
#675 - The Evolving Landscape of Anti-Doping and Testosterone Use in Sports
Fitter Radio Triathlon PodcastShow Notes
Dr. Alison Heather, Chief Scientist at Insitugen Limited shares with us the rapid advancements in anti-doping technology, the rise of online testosterone replacement therapies and the importance of understanding inadvertent contamination versus intentional doping. We discuss the necessity for fair processes, the role of sensitive testing methods and the need for athlete education to prevent false positives and unfair sanctions. Key Topics: The emergence of online testosterone replacement therapy services. Risks associated with unregulated use of testosterone and potential for misuse in sports The importance of comprehensive blood and metabolic testing before initiating hormone therapy How anti-doping testing has evolved since 2004 with increased sensitivity and the role of AI The significance of non-targeted testing in detecting unnoticed performance-enhancing drug use Challenges related to inadvertent contamination, such as semen or supplement trace amounts The importance of fair investigation procedures and the concept of adverse analytical findings The impact of media sensationalism on athletes who are not guilty The necessity for athletes and the public to understand the complexities of doping tests and contamination How technology, biology and AI are advancing doping detection capabilities The role of education and support for athletes facing potential sanctions Timestamps: 00:00 - Introduction: rise of online testosterone therapy and concerns 02:00 - Risks of unregulated hormone use 04:00 - Importance of blood work and medical consultation before hormone therapy 06:00 - Evolution of anti-doping testing methods since 2004 08:00 - Role of AI in non-targeted doping detection 10:00 - Contamination scenarios and their implications in doping cases 12:00 - Investigative processes and fairness in doping sanctions 14:00 - False positives due to contamination and trace amounts 16:00 - The case of Imogen Simmonds and the importance of fair procedures 18:00 - Threshold levels and resource allocation in doping testing 20:00 - Future directions: AI, fingerprinting, and supplement testing 22:00 - The importance of transparency and athlete support during investigations 24:00 - The cultural shift needed around doping allegations and fair play 26:00 - The impact of media and public perception on innocent athletes 28:00 - The significance of education and preventative measures in sports LINKS: Dr Alison Heather - Insitugen Limited at https://insitugen.com/
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Dr. Amanda Sadler is a Fellowship-trained Sports Medicine Physician and Functional Medicine Certified Professional. Amanda's focus has been on primary care and functional medicine. Functional medicine looks at the root cause of a disease from the cellular level to understand its influence on the whole system. Her training as a doctor has been shaped in part due to her own athletic career and her own missed diagnoses. She was a two-time Olympic Trials qualifier in 2004 and 2008, a leading competitor on the ITU circuit, and in 2013 she won her first Ironman event in Brazil. Amanda dealt with gastrointestinal issues throughout much of her early career. She knows that her career as a triathlete could have been different had those issues been solved earlier and treated correctly. In this conversation, Dr. Amanda Stevens-Sadler shares her journey from being a professional triathlete to a physician. She highlights the importance of gut health in athletic performance and the need for a shift towards functional medicine, which focuses on individualized care and optimal health rather than just treating symptoms. Dr. Sadler emphasizes the signs of dysfunction that athletes should not ignore and the differences between conventional and functional medicine in addressing health issues. We discuss the intricate relationship between gut health, stress and athletic performance - emphasizing the importance of personalized approaches to health, particularly for athletes - and introduce her Champion Athlete Method, which focuses on optimizing performance through understanding individual needs and managing stress effectively. LINKS: Dr Amanda Sadler at https://www.instagram.com/docamandasadler/
We review all the racing from the IRONMAN World Champs in Kona plus Jack gives us his feedback on his first race there as a Pro. We share the footage from the Pro Race Press Conference with the top 5 men and women. TIMESTAMPS: 0:00:00 – Jack… "It got me" 0:02:14 – Jack's pre-race experience in Kona 0:03:50 – Kona… the hub of long distance triathlon 0:05:36 – The weather pre-race and race day 0:07.57 – The spectator experience in Kona 0:09:13 – DNF'ing in Kona versus Nice 0:15:22 – Heat adaptation for Kona 0:17:44 – The run 0:20:28 – Not the race we expected 0:25:19 – The 20m draft rule and race ranger 0:26:48 – The final impact on the pro series results 0:30:14 – Split screen coverage 0:30:35 – Men and Women racing the same course, same day 0:30:46 – Drafting in the AG race 0:34:02 – Matthew Marquardt 0:37:34 – Men's and Women's post race press conference 1:18:00 – The capitulations and what now for the future? 1:21:36 – Vincent Luis… the mic drop 1:24:55 – Will Taylor Knibb's dad now have to race Kona LINKS: Jack Moody at https://www.instagram.com/jacktmoody/ Kate Bevilaqua at https://www.instagram.com/katebevilaqua/ Guy Crawford at https://www.instagram.com/guyrcrawford/ IRONMAN World Championship Kona at https://www.ironman.com/races/im-world-championship-kona
