Sarcopenia reduces functional capacity in elderly people. The candidate gene Insulin Growth Factor (IGF-2) has been suggested to influence on sarcopenia. This study aimed to investigate the association between the IGF-2 / ApaI polymorphism and the phenotypes muscle mass and strength. The study involved 252 subjects (66.94 ± 5.59 years), who underwent muscle strength measurements using an isokinetic dynamometer, and fat-free mass (FFM) assessment using DEXA. Volunteers also answered the IPAQ questionnaire to determine physical activity levels. Statistical procedures included ANOVA and ANCOVA to compare variables (p< 0.05). No significant difference was detected between age, weight, height, BMI and body fat percentage in the three genotype groups. The analysis of covariance evidenced no significant difference between groups regarding the evaluated muscle-related phenotypes. Therefore, there was no significant association between IGF-2 / ApaI polymorphism with isokinetic muscle strength and FFM in this population.
IGF-2; Strength; Elderly
