Possible Testosterone Explanation

[Nanci]

The Effect of Alcohol Consumption on the Urinary Testosterone /
Epitestosterone Ratio


By Dr Simon Davis B.Sc., Ph.D.


Summary


Intoxicating beverages contain a number of different forms of alcohol,
the major constituent of which is ethanol. When a beverage is consumed
the ethanol content passes through the stomach wall and digestive tract
into the blood stream. Once the ethanol enters circulation it begins
to alter the bodies' biochemistry. One such reaction is to
differentially increase the rates of testosterone (T) and
epitestosterone (E) metabolism. The overall effect of this reaction is
to increase the ratio of T to E excreted in the urine.


It has been reported that ethanol consumption can increase urinary T/E
ratios by 30% - 277% in healthy individuals. Observed changes in
plasma T/E ratios can occur with the consumption of less than 2 pints
of lager. The ingestion of ethanol by an individual will increase the
T/E ratio observed in a urine sample.


It follows that if the effect of ethanol on T/E ratios is calculated
relative to urinary E concentrations, it can be seen that increases in
the ratio are exponential as E concentrations decrease. Individuals
with naturally low E concentrations could, therefore, experience
increases in T/E ratios of ? 940% greater than increases experienced in
an individual with normal E concentrations. Calculations estimate
that in individuals with low urinary E concentration, ratios of 17 to 1
or higher could have resulted from ethanol consumption without any
administration of exogenous T.


The current T/E ratio test as performed by Kings College Laboratory and
approved by the UK Sports, the IWF and IOC cannot discriminate between
a 13 to 1 T/E ratio resulting from ethanol ingestion or a 13 to 1 ratio
resulting from endogenous T administration.

[Eden]

I do recall some mention of beer after (the disatrous) stage 16......

[FreshNewbie]

Well he did say that he had beer before stage 18

[Pedal Wench]

I just heard an interview on ESPN with a guy who explained that his RATIO of testosterone to epitestosterone is elevated, but his overall level of test. is LOWER than normal. NOT what you would expect in someone who is doping.

ESPN has an interview with Greg Lemond at 4, but I've got to actually work then.

[maillotpois]

We're on the same list! I just posted that article in the other thread.

Great minds....

[velogirl]

My understanding of the science behind this is that epitestosterone (type that ten times fast) elevates when there isn't enough testosterone in the body and lowers when there's too much. So if his T is low and his E is also low, there's something wrong there. Hmmm.

I'm keeping the faith, even though I've stated elsewhere on this forum that I think just about everyone in the pro peloton dopes/supplements. I love Floyd and sure hope the B sample proves this wrong (or at least inconclusive).

[maillotpois]

But even if the B sample is negative or inconclusive - unless there's some real medical reason behind this, like his body produces more naturally, etc, (which should have come up in past tests) everyone will always wonder and that is just terrible.