Can you trust the label on a sports supplement?

Increasing muscle mass with steroids

One dangerous method used to increase muscle mass is taking anabolic steroids—either orally or intravenously. Related to the male sex hormones, anabolic steroids promote the growth of skeletal muscle, but they also enhance the development of male sexual characteristics. Steroid use has been associated with numerous adverse side effects, some of which are life threatening. More than 100 different anabolic steroids have been developed, but they require a prescription to be used legally in the United States.

Because anabolic steroids have become more difficult to obtain, people looking for "quick" ways to increase muscle mass are turning to sports supplements that contain over-the-counter (OTC) steroids. OTC steroids, which contain substances like androstenedione and DHEA, can be purchased legally without a prescription. The steroidal substances can be converted into testosterone or a similar compound in the body. It is unknown if this process can promote muscle mass. Also unknown are the side effects and long-term use effects of these OTC steroids.

Regulating supplements

Because OTC steroids are considered dietary supplements, they are not regulated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in the same way that drugs are. One thing the FDA does require is that the name and quantity of the ingredients in the product be written on the product's label. But numerous studies have shown that dietary supplements sometimes fail when it comes to proper labeling. A study recently published in the Clinical Journal of Sports Medicine looked at how well OTC steroids are labeled.

Looking at the labeling

The study looked at 12 brands of dietary supplements that claimed to contain OTC steroids. Each brand was analyzed using high-pressure liquid chromatography to determine the amount of steroids it contained as compared to the amount stated on the label. To not be considered misbranded, the researchers used a criterion developed by the US Pharmacopia; it allows a range of plus or minus 10%—meaning that the product would have to contain 90 to 110% of the amount stated on the label for a given substance.

Only one of the 12 brands tested fell within this range. Other findings included:

• 10 brands contained ingredients in substantially lower amounts than listed
• 5 brands included ingredients that were not listed on the label
• 1 brand contained a high dose of testosterone—a federally controlled substance available only by prescription
• 2 brands did not contain one or more ingredients listed on the label
• 1 brand contained an ingredient in a substantially higher amount than listed on the label

The study's results suggest that the labels of these supplements "cannot be trusted for content and purity information." In addition, several of the errors had the potential to cause a positive urine test in an unsuspecting athlete. Because of this, the study's authors conclude that "it is not safe for athletes to take any OTC steroids."

Identifying OTC steroids

To help you identify products that contain OTC steroids, the Healthy Competition Foundation provides a list of some widely marketed products that contain androstenedione. They include:

• 3-Andro Xtreme
• Animal Stak
• Andro-Gen
• Nor Andro Ripped Fuel Stack
• Andro-Stack
• Nor-Stak
• Androstat
• Nor-Tek

Other OTC steroid compounds to look for on a label include:

• 19-norandrostenedione
• Androstenediol
• Dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA)

* "Analysis of over-the-counter dietary supplements," by GA Green, et al. Clinical Journal of Sports Medicine, 2001, Issue 11, pp. 254-9.