Contact: Mark Moyer215-521-8565[email protected]
Most Over-the-Counter Steroid Supplements Are Mislabeled, Study Finds
Few of the steroid-containing dietary supplements sold over-the-counter (OTC) as athletic performance-enhancers actually contain the ingredients and amounts listed on their labels, according to a study in the October issue of Clinical Journal of Sport Medicine.
"The results show that the labels of the dietary steroid supplements studied--cannot be trusted for content and purity information," write Dr. Gary A. Green and colleagues of University of California Los Angeles.
Dr. Green and his fellow researchers used a sophisticated test called high-pressure liquid chromatography to determine the presence and amounts of various steroids in twelve brands of OTC supplements.
Only one of the supplements tested had an accurate label, containing 90 to 110 percent of the listed amount of ingredients. In the rest, several types of errors were detected:*Ten brands contained ingredients on the label in substantially lower amounts than listed.*Five brands included ingredients that were not listed on the label--including one brand that contained a high dose of testosterone, a controlled steroid.*Two brands did not contain one or more ingredients listed on the label.*One brand contained an ingredient in a substantially higher amount than listed on the label.
Several of the errors had the potential to cause a positive urine test for steroids in an unsuspecting athlete. Other errors were "relatively inconsequential," but were apparent violations of the labeling requirements of the 1994 Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act.
Over-the-counter steroids such as androstenedione (sometimes called "Andro") and dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) are widely included in supplements marketed to athletes as performance enhancers. In recent years, there have been several reports of inaccurately labeled dietary supplements, and many athletes have blamed the use of "sport supplements" after testing positive for banned steroids.
Together with previous studies, the results suggest that many dietary supplements contain impurities or inaccurate steroid doses, which may lead to positive urine tests or even medical consequences. Dr. Green and his fellow researchers conclude, "[I]t is not safe for athletes to take any OTC steroids."
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