absolute V̇O2max after the 6 months of training, the trained by 14,9% [from 2.08 (0.43) to 2.37 (0.45) l·min−1] and the untrained by 10.5% [from 2.10 (0.41) to 2.32 (0.47) l·min−1], but no difference was registered between them. A comparison of the intrapair changes in V̇O2max of prepubertal and pubertal twins showed an influence of training in the prepubertal (19.3% vs 5.2%) but not in the pubertal twins (12.7% vs 13.1%). Using analysis of variance, the relative importance of training, heredity and their interaction was evaluated to be 20%, 70% and 10%, respectively, for the change in body fat, 35%, 45% and 20%, respectively, for the change in relative V̇O2max and 25–30%, 50–60% and 15–20%, respectively, for the change in LT. In conclusion, training during pubertal growth can favour aerobic power (depending on body composition) as well as aerobic capacity, but it has no effect on absolute V̇O2max. Genetic control seems to have a strong effect on the extent of adaptations, and the genotype—training interaction explains a small, but prominent part of them.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Albertsson-Wikland K, Rosberg S (1988) Analyses of 24-hours growth hormone profiles in children: relation to growth. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 67:493–500
Andersen KL, Rutenfranz J, Seliger V (1978) The rate of growth in maximal aerobic power of children in Norway. In: Borms J, Hebbelinck M (eds) Medicine and sport: pediatric work physiology. Basel Karger, pp. 52–55
Ǻstrand P-O (1952) Experimental studies of physical working capacity in relation to sex and age. Ejnar Munksgaard, Copenhagen
Bailey DA, Ross WD, Mirwald RL, Weese C (1978) Size association of maximal aerobic power during growth in boys. In: Borms J, Hebbelinck M (eds) Medicine and sport: pediatric work physiology. Basel Karger, pp. 52–55
Bar-Or O, Zwiren LD (1973) Physiological effects of frequency and content variation of physical education classes and of endurance conditioning on 9 to 10 year old boys and girls. In: Bar-Or O (ed): Pediatric work physiology. 4th International Symposium. Wingate Institute, Israel, pp 198–208
Becker DM, Vaccaro P (1983) Anaerobic threshold alterations caused by endurance training in young children. J Sports Med Phys Fitness 23:445–449
Bouchard C (1986) Genetics of aerobic power and capacity. In: Malina RM, Bouchard C (eds) Sport and human genetics. Human Kinetics, Champaign, Illinois, pp. 60–88
Brown CH, Harrower JR, Deeter MF (1972) The effects of cross-country running on pre-adolescent girls. Med Sci Sports 4:1–5
Daniels J, Oldridge N (1971) Changes in oxygen consumption of young boys during growth and running training. Med Sci Sports 3:161–165
Davis JA, Frank MH, Whipp BJ, Wasserman K (1979) Anaerobic threshold alterations caused by endurance training in middle- aged men. J Appl Physiol 46:1039–1046
Denis C, Fouquet R, Poty P, Geyssant A, Lacour JR (1982) Effect of 40 weeks of endurance training on the anaerobic threshold. Int J Sports Med 3:208–214
Denis C, Dormois D, Lacour JR (1984) Endurance training, V̇O2max, and OBLA: a longitudinal study of two different age groups. Int J Sports Med 5:167–173
Dionne FT, Turcotte L, Thibault M-C, Boulay MR, Skinner JS, Bouchard C (1991) Mitochondrial DNA sequence polymorphism, V̇O2max, and response to endurance training. Med Sci Sports Exerc 23:177–185
Durnin JVGA, Rahaman MM (1967) The assessment of the amount of fat in the human body from measurements of skinfold thickness. Br J Nutr 21:681–689
Ekblom B (1969) Effect of physical training in adolescent boys. J Appl Physiol 27:350–355
Ekblom B, Ǻstrand PO, Saltin B, Stenberg J, Wallstrom B (1968) Effect of training on the circulatory response to exercise. J Appl Physiol 24:518–528
Eriksson BO (1972) Physical training, oxygen supply and muscle metabolism in 11–13-year old boys. Acta Physiol Scand Suppl 384:1–48
Eriksson BO, Koch G (1973) Effect of physical training on hemodynamic response during submaximal and maximal exercise in 11–13-year old boys. Acta Physiol Scand 87:27–39
Eriksson BO, Karlsson J, Saltin B (1971) Muscle metabolites during exercise in pubertal boys. Acta Paediatr Scand Suppl 217:154–157
