health
Are GLP-1s Performance-Enhancing Drugs?
A weight-loss medication eased Serena Williams’s comeback. Experts can’t agree on whether that counts as doping.
TL;DR
- Serena Williams, a paid spokesperson for Ro, used GLP-1 medication, tirzepatide, to lose 34 pounds and improve her training and game.
- Her return to tennis is one of the first opportunities to observe an elite athlete's performance after using GLP-1s, though results have been mixed.
- Experts are divided on whether GLP-1s offer a performance advantage, with some citing potential benefits in weight-category sports and others questioning their impact on strength and drive.
- The World Anti-Doping Agency is monitoring GLP-1 use but currently permits athletes to take them; however, they may be banned in the future.
- Research on GLP-1s in elite athletes is limited, making it difficult to determine their true effects on performance, body composition, and potential side effects like muscle mass loss.
- The 'spirit of sport' concept, emphasizing the ethical pursuit of human excellence through natural talents, is central to the discussion of whether GLP-1s violate fair competition.