Abstract
Several recent studies have shown evidence of some nutritional supplements containing
prohibited anabolic androgenic steroids, so-called prohormones, which were not declared
on the label. Therefore, a broad-based investigation of the international nutritional
supplement market was initiated to clarify the extent of this problem. From October
2000 until November 2001, 634 non-hormonal nutritional supplements were purchased
in 13 countries from 215 different suppliers. Most supplements were bought in shops
in the respective countries (578 samples = 91.2 %) and on the internet (52 samples
= 8.2 %). 289 supplements were from prohormone-selling companies and 345 supplements
came from companies which do not offer prohormones. After isolation from the supplement
matrix 11 different anabolic androgenic steroids, mainly prohormones of testosterone
and nandrolone, were analysed by gas-chromatography/mass spectrometry. Out of the
634 samples analysed 94 (14.8 %) contained anabolic androgenic steroids not declared
on the label (“positive supplements”). We could not obtain reliable data for 66 samples
(10.4 %) due to matrix effects. In relation to the total number of products purchased
per country, most of the positive supplements were bought in the Netherlands (25.8
%), in Austria (22.7 %), in the UK (18.8 %) and the USA (18.8 %). According to the
label, all positive supplements were from companies located in only five countries:
the USA, the Netherlands, the UK, Italy and Germany. 21.1 % of the nutritional supplements
from prohormone-selling companies contained anabolic androgenic steroids, whereas
9.6 % of the supplements from companies not selling prohormones were positive. The
positive supplements showed anabolic androgenic steroid concentrations of 0.01 µg/g
up to 190 µg/g. The administration of supplements containing nandrolone prohormones
adding up to a total uptake of more than 1 µg resulted in positive doping results
for norandrosterone for several hours.
Key words
Nutritional supplements - doping - prohormones - anabolic-androgenic steroids
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Dr. Hans Geyer
Institute of Biochemistry, German Sport University Cologne
Carl-Diem-Weg 6
50933 Köln
Germany
Phone: + 49(0)2214982631
Fax: + 49 (0) 22 14 97 32 36
Email: h.geyer@biochem.dshs-koeln.de
