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Warning Regarding Some Over The Counter Muscle Building Products
WARNING: Steroids Sold Over the Counter
We receive many questions regarding which over the counter supplements are legal for natural competition. The supplement industry is a rapidly changing environment and it can be difficult to tell which products are OK to use, and which could possibly contain banned substances.
First, we believe it's very important to say that if you don't know what the ingredients are in any supplement, and don't understand what that ingredient does, don't take it.
It's your responsibility as a consumer to know and understand what you are putting in to your body! Any reputable company will explain the ingredients in their products and explain why they are included.
There is currently a flood of over the counter products on the market which are promoted as muscle builders or hardeners which, due to a loophole in the law, legally contain fully active oral anabolic steroids. These are not "pro-hormones" or natural products with names that sound similar to actual steroids, but full strength anabolic steroids with all the potential effects and side effects of scheduled, prescription anabolic steroids.
In some cases, chemists have dug into the pharmaceutical record to find steroids which were researched but never brought to market and copied these formulas. In other cases, chemists have made small alterations to a known steroid and created a new drug with similar effects, but which technically is not on any scheduled substance list. Because these drugs were never brought to market, or aren't known to the FDA, they were never technically scheduled and not on any list of scheduled drugs. They are, however, 100% steroids and every bit as potent as their prescription cousins. In many cases they are more dangerous because they have worse side effects than the drugs the pharmaceutical companies chose to develop and market.
To make matters even more confusing, supplement companies often use confusing names to describe these ingredients on the label that make it very difficult for someone without a chemistry degree to know what they are.
Make no mistake, using products containing these OTC steroids can and will cause you to test positive for banned substances. When your body metabolizes these steroids, chemicals called metabolites are left in your body. The metabolites from these OTC steroids are often chemically similar or even identical to the metabolites left by prescription steroids.
Drug tests look for the metabolites left in your body after using steroids, and a drug test will not be able to tell the difference between an OTC steroid and a prescription steroid. Your test will will simply come back positive for steroids and you will be banned from competition. If you use OTC steroids, you are using steroids. Make no mistake about it!
Athletes competing outside North America must be also be very cautious in their supplement choices as many steroids are sold legally over the counter there. If your test comes back positive, you will be banned!
It's important to note that not all supplements on the market contain steroids. There are many very effective muscle building and fat burning products that are 100% legal.
Protein Powders, Creatine Products, NO2 Products, Amino Acids, and thermogenic fat burners are generally all safe for use in natural competion. However, as stated above, always read the label and if you don't know what an ingredient is, or what it does, find out before using it. Products promoted as Anabolic don't necessarily contain steroids either. Anabolic simply means "Growth Causing" and there are many legitimate and natural Anabolic product on the market.
When looking out for OTC steroids, look for ingredients with names that look like this:
17a-Methyl-etioallocholan-2-ene-17b-ol
2a, 17a di-methyl etiocholan 3-one, 17b-ol
19-Norandrosta 4,9 diene- 3,17 dione
17a-methyl-1, 4-Androstadiene-3, 17-diol
4-chloro-17a-methyl-androst-1,4-diene-3,17b-diol
3-beta-hydroxyetioallocholan-5-ene-17-one
This is not a comprehensive list. There are many more steroidal compounds on the market and new ones being added all the time. However, if a product you are considering using includes chemical names similar to those listed above, it is very likely to contain steroidal compounds that will cause you to test positive on a steroid test. Additionally, these products carry with them the same potential risks as prescription steroids.
It's important that you know what you are putting into your body! Research and learn about the ingredients before using any nutritional supplement! If you use OTC steroids, you are using steroids and you will be caught on a drug test.
Be Body Proud. Train Hard. Train Natural!
We receive many questions regarding which over the counter supplements are legal for natural competition. The supplement industry is a rapidly changing environment and it can be difficult to tell which products are OK to use, and which could possibly contain banned substances.
First, we believe it's very important to say that if you don't know what the ingredients are in any supplement, and don't understand what that ingredient does, don't take it.
It's your responsibility as a consumer to know and understand what you are putting in to your body! Any reputable company will explain the ingredients in their products and explain why they are included.
There is currently a flood of over the counter products on the market which are promoted as muscle builders or hardeners which, due to a loophole in the law, legally contain fully active oral anabolic steroids. These are not "pro-hormones" or natural products with names that sound similar to actual steroids, but full strength anabolic steroids with all the potential effects and side effects of scheduled, prescription anabolic steroids.
In some cases, chemists have dug into the pharmaceutical record to find steroids which were researched but never brought to market and copied these formulas. In other cases, chemists have made small alterations to a known steroid and created a new drug with similar effects, but which technically is not on any scheduled substance list. Because these drugs were never brought to market, or aren't known to the FDA, they were never technically scheduled and not on any list of scheduled drugs. They are, however, 100% steroids and every bit as potent as their prescription cousins. In many cases they are more dangerous because they have worse side effects than the drugs the pharmaceutical companies chose to develop and market.
