Forschung & Innovation
Publikationen
Epigenetic Age Monitoring in Professional Soccer Players for Tracking Recovery and the Effects of Strenuous Exercise
PMU Autor*innen
Thomas Kocher, Roland Zauner
Alle Autor*innen
Robert T. Brooke, Thomas Kocher, Roland Zauner, Juozas Gordevicius, Milda Milciute, Marc Nowakowski, Christian Haser, Thomas Blobel, Johanna Sieland, Daniel Langhoff, Winfried Banzer, Steve Horvath, Florian Pfab
Fachzeitschrift
AGING CELL
Kurzfassung
Elite sports have become increasingly professionalized and personalized, with soccer players facing a high number of games per season. This trend presents significant challenges in optimizing training for peak performance and requires rigorous monitoring of athletes to prevent overload and reduce injury risks. The emerging field of epigenetic clocks offers promising new pathways for developing useful biomarkers that enhance training management. This study investigates the effects of intense physical activity on epigenetic age markers in professional soccer players across multiple games and during a championship season. We analyzed DNA methylation data from saliva samples collected before and after physical activity. Vigorous physical activity was found to rejuvenate epigenetic clocks, with significant decreases in DNAmGrimAge2 and DNAmFitAge observed immediately after games. Among player subgroups, midfielders exhibited the most substantial epigenetic rejuvenation effect following games. Additionally, the study suggests a potential link between DNA methylation patterns and injury occurrence. Overall, our study suggests that DNA methylation-based biomarkers may have applications in monitoring athlete performance and managing physical stress.
Keywords
EXERCISE, C-REACTIVE PROTEIN, FitAge, GrimAge2, Soccer, Sports injury