Introduction:Runners from East Africa including Kenya,Ethiopia and Uganda have dominated middle-and longdistance running events,for almost six decades.This narrative review examines and updates current understanding o...Introduction:Runners from East Africa including Kenya,Ethiopia and Uganda have dominated middle-and longdistance running events,for almost six decades.This narrative review examines and updates current understanding of the factors explaining the dominance of East Africans in distance running from a holistic perspective.Content:The dominance of East African distance runners has puzzled researchers,with various factors proposed to explain their unparalleled success.Four key elements emerge:1)biomechanical and physiological attributes,2)training characteristics,3)psychological motivations,and 4)African diet.Runners from East Africa often exhibit ectomorphic somatotypes,characterized by lean body compositions which lead them to an extraordinary biomechanical and metabolic effciency.Their sociocultural lifestyle,training regimens beginning at a young age with aerobic activities,seem crucial,as well as moderate volume,high-intensity workouts at altitudes ranging from 2,000 to 3,000 m.Psychological factors,including a strong motivation to succeed driven by aspirations for socioeconomic improvement and a rich tradition of running excellence,also contribute significantly.A multifactorial explanation considering these factors,without a clear genetic influence,is nowadays the strongest argument to explain the East African phenomenon.Summary and outlook:To unravel the mystery behind the supremacy of East African runners,it is imperative to consider these multifaceted factors.The predominantly rural lifestyle of the East African population underscores the importance of aligning modern lifestyles with the evolutionary past of Homo sapiens,where physical activity was integral to daily life.Further research is required to explain this phenomenon,with a focus on genetics.展开更多
Blood doping remains a significant problem that threatensthe integrity ofsport.The currentindirect method for detecting blood doping involves the longitudinal measurement of an athlete’s haematological variables and i...Blood doping remains a significant problem that threatensthe integrity ofsport.The currentindirect method for detecting blood doping involves the longitudinal measurement of an athlete’s haematological variables and identification of suspicious results that are indicative of doping(i.e.,the athlete biological passport).While this has played a significant role in the protection of clean sport,improvements are needed.The development of a transcriptomic test,that can be used to detect the use of blood doping has been discussed and researched for decades and yet,an anti-doping test that can be adopted by the World Anti-Doping Agency(WADA)is yet to be established.With recent advancements in our understanding,as well as in methods of sample collection,the possibility of a transcriptomic test that can be used by WADA,is imminent.There are,however,several practical considerations that mustfirst be made,that will be highlighted in this perspective article.展开更多
文摘Introduction:Runners from East Africa including Kenya,Ethiopia and Uganda have dominated middle-and longdistance running events,for almost six decades.This narrative review examines and updates current understanding of the factors explaining the dominance of East Africans in distance running from a holistic perspective.Content:The dominance of East African distance runners has puzzled researchers,with various factors proposed to explain their unparalleled success.Four key elements emerge:1)biomechanical and physiological attributes,2)training characteristics,3)psychological motivations,and 4)African diet.Runners from East Africa often exhibit ectomorphic somatotypes,characterized by lean body compositions which lead them to an extraordinary biomechanical and metabolic effciency.Their sociocultural lifestyle,training regimens beginning at a young age with aerobic activities,seem crucial,as well as moderate volume,high-intensity workouts at altitudes ranging from 2,000 to 3,000 m.Psychological factors,including a strong motivation to succeed driven by aspirations for socioeconomic improvement and a rich tradition of running excellence,also contribute significantly.A multifactorial explanation considering these factors,without a clear genetic influence,is nowadays the strongest argument to explain the East African phenomenon.Summary and outlook:To unravel the mystery behind the supremacy of East African runners,it is imperative to consider these multifaceted factors.The predominantly rural lifestyle of the East African population underscores the importance of aligning modern lifestyles with the evolutionary past of Homo sapiens,where physical activity was integral to daily life.Further research is required to explain this phenomenon,with a focus on genetics.
文摘Blood doping remains a significant problem that threatensthe integrity ofsport.The currentindirect method for detecting blood doping involves the longitudinal measurement of an athlete’s haematological variables and identification of suspicious results that are indicative of doping(i.e.,the athlete biological passport).While this has played a significant role in the protection of clean sport,improvements are needed.The development of a transcriptomic test,that can be used to detect the use of blood doping has been discussed and researched for decades and yet,an anti-doping test that can be adopted by the World Anti-Doping Agency(WADA)is yet to be established.With recent advancements in our understanding,as well as in methods of sample collection,the possibility of a transcriptomic test that can be used by WADA,is imminent.There are,however,several practical considerations that mustfirst be made,that will be highlighted in this perspective article.
