Why testosterone?

Bronzie

I know this should really go in "Pharmacy" but there's too much tumbleweed in there.

So why do riders take testosterone?

When Landis was positive, everyone said "it would not make a rider go better overnight". And yet, there have been several other positives for it since him.

Is it a masking agent for something more beneficial? Are they mad taking something that is so easy to detect?

aba2005

isn't it about the riders frame of mind? I'm sure I read a while back that it makes them more aggressive and determined to win. So it can give an instant boost.

skut

so why would he test positive in an out of competition test??

iainf72

skut wrote:

so why would he test positive in an out of competition test??

It's usually used with EPO.

And helps with recovery.

ddraver

can anyone find the article from outside magazine where a keen amateur cyclist went to a questionable doctor and drugged himself before Paris-Brest-Paris...it made a huge difference to his performance and recovery time

its a superbly well written article and makes you realise why they do it

ddraver

here - http://outside.away.com/outside/bodywor ... est_1.html

aba2005

skut wrote:

so why would he test positive in an out of competition test??

The article I read was on athletics, specifically sprinting so it might not be relevant to cycling.

TheBigOne

aids recovery.
quickly.

Bronzie

ddraver wrote:

here - http://outside.away.com/outside/bodywor ... est_1.html

That article is enlightening and depressing in equal measure............thanks for the link.

OffTheBackAdam

Some time ago, on UK terrestrial TV, there was a programme where athletes were tested over a period of time having taken a variety of substances, both legal & banned, to see if they were effective in enhancing performance.
Sprinters did benefit from Testosterone, I think they were treated over a 4 week period and showed a 10% improvement in their 100m times compared to the placebo group.
One suggestion has been that they've been taking Testosterone over the winter and also been blood doping. Although they're not taking Testosterone during the season, there's some still in the reinfused blood, thus the positive test.

naz-t

i renember that documentary and the poeple involved were given such tiny doses they wer lucky to have been anhanced at all, yet still they were! given proper knowledge and longer than 10mins cycle of steriods the effect is very very noticable they say if you can gain 2lbs of solid muscle over a 12 month period thats normal, i personally (know people) who have gained over 14lbs in 1 week, of course not all of this was pure and qualty muscle with most of it being from water retension but given doses over a period of time say 12 months youd be amazed how much pure muscle you can put on, this has a multitude of advantages for certain sports particularly where power or strength are involved, the recovery period is shortened dramatically however dependent on your sport youll be competeing harder which in reality means that recovery is only slightly increased in real terms as your pushing your body further and further, some bad points to mention when growth of muscles is so rapid the rest of the body often cannot keep up, tendons etc are put under incredible strain trying to keep up.

my belief in why certain athletes are caught taking testosterone is two fold, firstly they probably are un educated as to which drugs to take, their effects, and how long they could test positive for (theres hardly a book you can read to find out!)
secondly is that nearly all anabolic steriods are based on testosterone in one way or another so it is a very broad canvass drug, testosterone, really, based on price , is the best in terms of strength gains etc of whats out there.

im also convinced every now and then there is an offering to the alter of a couple of sportmen and women per year who will "randomly" test positive for drugs to a) justify the testing and their effectiveness and b) to appease the baying action groups trying to erradicate sports of drug taking.

JMO FWIW

aba2005

Bronzie wrote:

ddraver wrote:

here - http://outside.away.com/outside/bodywor ... est_1.html

That article is enlightening and depressing in equal measure............thanks for the link.

very depressing although not suprising. There's a quote in page 7 about people who don't think cyclist use supplements as imbeciles or hypocrites!

lloyd_bower

'That article is enlightening and depressing in equal measure............thanks for the link.'
Yes, couldn't agree more.

timoid.

The testosterone in Kessler and Sinkewitz (allegedly - [Timoid's Lawer]) was not to aid recovery, it was for building muscle and reducing fat. It is still the most effective training drug and used by more of the top sportsmen and women than you'd like to think.


It is used in Grand Tours to aid recovery and there is an argument that this should be allowed as it is more healthy than your body being deficient in testosterone which may bring on physiological damage.

ddraver

lloyd bower wrote:

'That article is enlightening and depressing in equal measure............thanks for the link.'
Yes, couldn't agree more.

s'a good one innit......did you listen to the radio interview, linked to on the first page

Bronzie

ddraver wrote:

did you listen to the radio interview, linked to on the first page

Have now doesn't add a lot to the original article but still fascinating to listen to.

Think I'd need a shed load of drugs to get me to the start of Paris-Brest-Paris, but that's another subject :shock:

knedlicky

Bronzie wrote:

So why do riders take testosterone?

When Landis was positive, everyone said "it would not make a rider go better overnight". And yet, there have been several other positives for it since him.

Are they mad taking something that is so easy to detect?

It may have other benefits and qualities but Testosterone definitely has a sharp short-term effect. Last year in the Tour, Landis went for this short-term benefit, falsely hoping it would have reached undetectable levels by the time he arrived at the finish. Had he taken 10 mins longer, he probably wouldn’t have tested positive.

Timoid. wrote:

The testosterone in Kessler and Sinkewitz (allegedly - [Timoid's Lawer]) was not to aid recovery, it was for building muscle and reducing fat.

Sinkewitz had probably taken it an hour or so before being tested, I think to ensure he performed well enough during that day’s training to be selected for the Tour. In previous years he’s experienced the anxiety of nearly not being selected for the Tour and dismay of definitely not being selected for the German national team.