Exploring the relationship between caffeine metabolism-related cyp1a2 rs762551 polymorphism and team sport athlete status and training adaptations

The effectiveness of caffeine intake on physical performance improvement varies considerably between individuals. Slow caffeine metabolizers (i.e., carriers of the <i>CYP1A2</i> rs762551 CC genotype) may not experience the positive effects of caffeine intake on aerobic, strength and cognitive performance (compared to fast/AA and intermediate/AC metabolizers). The aim of this study was twofold: (1) to compare <i>CYP1A2</i> genotype frequencies between team sport athletes and a control group, and (2) to determine the association between <i>CYP1A2</i> polymorphism and changes in physical performance in response to six weeks of training in elite basketball players. The study examined 504 individuals (320 athletes and 184 controls). A decreasing linear trend of CC genotype with increasing level of achievement in team sport athletes (sub-elite: 18.0%, elite: 8.2%, highly elite (Olympic champions): 0%; <i>p</i>=0.001 for linear trend) was observed. Furthermore, Olympic champions had a significantly higher frequency of the AC genotype compared to the control group (80.0 vs 45.1%, <i>p</i>=0.048). Statistically significant (<i>p</i>=0.048) changes were observed in Yo-Yo IRT 2 performance in basketball players with the AC genotype only. In conclusion, our findings indicate that the <i>CYP1A2</i> CC genotype is unfavorable for play in elite team sports, whereas the carriage of the AC genotype may confer an advantage in basketball.