The health authority in Singapore began sending letters to all health care professionals including pharmacists and dentists informing them about the dangers of an anti-arthritis pill popular among the elderly. The supplement which can be bought in make shift stalls promises an immediate relief for arthritis pain which are common health condition for older people. The HSA or Health Sciences Authority is also coordinating with the Traditional Chinese Medicine Practitioners Board to address the problem.

The herbal supplement in question is called the black honey pills or “hei mi wan” in Chinese. It is an herbal-scented pill that is being sold in bottles containing 80 to 100 pieces. The black and glossy pills are sold in unlabeled bottles. The cost of each bottle ranges from S$35 to S$80. Sellers of this herbal supplement claims that it can treat chronic ailments such as arthritis and rheumatic pain, high cholesterol and hypertension.

The HSA conducted a laboratory test on this product after doctors reported 2 cases of women who were using the black honey pills. According to reports, the women were taking the black honey pills for two to three months already. The women in their 50’s suffered from Cushing’s syndrome, a hormonal disorder caused by long term use of steroids. The symptoms of the Cushing’s syndrome include weight gain in the trunk area, stretches in the abdominal area, insomnia, thinning of the skin and a round “moon” face.

Health officials are concerned on these reports because a lot of people could be taking this supplement without knowing the possible side effects. “Possibly, there are people still taking these pills, unaware that they are having an adverse drug reaction or did not tell their doctors about it,” said Chan Cheng Leng, the director of enforcement division. According to a fishmonger who was caught by health officials selling the product, he already sold at least 300 bottles of the black honey pills since September last year.

Based on lab results, the black honey pills contain the potent steroid dexamethasone. When used under medical supervision, this can be prescribed to relieve extreme pain and inflammation. However the said steroid can weaken the immunity of the patient and cause hormonal disorder. Other noted side effects of taking this substance are high blood pressure and higher blood sugar levels which can lead to diabetes.

It also contains chlorpheniramine, an antihistamine. While the antihistamine found in these pills was in low dose, the steroid content is too high. “This is of grave concern as the adulterants found are very potent substances which can cause serious and fatal adverse effects in people who consume these pills,” added Chan Cheng Leng. Each black honey pill contains 0.31mg of dexamethasone. Buyers of the supplement were advised to take at least 6 pills a day which means they are taking beyond the normal dosage recommended for this type of steroid. The normal prescription dosage starts from as low as 0.5mg daily.

The health agency advised the public to immediately stop taking this herbal supplement. For those who have taken the pills, they must consult a doctor immediately to avert any complication. Health officials are now investigating the people behind the importation and distribution of these pills in the country. Under the existing laws of Singapore, importing or selling an unapproved and illegal medicine can lead to 2 years imprisonment and a fine of $10,000.

The Australian Defence Department is serious in curtailing the use of anabolic steroids among soldiers. Just recently, a series of raids were conducted in an army barracks in Townsville, Queensland. Based on the initial investigation by the joint task force between Queensland Police and the Australian Defence Force, several soldiers were possibly involved in the use and illegal importation of anabolic steroids. Most of them were assigned in Afghanistan as peacekeepers.

An informant said that special forces assigned in Afghanistan usually purchase steroids from that country and bring them home when their call of duty ends. The worst, higher officials are not doing any action to reprimand or stop this practice. The defense department learned about the rampant use of anabolic substances in Afghanistan when several soldiers were tested positive for steroids. They were immediately sent home and sanctioned by the ADF.

After this incident more information came out regarding the use of steroids by soldiers assigned in Afghanistan and other troubled countries. In the previous month, the AFD launched a scare campaign to warn soldiers about the danger of steroid use. This is a good initiative of the government which sends a positive signal to the general public that they are not sitting on the problem.

The Townsville Bulletin reported that a former partner of a soldier in Lavarack Barracks provided the authorities with information about the illegal use of steroids by her partner. She confided to another soldier but she later found out that the latter was also into steroids. According to the woman, she have to move interstate just to avoid harassment from other soldiers who have learnt that she was the source of information by the ADF. “When I reported this, because obviously they found out I’ve been talking to somebody, I was intimidated into leaving my home,” she said.

The woman also alleged that anabolic steroids purchased from Afghanistan were not only used for personal consumption but it was also sold in the camp at a higher price. “They’re importing these drugs, they’re coming directly into the country from Afghanistan and then they’re on-selling them with no repercussions, the army doesn’t care,” the woman told the Bulletin. “They just say ’see you later boys, you go back over there in six months and do the same thing again’,” she added.

The Queensland Police together with Australian Defence Force Investigation Service raided several houses of soldiers. From the initial report, one soldier was arrested and 10 others were also subject for investigation. The Defense Department tried not to comment on the reports while the Queensland Police declined to give more information on the case because they claim the operation is headed by the ADF.

The HeraldSun only got a short statement from the defence department. “Defence takes the use of illicit substances very seriously,” a spokesman said.

