Seizures of doping substances at the Swiss Border — a descriptive investigation

Over the past decade, the use of anabolic androgenic steroids (AAS) by recreational bodybuilders and regular gym members has been increasing exponentially. However, there is a lack of knowledge on AAS products sold in the Czech Republic and Slovakia. The aim of this study was to assess the quantity of active substances in AAS products obtained from AAS users in the Czech Republic and Slovakia. In addition, the study also examines the current trends in counterfeit AAS products used by recreational bodybuilders and regular gym members. For this purpose, the authors developed and validated a universal ultra‐high performance liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry method to determine the most popular doping substances in different pharmaceutical formulations (oil‐based injectables, tablets, and capsules). This method was successfully utilized for the analysis of 358 AAS products. Our results showed that 58.9% AAS products analyzed contained the declared active substances at the declared concentrations, 15.9% contained no active substance, 16.8% were under‐concentrated, 4.5% contained active substances different from those declared on the label, and 3.6% products were over‐concentrated. Alarmingly, the results demonstrated that over 40% of the AAS analyzed failed to meet label claims and therefore may pose serious health risks to consumers. This study also highlighted that the availability of AAS should be more rigorously restricted and their quality closely monitored in order to protect AAS users. In conclusion, the authors have developed a precise, accurate, sensitive, selective, and robust method for the routine screening of products containing anabolic androgenic steroids.

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 2 more Smart Citations

Development of an ultra‐high performance liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry method for the determination of anabolic steroids currently available on the black market in the Czech Republic and Slovakia

Tirčová

Bosáková

Kozlík

2018

“…New and complementary sports drug‐testing approaches advanced by enhanced analytical instrumentation and alternative test matrices (such as dried blood spots (DBS)/dried plasma spots (DPS), oral fluid, and exhaled breath) are reported . In addition, this review features multi‐analyte test methods which have continued to represent the method of choice, especially for initial testing procedures, and studies of online markets for doping agents and the analyses of confiscated products, which have been the cause of much concern about doping agent consumers and doped athletes remaining undetected …”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Annual banned‐substance review: Analytical approaches in human sports drug testing

Thevis

Kuuranne

Geyer

2017

Self Cite

Several high-profile revelations concerning anti-doping rule violations over the past 12 months have outlined the importance of tackling prevailing challenges and reducing the limitations of the current anti-doping system. At this time, the necessity to enhance, expand, and improve analytical test methods in response to the substances outlined in the World Anti-Doping Agency's (WADA) Prohibited List represents an increasingly crucial task for modern sports drug-testing programs. The ability to improve analytical testing methods often relies on the expedient application of novel information regarding superior target analytes for sports drug-testing assays, drug elimination profiles, alternative test matrices, together with recent advances in instrumental developments. This annual banned-substance review evaluates literature published between October 2016 and September 2017 offering an in-depth evaluation of developments in these arenas and their potential application to substances reported in WADA's 2017 Prohibited List.

Annual banned‐substance review: analytical approaches in human sports drug testing

Thevis

Kuuranne

Geyer

et al. 2017

Self Cite

There has been an immense amount of visibility of doping issues on the international stage over the past 12 months with the complexity of doping controls reiterated on various occasions. Hence, analytical test methods continuously being updated, expanded, and improved to provide specific, sensitive, and comprehensive test results in line with the World Anti-Doping Agency's (WADA) 2016 Prohibited List represent one of several critical cornerstones of doping controls. This enterprise necessitates expediting the (combined) exploitation of newly generated information on novel and/or superior target analytes for sports drug testing assays, drug elimination profiles, alternative test matrices, and recent advances in instrumental developments. This paper is a continuation of the series of annual banned-substance reviews appraising the literature published between October 2015 and September 2016 concerning human sports drug testing in the context of WADA's 2016 Prohibited List. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.