Eriksson BO, Gollnick PD, Saltin B (1973) Muscle metabolism and enzyme activities after training in boys 11–13 years old. Acta Physiol Scand 87:485–497
Fahey TD, Del Valle-Zuris A, Ochlsen G, Tried M, Seymour J (1979) Pubertal stage differences in hormonal and hematological responses to maximal exercise in males. J Appl Physiol 46:823–827
Falconer DS (1989) Introduction to quantitative genetics. Longman Scientific and Technical, Essex
Fischbein S (1977a) Intra-pair similarity in physical growth of monozygotic and dizygotic twins during puberty. Ann Hum Biol 4:417–430
Fischbein S (1977b) Onset of puberty in MZ and DZ twins. Acta Genet Gemellol 26:151–158
Gerhardus H (1980) Über den Einfluss eines Leistungs-Ausdauer-trainings im Kindesalter auf kardiopulmonale Parameter. Dr. Arbeit, DSHS Koeln
Greene SA, Torresani T, Prader A (1987) Growth hormone response to a standardized exercise test in relation to puberty and stature. Arch Dis Child 62:53–56
Heath BH, Carter JEL (1967) A modified somatotype method. Am J Anthrop 27:57–74
Heck H, Mueller R, Muecke S, Hollmann W (1985) Verhalten von Pulsfrequenz und Laktat bei unterschiedlicher Beschaffenheit der Laufstrecke im Vergleich zum Laufband mit verschiedenen Anstiegswinkeln. In: Franz I-W, Mellerowicz H, Novack W (eds) Training Sport zur Prävention und Rehabilitation in der technisierten Umwelt. Springer Verlag, Berlin
Hermansen L, Oseid S (1971) Direct and indirect estimation of oxygen uptake in pre-pubertal boys. Acta Paediatr Scand Suppl 217:18–23
Kemper HCG, Verschuur R (1981) Maximal aerobic power in 13- and 14- year-old teenagers in relation to biologic age. Int J Sports Med 2:97–10
Kindermann W, Huber G, Keul J (1975) Anaerobe Kapazität bei Kindern und Jugendlichen in Beziehung zum Erwachsenen. Sportarzt Sportmed 6:112–115
Klissouras V (1977) Twin studies on functional capacity. In: Weiner JS (ed) Physiological variation and its genetic basis. Taylor and Francis, London, pp. 43–55
Kobayashi K, Kitamura K, Miura M, Sodeyama H, Murase Y, Miyashita M, Matsui H (1978) Aerobic power as related to body growth and training in Japanese boys: a longitudinal study. J Appl Physiol 44:666–672
Krahenbuhl GS, Skinner JS, Kohrt WM (1985) Developmental aspects of maximal aerobic power in children. Exerc Sport Sci Rev 13:503–538
Lussier L, Buskirk ER (1977) Effects of an endurance training regimen on assessment of work capacity in prepubertal children. Ann N Y Acad Sci 301:734–741
Mader A, Liesen H, Heck H, Phillippi H, Schuerch PM, Hollmann W (1976) Zur Beurteilung der sportartspezifischen Ausdauerleistungsfähigkeit. Sportarzt. u Sportmed 27:80–88 and 109–112
Mahon AD, Vaccaro P (1989) Ventilatory threshold and V̇O2max changes in children following endurance training. Med Sci Sports Exerc 21:425–431
Mahon AD, Vaccaro P (1994) Cardiovascular adaptations in 8- to 12-year-old boys following a 14-week running program. Can J Appl Physiol 19:139–150
Martha PMJR, Rogol AD, Veldhuis JD, Kerrigan JR, Goodman DW, Blizzard RM (1989) Alterations in the pulsatile properties of circulating growth hormone concentrations during puberty in boys. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 69:563–570
Martha PMJR, Goodman DW, Blizzard RM, Rogol AD, Veldhuis JD (1992) Endogenous growth hormone secretion and clearance rates in normal boys, as determined by deconvolution analysis: relationship to age, pubertal status and body mass. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 74:336–344
Massicotte DR, MacNab RBJ (1974) Cardiorespiratory adaptations to training at specified intensities in children. Med Sci Sports 6:242–246
Mauras N, Blizzard RM, Link K, Johnson ML, Rogol AD, Veldhuis JD (1987) Augmentation of growth hormone secretion during puberty: evidence for a pulse amplitude-modulated phenomenon. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 64:596–601
Mirwald RL, Bailey DA, Cameron N, Rasmussen RL (1981) Longitudinal comparison of aerobic power in active and inactive boys aged 7.0 to 17.0 years. Ann Hum Biol 8:405–414
Oscai LB (1973) The role of exercise in body mass control. Exerc Sport Sci Rev 1:103–123
Parizkova J (1970) Longitudinal study of developmental changes in length, breadth and circumferential measurements in adolescent boys with various physical activity. Anthropologie 8:73–79