A former senior commander in the Middle East told AdelaideNow that the majority of steroid problem in the military could be blamed partly to physical training instructors. These people imported and offered steroids to soldiers who want to get bigger physique which then led to their obsession. He is now concerned on the ability of these soldiers in performing their duties. “We need rational aggression. If soldiers become irrational and obsessive about their physique it can be unhealthy and dangerous,” he said.

In the past few days, the defense team of Barry Bonds have to work hard in defending the home run king. The prosecution is doing well in the trial which is considered as the biggest in sports history. They have already presented to members of the jury a number of key witnesses who were knowledgeable of Bonds’ alleged steroid use.

Some legal experts say that these testimonies are still considered weak but the presentation of several witnesses with similar accounts of how Bonds used steroids can bolster the case. Two of the key witnesses who took the witness stand were Bonds former business partner Steve Hoskins and former mistress Kimberly Bell.

Last week, Steve Hoskins told the court that Bonds asked him to do some research on the benefits and side effects of Winstrol, an anabolic steroid. This happened when Bonds suffered from an elbow injury in 1999. This was corroborated by Bell saying the baseball slugger told him that the big lump in his injured elbow was caused by steroid use. “He said it was because of steroids because somehow it caused the muscle and the tendons to grow faster than the joint could handle and it sort of blew out,” Bell told the court.

Hoskins also recalled that in 2000, he saw Greg Anderson came out of Bonds’ room holding a syringe and added that it happened in two more occasions. However, Hoskins can’t confirm if Anderson injected Bonds with anabolic steroids because he did not see it.

In the testimony of Kimberly Bell, there were several occasions where she saw Anderson and Bonds went into a bedroom. She recalled it happened at least 5 times during spring training.

The prosecution also tried to portray that Bonds changed physically and emotionally when he started using steroids. Bell told the jury that Bonds threatened her several times. She said Bonds told her more than once about cutting her head off and leaving her in a ditch. In another instance, Bonds also threatened his former mistress by cutting Bell’s breast implants because he paid for them. In Bell’s account, Bonds was a short tempered person and the prosecution tries to connect it to “roid rage,” a side effect of steroid use. With regards to the house partially paid by Bonds, Bell told the jury that bonds want to burn it down.

Bell also detailed her personal observation on the changes on Bonds’ body. She described how Bonds suffered from shrinking testicles, baldness, back acne, and the changes in Bonds’ chest hair that turned gray. All of these were attributed to long term use of anabolic steroids.

The defense, on the other hand, tried to weaken the testimony of Bell by attacking her motive in testifying against her former boyfriend of nine years. Defense attorney Cristina Arguedas describe Bell as a resentful “road girlfriend.” Arguedas said that Bell still receives financial support from Bonds even if the latter married Liz Watson. Bonds paid the down payment for her house in Arizona, paid for the dental services, and bought her cars.

A presscon was held Monday for the Pascal-Hopkins rematch on May 21 in Montreal, Canada. However, that event turned out to be an early bout between the two boxers. Jean Pascal is the reigning IBO/WBC and Ring Magazine light heavyweight champion while Bernard Hopkins is a former world middleweight and light heavyweight champion. This rematch was immediately set after the two boxers settled for a controversial draw last December 18 in Quebec City.

Pascal’s actions can be considered as a ploy to get the media’s attention. And he made it. Sportswriters and boxing news agencies immediately put this issue on their headlines. Pascal accused Hopkins as a cheater and steroid user. Whether he has evidences to prove these accusations, it is already enough to induce more boxing fans to talk about their rematch.

The issue on steroids is still a hot topic in boxing. The promoters of the May 7 fight between Sugar Shane Mosley and Manny Pacquiao did not use too much hype to sell the match-up. However, both boxers were involved in steroid controversies. Manny Pacquiao was accused by Floyd Mayweather Jr. as a steroid user which resulted to a steroid defamation suit. Mayweather is now facing the steroid suit in Nevada amidst other legal problems. Shane Mosley was also involved in steroid use. He was once a client of BALCO owner Victor Conte. Mosley did not admit that he knowingly used the designer steroids from Conte but the latter claim otherwise. A Mosley vs Conte case is still being heard in court.

Pascal’s demand for a steroid test did not prop up out of the blue. He is trying to insinuate that “The Executioner” is using performance enhancing drugs because of his age. Bernard Hopkins is still hoping to get into boxing’s history. He will try to get another world title at the age of 46. If ever, he will be the oldest boxer to win a world title.

Michael Marley of the Examiner asked Pascal’s adviser Don Majeski about the incident in the presscon. Majeski told Marley that it was not a hype. “It’s been talked about all over the boxing world. People talk about Hopkins and say that maybe he is using HGH. I think Pascal said it to get under Hopkins’ skin,” said Majeski. With the current stamina and strength of Hopkins, some people would suspect that he may be taking human growth hormone, a popular supplement for older athletes. “People do ask the question, how can Hopkins be so strong at age 46?” added Majeski.

Hopkins is a cheater. This is another issue Jean Pascal brought out. “I know you’re a thief, so I’m giving them to you now, but after May 21st, they’re staying here,” said Pascal.

