Introduction Physical performance depends on a variety of biological and mechanical properties. These different phenotypes are related through the complex interaction between the environment and the individual genetic profile. The hypothesis is that there is a hereditary component that interferes in physical fitness. ACE stands out among the genes that may influence this response. Objectives The objective of this study is to analyze the polymorphism of the ACE gene in American football

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... Methods: At the end of the study, the sample was composed of 45 male athletes and 72 non-athletes. DNA was extracted from the jugal mucosa. ACE polymorphisms were genotyped through polymerase chain reaction and analyzed using the electrophoresis process. To compare the frequency of genotypes between athletes and the control group, we used the Chi-square test. The association between the frequencies of alleles was verified through the 2X2 contingency tables analyzed using the Chi-square test with Yates correction. The type of study was diagnostic - Investigation of a diagnostic test, level of evidence II. A p-value of ≤0.05 was considered statistically significant for all the analyses. Results The results showed a greater frequency of the D allele in American football athletes when compared with non-athletes, and a significant difference in the genotypic distribution of the athletes being composed of a higher number of the DD genotype as compared to the control group. Conclusion The study provides evidence of the allelic and genotypic influence of ACE polymorphism in amateur American football players in Brazil. Level of evidence II; Investigation of a diagnostic test.