Testing For Anabolic Steroids (part 1)

There are drug tests carried out in almost all modern day sporting events. Although we tend to always hear the contrary through the media, it is in fact a common fact that the majority of competitors actually use performance enhancing drugs prior to or even right up to an event. There is nothing abnormal in wanting to get that competitive edge over your opponent and this normally tends to be anabolic steroids along with a concrete plan to "cheat the test"

Many competitions in powerlifting and bodybuilding are now drug tested at events. The idea is, of course, that everybody competes on a 'level field', aside from personal talent for sport. However, what frequently happens is that the guy who is on 'juice' and has found a way to get round the drug test comes out the winner. It isn't fair by any means, but that's life.

There are many sporting authorities that only know how it give negative press towards the use of performance enhancing drugs, but the matter of the fact is that it is the individual who has to make that decision. Everyone knows what will happen if you get caught taking them, but once again we are back to gaining the competitive edge. We often hear of athletes who haven't turned up for a drug tests, which can help an athlete avoid being sanctioned, but we are going to take a closer look at how the test can be beaten.

Types of Testing Procedure: The most common body fluid to be tested for the presence of drugs in athletic competition is generally urine. These articles will deal with the procedures used to test the body fluid, although the procedures used to assay blood for illegal substances are virtually identical.

There are a number of different laboratory testing processes used to test for performance enhancers, and it is important to know how these work, so that you can find a way to beat them!! By virtue of that statement, it goes without saying that you should find out what type of testing procedure your sample will be analysed by well in advance of the test so you can plan ahead...

Gas Chromatography(GC): This is a method that uses a separation technique to divide up a urine sample back into its component chemical parts. These substances are carried through chromatographic columns by a gas. chromatography is just a way of separating mixtures of compounds from each other, and leads to identification in the majority of cases. The chemical compounds in the urine can be identified by their 'retention time' on the chromatographic column - the retention time is unique for every individual drug, and therefore allows identification.

Gas Chromatography/Mass Spectrometry(GC/MS): This specific test will use a mixture of gas chromatography, followed up by mass spectrometry on the chemicals that have been separated from the urine on the chromatographic column. The mass spectrometry will reveal the exact identification of any drugs which are found present in the urine by actually producing an perfect 'molecular fingerprint' match of any chemicals that are found present. Meaning that the chemical structure of the drugs that are present (the atoms present within the drug, and in the order they are actually bonded together) results by putting this method to use. "Unfortunately" this test is just too expensive to use and just the well off sporting associations can afford to use it. The test of this cost is on average about one hundred pounds per sample (almost $200 US).

Although the above two tests are very accurate, there is always room for human error. For example, if the machines were not cleaned perfectly from the last sample, and that last sample was contaminated with illicit drugs, then the next sample through (maybe yours!!) could pick up some of the contaminant, and test positive. Therefore, if you test positive, no matter what, then protest. Especially if you know you were 'clean' (or should have been clean by the time of the test)

High Performance Liquid Chromatography(HPLC): This technique is of particular interest because it is often used on test samples suspected of containing anabolic steroids. It's basically similar to GC, except that a liquid is used as a carrier for the sample through a chromatographic column, rather than a gas. HPLC is both sensitive and simpler to do than GC. It is often used to check results from other, less sensitive tests.

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