Is it possible that Tour de France winner Floyd Landis, suspected of taking performance enhancing drugs, is innocent? Could the test results have natural causes?

Another doping scandal?

The Tour de France was won on July 23rd by the American, Floyd Landis. Four days later, July 27th, he tested positive for the male hormone testosterone. He is now anxiously awaiting the results of a second sample, to confirm or refute persist high testosterone levels.

Testosterone is produced by the testes, to stimulate the production of sperm and the development of the male sexual characteristics such deep voice, male hair distribution, maturing of the genitals, physical shape and muscular development. Testosterone creates the male's sexual drive and affects mood such as aggression.

If his testosterone levels are way beyond what is accepted as the normal range, many will accuse him of using artifcial means to boost thse hormone levels, in order to enhance his physical performance. He will become one of the many in the cycling world accused of doping, and looking at the history of the Tour de France and other major races, maybe quite rightly so eg:

"Tour of Shame" in 1998 in which the doping activities of the Festina team resulted in a criminal trial.

Sept 2005: The winner of the Tour of Spain, Roberto Heras, tested positive for EPO and was stripped of his title and banned for 2 years.
June 2006:Tour de France race favourites Ivan Basso and Jan Ullrich were withdrawn from the race, as they were among 58 riders linked to a doping scandal.

Could Landis be innocent? I don't know, but one thought has occurred to me and I'd like to hear from someone out there about my theory. Now, I'm no expert on testosterone or other hormones, but I'm a GP and I do have a little knowledge about the body. So just consider this. These cyclists spend several hours a day on the narrow saddle of a bike. This saddle is rubbing against what? Their genitals - the scrotum and the testes, as well as other parts that the sun don't see! To me it seems feasable that such lengthy periods of continual pressure and stimulation to the scrotum and testes could stimulate an increase in testosterone production.

I can't think of any other sport, in which men are subjected to such long periods of time, in which the testes are compressed and their blood supply continually stimulated. Just that prolonged physical activity could possibly pump higher levels of testosterone into their bloodstream, maybe high enough to be viewed as abnormal compared to the average male.

And now here's an interesting fact. There is a substance called PSA (prostate specific antigen) which is produced by the prostate gland which sits inside the body at the base of the bladder. PSA is particularly raised in men with prostate cancer, and the PSA blood test is often used as an indicator of prostate cancer agressiveness. However, one activity which can give a high reading is... you guessed, cycling! And not even professional cycle racing but just casual cycling, especially with slim fitting saddles can produce elevated PSA levels giving a 'false' high reading. So if cycling can do that, it seems not unreasonable to suggest that the stresses these riders put upon their testes could also create 'false' high levels of blood testosterone!

The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) regards testosterone as an anabolic steroid, and it's use can result in a two year ban. Floyd Landis says "I must prove there are variations in my levels that are out of the ordinary". He may well be correct - his levels may be high from the very sport in which he partakes, rather than from drug abuse. I have no real interest in cycling but if cycling can give a 'false' high reading for blood PSA levels, it might give similar 'false' high readings for testosterone!

I would like to know if cyclists blood testosterone levels have been tested during periods of rest versus periods of competitive racing? If there is anyone out there with any knowledge of this subject I'd like to hear from you as would the world of cycle racing? Endocrinologists, Genito-Urinary specialists.... one of you should be able to provide this information.

Dr Chris Steele
This content was created on Mon 31 July 2006

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