Cardiovascular fitness is negatively associated with homocysteine levels in female adolescents.
OBJECTIVE
To examine the association between cardiovascular fitness and homocysteine levels in adolescents.


METHODS
Cross-sectional study.


METHODS
Madrid, Murcia, Granada, Santander, and Zaragoza, Spain.


METHODS
One hundred fifty-six Spanish adolescents (76 boys and 80 girls) aged (mean +/- SD) 14.8 +/- 1.4 years.


METHODS
Cardiovascular fitness was measured by the 20-m shuttle run test. Pubertal stage, birth weight, smoking status, and socioeconomic status were determined, and the sum of 6 skinfold thickness measurements, and serum folic acid and vitamin B(12) levels were measured. Methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR; 677C>T genotype) polymorphism was done by DNA sequencing.


METHODS
Fasting homocysteine levels.


RESULTS
Mean values of homocysteine were significantly higher in the MTHFR 677CT and TT genotype subgroups compared with the CC genotype subgroup in adolescent boys, whereas in adolescent girls, mean values of homocysteine were significantly higher in the MTHFR 677CT and TT genotype subgroup compared with the CC and CT genotype subgroups. Multiple regression analyses showed that cardiovascular fitness was significantly associated with homocysteine levels in female adolescents after controlling for potential confounders including the MTHFR 677C>T genotype (beta = -0.40; semipartial correlation = -0.35; P = .007). No associations were found between cardiovascular fitness and homocysteine levels in male adolescents (beta = 0.12; semipartial correlation = 0.08; P = .51).


CONCLUSIONS
The results suggest that cardiovascular fitness is negatively associated with homocysteine levels in female adolescents after controlling for potential cofounders including MTHFR 677C>T genotype.
Ruiz
Jonatan R
JR
Department of Medical Physiology, School of Medicine, University of Granada, Spain. ruizj@ugr.es
Sola
Ricardo
R
Gonzalez-Gross
Marcela
M
Ortega
Francisco B
FB
Vicente-Rodriguez
German
G
Garcia-Fuentes
Miguel
M
Gutierrez
Angel
A
Sjöström
Michael
M
Pietrzik
Klaus
K
Castillo
Manuel J
MJ
D000293:Adolescent; D002320:Cardiovascular Physiological Phenomena; D005080:Exercise Test; D005260:Female; D005492:Folic Acid / Q000097:blood; D006710:Homocysteine / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D042965:Methylenetetrahydrofolate Reductase (NADPH2) / Q000235:genetics; D010809:Physical Fitness; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic; D012044:Regression Analysis; D017678:Sex Distribution; D012737:Sex Factors; D013030:Spain; D014805:Vitamin B 12 / Q000097:blood
D006710:Homocysteine; D005492:Folic Acid; D042965:Methylenetetrahydrofolate Reductase (NADPH2); D014805:Vitamin B 12