Let's Discuss
Advantage, GLP-1?
What’s going on: GLP-1s have transformed weight loss. Now experts are asking: Could they give athletes an edge? There’s been no avoiding the subject at the Cincinnati Open, where a banner showing 23-time Grand Slam champion Serena Williams injecting herself with a GLP-1 circled overhead. Williams is the most prominent athlete to publicly embrace the drugs, but there are signs others are using them, too. In a small new international study, researchers surveyed 114 sports-medicine physicians across 38 countries, and 12% said they were aware of athletes using GLP-1s without a medical need. When asked why athletes might use them, physicians most often cited the need to meet weight requirements or manage weight after an injury. The catch? Nobody actually knows whether that translates to better performance. In the sports world, “one reason for the uncertainty is that GLP-1 drugs have not been studied in elite athletes,” cardiologist and exercise physiologist Massimo Mapelli told the BBC.
The gray area: So why are regulators watching? One US Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) adviser says GLP-1s could theoretically offer an advantage in sports where weight matters. But being lighter doesn’t necessarily mean performing better. On the flip side, GLP-1s can suppress appetite and cause muscle loss, potentially leaving athletes underfueled and weaker. For now, the World Anti-Doping Agency doesn’t prohibit the drugs, though it monitors semaglutide — a GLP-1 medication prescribed for weight loss and diabetes — for potential misuse. Another USADA official says future versions that preserve more muscle could prove more advantageous. Take away one of the drugs’ biggest potential drawbacks for athletes, and you change the game considerably.
Related: NFL Player Says Fertility Treatment Led to League Suspension (BBC)
In Her Court
“I’m not that much of a spender.” — JuJu Watkins shares how she’s handling her money at 21 — and the surprisingly practical thing she bought herself recently.
Timeout...
Will Carlos Alcaraz defend his US Open title?
Our Well Played co-hosts and friends of the show tackle listener Qs.
Carlos Alcaraz is back on a tennis court. Whether he’s ready to be back on tour is another story. The 23-year-old seven-time Grand Slam champ hasn’t played an official match since a right-wrist injury knocked him out in April. It forced him to miss the French Open, Wimbledon, and Cincinnati. Now he’s practicing at high intensity and reportedly feels better by the day. The bigger question? His serve. Videos show Alcaraz ripping shots from the baseline, but he hasn’t served at full power because it puts more stress on his wrist. And after more than four months without an official match, jumping straight into a best-of-five Grand Slam is no casual warm-up. Alcaraz is expected to decide this week whether he’ll defend his US Open title when singles play begins Aug. 30.
Related: Novak Djokovic Discloses a Years-Long Health Issue After a Tough Loss (NBC)
No Notes
Let's Discuss
Advantage, GLP-1?
What’s going on: GLP-1s have transformed weight loss. Now experts are asking: Could they give athletes an edge? There’s been no avoiding the subject at the Cincinnati Open, where a banner showing 23-time Grand Slam champion Serena Williams injecting herself with a GLP-1 circled overhead. Williams is the most prominent athlete to publicly embrace the drugs, but there are signs others are using them, too. In a small new international study, researchers surveyed 114 sports-medicine physicians across 38 countries, and 12% said they were aware of athletes using GLP-1s without a medical need. When asked why athletes might use them, physicians most often cited the need to meet weight requirements or manage weight after an injury. The catch? Nobody actually knows whether that translates to better performance. In the sports world, “one reason for the uncertainty is that GLP-1 drugs have not been studied in elite athletes,” cardiologist and exercise physiologist Massimo Mapelli told the BBC.
The gray area: So why are regulators watching? One US Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) adviser says GLP-1s could theoretically offer an advantage in sports where weight matters. But being lighter doesn’t necessarily mean performing better. On the flip side, GLP-1s can suppress appetite and cause muscle loss, potentially leaving athletes underfueled and weaker. For now, the World Anti-Doping Agency doesn’t prohibit the drugs, though it monitors semaglutide — a GLP-1 medication prescribed for weight loss and diabetes — for potential misuse. Another USADA official says future versions that preserve more muscle could prove more advantageous. Take away one of the drugs’ biggest potential drawbacks for athletes, and you change the game considerably.
Related: NFL Player Says Fertility Treatment Led to League Suspension (BBC)
In Her Court
“I’m not that much of a spender.” — JuJu Watkins shares how she’s handling her money at 21 — and the surprisingly practical thing she bought herself recently.
Timeout...
Will Carlos Alcaraz defend his US Open title?
Our Well Played co-hosts and friends of the show tackle listener Qs.
Carlos Alcaraz is back on a tennis court. Whether he’s ready to be back on tour is another story. The 23-year-old seven-time Grand Slam champ hasn’t played an official match since a right-wrist injury knocked him out in April. It forced him to miss the French Open, Wimbledon, and Cincinnati. Now he’s practicing at high intensity and reportedly feels better by the day. The bigger question? His serve. Videos show Alcaraz ripping shots from the baseline, but he hasn’t served at full power because it puts more stress on his wrist. And after more than four months without an official match, jumping straight into a best-of-five Grand Slam is no casual warm-up. Alcaraz is expected to decide this week whether he’ll defend his US Open title when singles play begins Aug. 30.
Related: Novak Djokovic Discloses a Years-Long Health Issue After a Tough Loss (NBC)
No Notes
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