Pascal challenge Hopkins to take a steroid test and even dragged the name of Shane Mosley. “Are you willing to take a blood test for the fans and the rest of the world to prove you’re clean?” the boxer said. “You’re from the same family as Shane Mosley. Are you willing to take the test?”

Bernard Hopkins accepted the challenge saying he will submit himself to whatever test the Quebec Commission requires.

If you are interested to know whether one of the fighters in this match up is on steroids, watch them brawl on May 21.

Others opine that the government has a weak case against Barry Bonds. Their witnesses can’t directly implicate Bonds in using steroid but the testimonies can be corroborated when all of these people take the witness stand. This is the strategy of the prosecution since they can’t force Greg Anderson to testify in court. Anderson was held in contempt after he refused to testify against his friend.

On Thursday, the prosecution called the Science Director of the US Anti-Doping Agency to tell the court what will happen if there is an overabundance of steroids and human growth hormone in the body. This is to prove that the changes in Bonds’ body were due to performance enhancing drugs. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeff Nedrow asked Dr. Larry Bowers of USADA with several questions pertaining to the use of HGH and steroids and its effects to the user. Bowers claimed that these drugs can lead to an abnormal growth of the hands, feet and head.

The defense, through lead attorney Allen Ruby, tried to discredit the claims of Bowers. He said that there is no enough scientific research on these subjects. Ruby argued that it would be unethical to inject human test subjects with massive amounts of HGH or steroids just to see its possible side effects. Most of the reported side effects were anecdotal and sometimes shrouded in myth said the lawyer.

However, the anti-doping scientist explained that there were several studies related to HGH and anabolic steroids. He cited as an example studies on acromegaly where patients suffers from overproduction of growth hormones. He also mentioned the case of East German athletes in the Cold War. These athletes were given high dosages of anabolic steroids. Most of them suffered severe side effects and irreversible complications.

The prosecution will continue to strengthen this argument by calling another witness on Monday. Kimberly Bell, Bonds’ former girlfriend, will testify about the physical changes in Bonds’ body. Bell allegedly noticed back acne, baldness, and shrinking of the testicles of the former baseball slugger which are common side effects of steroid use. The prosecution also tried to present voice recordings that will show Bonds’ short tempered attitude. However, Judge Susan Illston barred the use of such voice-mail recordings. Bell, who posed for a men’s magazine, had a nine-year relationship with Bonds.

Meanwhile, the NY Daily News reported that Dr. Bowers is not unfamiliar with steroid studies. Nathaniel Vinton of the Daily News said that the anti-doping scientist was involved in a study on the use of performance enhancing drug in 1999. Dr. Bowers oversee trial tests on erythropoietin or EPO. This anti-anemia drug became popular in the 1980’s to 1990’s in endurance sports particularly cycling. EPO enhances stamina and endurance by boosting the red blood cell count of the athletes. Dr. Bowers was the director of the Drug Analysis Laboratory for Athletic Drug Testing and Toxicology at that time.

The document obtained by the Daily News revealed that volunteer athletes were subjected to EPO administration during a 14-week period. The study was used by the International Olympic Committee in the 2000 Sydney Olympics.

Professional athletes are still taking the chances even if they know sports organization can detect their use of banned substances. This month, two world class athletes received sanctions from their respective sports organizations for failing an anti-doping test.

The ban could end their career but anti-doping experts still believe the current policies are not enough to deter athletes from taking performance enhancing drugs. Other suggests a 4-year ban on doping athletes will solve this perennial problem on steroids.

The international governing body for swimming recently imposed a two year ban on 2-time Olympic swimmer Lubos Krizko. The FINA announced that Slovakian swimmer Krizko will be out from the sports for two years after they caught him using a banned substance. The swimmer failed an anti-doping test last year when he participated in the 2010 European Aquatics Championships held last August in Budapest, Hungary. The 31-year old Krizko finished sixth in the 50m backstroke category.

FINA found out that the Slovakian swimmer is taking Tamoxifen, a hormonal therapy drug commonly used to treat breast cancer. Though Tamoxifen is not a steroid, it is included in the list of banned substances because it can mask the use of anabolic steroids. The primary function of this drug is to block the production of estrogen. However, professional athletes are using this drug to minimize the side effects of anabolic steroids.

FINA conducted a hearing on December 13 last year to discuss the case of Krizko. The governing body for swimming said in its website that the FINA Doping Panel based the two-year sanction on the anti-doping rules of the organization. Krizko can’t compete until September 21, 2012.

The Slovakian swimmer represented his country in 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens and 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing where he got 27th and 13th place respectively.

Meanwhile, the Federation of International Football Association (FIFA) also announced that a Belgian football player was suspended for two years after testing positive for anabolic steroids. The 23-year old Sven Verdonck of Belgium was caught using stanozolol. This type of steroid is commonly used by athletes to achieve leaner muscles. This is the same drug found on Olympian sprinter Ben Johnson when he was caught in Seoul Olympics.

FIFA conducted the test last April. The Netherlands football federation already imposed sanction on Verdonck and FIFA extended it worldwide. He can’t play football up to May 20, 2012. Verdonck last played for the Dutch second-division club Fortuna Sittard.