PROPOSED CONFIRMATORY PROCEDURE FOR DETECTING 5-ALPHA-DIHYDROTESTOSTERONE DOPING IN MALE-ATHLETES

Currently, there is no recommended confirmatory procedure for detectin g doping with the anabolic steroid 5 alpha-dihydrotestosterone (DHT) i n sportsmen. To develop a method, we determined ratios of hormone conc entrations in urine from 120 healthy men and used these to set discrim ination limits. These limits were then applied to results for urine sp ecimens from 10 volunteers given DHT percutaneously (125 mg twice dail y for 4 days). The ratio of DHT to epitestosterone (EpiT) was chosen a s the primary marker of DHT administration, and ratios of 5 alpha-andr ostane-3 alpha,17 beta-diol (5 alpha-ADIOL) to EpiT, 5 alpha-ADIOL to luteinizing hormone, and 5 alpha-ADIOL to 5 beta-androstane-3 alpha,17 beta-diol were proposed as secondary markers. To evaluate method suit ability, we analyzed 194 samples from sports competitors; results for 193 samples were negative, but the ratios in 1 sample greatly exceeded all the chosen limits. In conclusion, we propose that a test scheme b ased on our recommendations be considered for implementation in all Ol ympic drug-testing laboratories.