Using steroids and illegal performance-enhancing drugs in bodybuilding and the world of sports also entails a quest for a method to beat anabolic steroid tests and pass different drug testing methods to be qualified to compete. There are many kind of steroids and performance-enhancing drugs listed on the World Anti-Doping Agency’s banned substances so steroid-using athletes employ various methods depending on what they use; some are successful, but most are barely effective. Below are some of the methods used by steroid-users to beat anabolic steroid tests.

Diuretics

Urine tests are the most commonly employed steroid testing method and thus a lot of athletes who are taking steroids use diuretics to increase their water excretion thereby diluting their urine in the process. Some bodybuilders use diuretics to accelerate the excretion of all the drugs in their system. However, it has been established that diuretics are not an effective way to beat anabolic steroid tests because drug testers have found a technique to counteract the use of diuretics before testing. Called the specific moment test, this technique looks at the specific centripetal force of the volume of water in the body. If a person dilutes his or her urine, the specific gravity will be abnormally lower than normal. But there are disputes as to what range is normal for the gravitation value for urine. Diuretics also do not work because a lot of sports federations have added diuretics to their list of banned substances.

Substitution

A common method used by drug users to pass a urine test is substituting their urine with another person’s “clean” urine during the drug testing session. There are reports that some female athletes hide a condom filled with “clean” urine inside their genitalia. Come testing time, they prick the condom, releasing the “clean” urine sample. To counteract most substituting techniques, drug testing officials implement a close quarters monitoring. An extreme form of substitution for males is the use of a catheter. It is a thin rubber tube inserted in the penis and passes through the urethra and bladder. With it, the athlete empties the bladder and refills it with clean urine. Done improperly, it can result to rupture of the bladder and hemorrhage. Furthermore, this is not a full-proof method as fluids adhering to the bladder’s walls can contaminate the refilled urine. Also, the kidneys constantly filter blood, excreting to the bladder and contaminating the urine.

Blocking agents

One of the most widely used methods for beating anabolic steroid tests is the use of blocking agents, which are drugs or medications that hide the presence of steroids, making them harder to detect in the system. These drugs inhibit the body’s release of steroids and are usually taken in small dosages. Examples of blocking agents include Probenecid and Carinamide. However, because these drugs have been found effective in blocking the presence of steroids, they have been added in the International Olympic Committee’s list of banned substances. However, they have not yet developed tests to detect some of these drugs such as Carinamide. Probenecid, on the other hand, is easy to detect.

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