In the world of competitive cycling, athletes push their bodies to the limits, often sacrificing personal health for the sake of victory. It is not uncommon for the intense pressure to perform, fear of disqualification and the stigma associated with medical conditions to drive athletes to hide their symptoms. The concealment of heart arrhythmias, where the heart beats irregularly, either too fast or slow, is rumoured to occur in professional cycling pelotons where athletes might fear the rep...

Steps athletes can take to prevent an unintentional breach of anti-doping policy HH4A Resource: Infographic Whether you are an elite or competitive age-group athlete, it is important for you and your teams to be familiar with sport integrity matters. This free resource provides a useful tool for raising awareness of anti-doping policy and how to avoid pitfalls. You are welcome to download and share with your athletes.   ...

Should we bury our heads in the sand and pretend that no one cheats? You might not be an elite athlete, but you probably count yourself as a fairly competitive age-grouper. In fact, there are increasingly more competitive opportunities for athletes in the masters’ (>35 years) cohort across almost every sport in Australia, with major events including the Australian, Pan-Pacific and World Masters Games. Not surprisingly, the world governing bodies in a number of sporting codes now ta...

Zinc and magnesium play crucial roles in supporting athletic performance and overall health. Athletes, in particular, often have higher nutrient needs due to increased physical demands. Understanding the benefits of these two minerals can help you optimise your performance and recovery strategies. Importance of zinc for athletes Zinc is involved in numerous physiological processes that are vital for you as an athlete, particularly in the following domains. Immune function: Intense trainin...

While the risk of sudden death has for a long time been emphasised, more balanced perspectives on hypertrophic cardiomyopathy are emerging. Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) is characterised by a thickening of the heart muscle in the ventricular wall, usually the left ventricle. The overall ventricle size often remains normal but the inside of the ventricle is generally smaller and holds less blood than a normal ventricle, impeding normal cardiac function. The American Heart Association...