Jack, Guy and Kate are on the ground in Kona. We share expert advice on navigating the swim, bike and run on race day. TIMESTAMPS: 0:00:00 – Jack, Kate and Guy are in Kona 0:02:06 – It's Jack's first time in Kona 0:03:16 – It's Guy's 22nd time on the Big Island. 0:03:46 – Has Kona recovered from the COVID era 0:07.02 – WTCS Rome and Alex Yee's run. 0:11:33 – How early is too early to arrive in Kona? 0:16:15 – The swim at the World Champs in Kona 0:38:12 – The bike at the World Champs in Kona 0:56:49 – Jack's running shoe of choice for the race 0:57:59 – Look after yourself! 1:00:30 – Don't f**k it up! 1:03:45 – How's Jack feeling 1:05:40 – We'll try and catch up with everyone post-race LINKS: Jack Moody at https://www.instagram.com/jacktmoody/ Kate Bevilaqua at https://www.instagram.com/katebevilaqua/ Guy Crawford at https://www.instagram.com/guyrcrawford/ WTCS Rome at https://triathlon.org/events/2026-world-triathlon-cup-rome IRONMAN World Championship Kona at https://www.ironman.com/races/im-world-championship-kona
We review all the racing from the weekend including the WTC Grand Final in Pontevedra. Casper Stornes is out of Kona – how does this affect the pro series standings and how will the race now unfold without him. Macy Roberts won the free race entry to IRONMAN 70.3 Melbourne. We find out more about her. TIMESTAMPS: 0:00:00 – Jack's reverse taper for Kona 0:03:16 – IM703 New York cancelled 0:04:46 – IRONMAN Chattanooga 0:07:09 – WTC Final Pontevedra 0:09.51 – The swim pontoon issue…would it have changed the outcome? 0:15:16 – Matt Hauser's win 0:16:38 – Running up and down hill an art form 0:19:25 – The reaction in the Tri Community to Hauser's win 0:20:33 – Australian females not as strong 0:21:30 – Jan Frodeno's marathon 0:23:32 – Cassandre Beaugrand's win 0:28:16 – Beth Potter's performance 0:34:17 – IRONMAN Australia Port Mac 0:35:15 – Macy Roberts 0:43:41 – Jack's off to Kona 0:48:35 – Guy and Kate's plans for racing next year 0:52:00 – Casper Stornes out of Kona 0:53:06 – Jack gets called for drug testing 1:07.00 – Will Kate race Kona as an age grouper LINKS: Jack Moody at https://www.instagram.com/jacktmoody/ Kate Bevilaqua at https://www.instagram.com/katebevilaqua/ Guy Crawford at https://www.instagram.com/guyrcrawford/ World Triathlon Cup Finals in Pontevedra at https://triathlon.org/events/2026-wtcf-pontevedra IRONMAN 70.3 Melbourne at https://www.ironman.com/races/im703-melbourne IRONMAN Chattanooga at https://www.ironman.com/races/im-chattanooga IRONMAN Australia at https://www.ironman.com/races/im-australia
Kate and Guy tell us about their experiences at the IRONMAN 70.3 Sunshine Coast plus we hear from Todd Turner, winner of the free race entry to this iconic event. The Auckland Duathlon Championships held last weekend double-served as the official Triathlon New Zealand Duathlon Championships (part of the Suzuki NZ Tri Series). By taking out the premier sprint distance field at Māngere Bridge, Jack Moody secured the national duathlon title. We review the racing from the T100 French Riviera at the weekend. Kyle Smith is back plus will Hayden recover enough to race well at the WTC Finals in Pontevedra this weekend? Illness. When do you decide it's not worth racing. TIMESTAMPS: 0:00:00 – Kate and Guy's experiences from IRONMAN 70.3 Sunshine Coast 0:09:43 – Todd Turner 0:19:19 – Jack Moody National Duathlon Champion. 0:29:28 – T100 French Riviera Race Review 0:33:55 – WTC Champs Pontevedra – can Hayden Win? 0:38.46 – Kyle Smith's race at the T100 0:43:56 – Can Taylor Knibb win Kona? 0:24:50 – The men's race 0:49:00 – Blue Seventy Wetsuits 0:49:28 – Hayden didn't race in a swim skin – do we rate them? 0:53:25 – IRONMAN Maryland 0:55:49 – IRONMAN Cozumel 0:56:12 – Illness. When do you decide it's not worth racing 1:07:14 – Kona Practice Swim LINKS: Jack Moody at https://www.instagram.com/jacktmoody/ Kate Bevilaqua at https://www.instagram.com/katebevilaqua/ Guy Crawford at https://www.instagram.com/guyrcrawford/ IRONMAN 70.3 World Champs in Nice at https://www.ironman.com/races/im703-world-championship-2026 IRONMAN 70.3 Sunshine Coast at https://www.ironman.com/races/im703-sunshine-coast Auckland Duathlon at https://www.aucklandduathlon.nz/ World Triathlon Cup Finals in Pontevedra at https://triathlon.org/events/2026-wtcf-pontevedra Blue Seventy Wetsuits at https://www.blueseventy.co.nz/