What Does It All Mean?!
Okay, so we don't know anything officially yet. It could all be a big mistake. But, how exactly does testosterone help professional athletes? And just how plausible are Landis' potential excuses?
Landis told SI.com that elevated levels of testosterone are a common problem among cyclists and that he is retaining the services of Spanish doctor Luis Hernandez to help prove his innocence. "In hundreds of cases, no one's ever lost one," Landis told the Web site.
Landis also told SI.com that he has been taking an oral dose of thyroid hormone to help a thyroid condition he's been treating. He also suggested cortisone shots he's been given for his hip might have contributed to the test result.
Testosterone and other androgens promote muscle growth and hematopoietic stem cell maturation (we all remember when Lance was accused of giving himself EPO, a drug specifically used to raise one's red blood cell count and thus increase your oxygen delivering capacity).