To make matters even more confusing, supplement companies often use confusing names to describe these ingredients on the label that make it very difficult for someone without a chemistry degree to know what they are.
Make no mistake, using products containing these OTC steroids can and will cause you to test positive for banned substances. When your body metabolizes these steroids, chemicals called metabolites are left in your body. The metabolites from these OTC steroids are often chemically similar or even identical to the metabolites left by prescription steroids.
Drug tests look for the metabolites left in your body after using steroids, and a drug test will not be able to tell the difference between an OTC steroid and a prescription steroid. Your test will will simply come back positive for steroids and you will be banned from competition. If you use OTC steroids, you are using steroids. Make no mistake about it!
Athletes competing outside North America must be also be very cautious in their supplement choices as many steroids are sold legally over the counter there. If your test comes back positive, you will be banned!
It's important to note that not all supplements on the market contain steroids. There are many very effective muscle building and fat burning products that are 100% legal.
Protein Powders, Creatine Products, NO2 Products, Amino Acids, and thermogenic fat burners are generally all safe for use in natural competion. However, as stated above, always read the label and if you don't know what an ingredient is, or what it does, find out before using it. Products promoted as Anabolic don't necessarily contain steroids either. Anabolic simply means "Growth Causing" and there are many legitimate and natural Anabolic product on the market.
When looking out for OTC steroids, look for ingredients with names that look like this:
17a-Methyl-etioallocholan-2-ene-17b-ol
2a, 17a di-methyl etiocholan 3-one, 17b-ol
19-Norandrosta 4,9 diene- 3,17 dione
17a-methyl-1, 4-Androstadiene-3, 17-diol
4-chloro-17a-methyl-androst-1,4-diene-3,17b-diol
3-beta-hydroxyetioallocholan-5-ene-17-one
This is not a comprehensive list. There are many more steroidal compounds on the market and new ones being added all the time. However, if a product you are considering using includes chemical names similar to those listed above, it is very likely to contain steroidal compounds that will cause you to test positive on a steroid test. Additionally, these products carry with them the same potential risks as prescription steroids.
It's important that you know what you are putting into your body! Research and learn about the ingredients before using any nutritional supplement! If you use OTC steroids, you are using steroids and you will be caught on a drug test.
Be Body Proud. Train Hard. Train Natural!
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by IRONPINOY on -
Our problem here in the Philippines and Asia aside from the rampant steroid use and abuse, but also the black market supplements which flood the system. These are brand name supplements. They are very cheap and potentially dangerous and might not contain the correct ingredients. Worst they CAN CONTAIN MELAMINE. These are not regulated by the local FDA and most likely dont have the proper import papers that require certified documents from the manufacturer. Brand name supplements faked in china is rampant.
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Permalink Reply by Curt Griffin on -
Can someone post a link to the official list, searching but can't find it.
Thanks
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Permalink Reply by World Natural Sports Org on -
Curt,
Because the list of available black market and designer steroids and other compounds changes everyday, it's impossible to put out a definitive list of banned substances.
Here is the WNSO's official stance on Banned Substances:
Banned Substances: Anything that is not sold over the counter is considered a banned substance. These include stimulants, narcotics, prescription diuretics, precursor supplements, beta blockers, anabolic agents or androgens (includes anabolic steroids, testosterone, growth hormone or any of their preparations or derivatives), peptide and glycoprotein hormones and analogues, and any related substances.
In addition to these, anything sold over the counter containing compounds or chemical analogs which show up on a drug screen as a banned substance are also banned. ( See the Steroids Sold Over The Counter Write Up above )
Substances Often Questioned:
* Ephedrine – As ephedrine is commercially available in some over-the-counter medications, an athlete may use it providing urine tests do not show that it was “abused” or used outside the guidelines.
* Herbal Diuretics – These are allowed.
* Recreational Drugs – We do not test for these with the exception of cocaine and its preparations and derivatives
* Prohormone Products – Although prohormone products may be available commercially, their use may be detected in urinalysis screenings and result in a positive test. Prohormone products should be avoided.
* Prescription Medications – These are often required and may pose some concerns with the drug-screening process. An athlete on such medications will be requested to provide at least one of the following: a signed letter from his or her doctor indicating the medical condition and its specific requirement; or the prescription bottle or package of medication bearing the athlete’s name, physicians name, drug name and dosage strength. There should not be an issue if the drug has not visibly “enhanced” the athlete’s physique. In that case the athlete would not be allowed to compete, just like anyone else. If an athlete is uncertain whether a particular product or medication may be a concern, he or she is advised to contact the Head Judge before event registration to determine an appropriate course of action. However, this step DOES NOT mean the athlete is given a pass. The athlete still has to undergo the same drug-testing procedures as all other athletes.
This information is also available at the following link:
http://www.bodyproud.org/profile/WORLDNATURALSPORTSORGANIZATIONWNSO
Curt Griffin said:Can someone post a link to the official list, searching but can't find it.
Thanks
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