Parizkova J, Spynarova S (1975) Longitudinal study of the changes in body composition, body build and aerobic capacity in boys of different physical activity from 11 to 15 years. In: Mellerowicz, H, Jokl E, Hansen G (eds) Ergebnisse der Ergometrie. Perimed, Erlangen
Paterson DH, Cunningham DA, Bumstead LA (1986) Recovery O2 and blood lactic acid: longitudinal analysis in boys aged 11 to 15 years. Eur J Appl Physiol 55:93–99
Petratis MM, Sady SP, Savage MP, Thomson WH (1983) Effects of 10 weeks exercise training on cardiorespiratory fitness of prepubescent boys and adult men (abstract). Med Sci Sports Exerc 15:107
Pollock ML (1973) The quantification of endurance training programs. Exerc Sport Sci Rev 1:155–158
Prud'Homme D, Bouchard C, Leblanc C, Landry F, Fontaine E (1984) Sensitivity of maximal aerobic power to training is genotype-dependent. Med Sci Sports Exerc 16:489–493
Ready AE, Quinney HA (1982) Alterations in anaerobic threshold as the result of endurance training and detraining. Med Sci Sports Exerc 14:292–296
Reznickova M, Kotulan J, Placheta Z (1981) Intensive Bewegungsaktivität und Körperentwicklung. Med Sport 21:58–62
Rivera MA, Dionne FT, Simoneau J-A, Perusse L, Chagnon M, Chagnon Y, Gagnon J, Leon S, Rao DC, Skinner JS, Wilmore JH, Bouchard C (1997) Muscle-specific creatine kinase gene polymorphism and V̇O2max in the HERITAGE Family Study. Med Sci Sports Exerc 29:1311–1317
Rivera MA, Perusse L, Simoneau J-A, Gagnon J, Dionne FT, Leon S, Skinner JS, Wilmore JH, Province M, Rao DC, Bouchard C (1999) Linkage between a muscle-specific CK gene marker and V̇O2max in the HERITAGE Family Study. Med Sci Sports Exerc 31:698–701
Rotstein A, Dotan R, Bar-Or O, Tenenbaum G (1986) Effect of training on anaerobic threshold, maximal aerobic power and anaerobic performance of preadolescent boys. Int J Sports Med 7:281–286
Schmuecker, Hollmann W (1973) Zur Frage der Trainierbarkeit von Herz und Kreislauf bei Kindern bis zum 10. Lebensjahr. Sportarzt Sportmed 10:231–235 and 11:263–265
Sjodin B, Jacobs I (1981) Onset of Blood Lactate Accumulation and Marathon Running Performance. Int J Sports Med 2:23–26
Sklad M (1977) The rate of growth and maturing of twins. Acta Genet Gemellol 26:221–237
Stewart KJ, Gutin B (1976) Effects of physical training on cardiorespiratory fitness in children. Res Q 47:110–120
Tanner JM (1962) Wachstum und Reifung des Menschen. Georg Thieme Verlag, Stuttgart
Vaccaro P, Clarke DH (1978) Cardiorespiratory alterations in 9 to 11 year old children following a season of competitive swimming. Med Sci Sports 10:204–207
Wanne O, Valimaki I (1983) The influence of sports training on growth in school children. Scand J Sports Sci 5:41–44
Weber G, Kartodihardjo W, Klissouras V (1976) Growth and physical training with reference to heredity. J Appl Physiol 40:211–215
Weltman A, Weltman JY, Schurrer R, Evans WS, Veldhuis JD, Rogol D (1992) Endurance training amplifies the pulsatile release of growth hormone: effects of training intensity. J Appl Physiol 72:2188–2196
Wilson RS (1980) Bloodtyping and twin zygosity. Reassessment and extension. Acta Genet Med Gemellol 29:103–120
Wirth A, Traeger E, Scheele K, Mayer D, Diehm K, Reischle K. Weicker H (1978) Cardiopulmonary adjustment and metabolic response to maximal and submaximal physical exercise of boys and girls at different stages of maturity. Eur J Appl Physiol 39:229–240
Yoshida T, Ishiko I, Muraoka I (1980) Effect of endurance training on cardiorespiratory functions of 5-year-old children. Int J Sports Med 1:91–94
Acknowledgements
The authors thank Professor S. Chatziconstantinou and Dr. S. Kangas for their medical cooperation, the Regional Center for Blood Donation of Hippocratic Hospital in Athens for the identification of red blood cell antigens, and especially the twins and their parents for their voluntary participation in this research.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Danis, A., Kyriazis, Y. & Klissouras, V. The effect of training in male prepubertal and pubertal monozygotic twins. Eur J Appl Physiol 89, 309–318 (2003). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-002-0785-z
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-002-0785-z