Comments on: Baseball Player JC Romero Files Lawsuit Against Patrick Arnold Supplement Companies

By: testicular cancer

testicular cancer — Wed, 03 Jun 2009 19:40:47 +0000

HCG is used by athletes in a variety of ways. Traditionally, it was only used after a steroid cycle to help restore testicular size/function.

By: Millard Baker

Millard Baker — Fri, 08 May 2009 17:17:51 +0000

The lawsuit is frivolous in that Romero claims trace androstenedione contamination in 6-OXO “caused” his positive steroid test. This is ridiculous. Minute traces of androstenedione did not cause the positive. It was clearly 6-OXO itself that caused the positive and THAT was on the label.

Ergopharm did not pull 6-OXO as a result of the J.C. Romero lawsuit. They pulled it for a much more serious reason – the DEA raided their offices. There appears to be evidence that there is minute trace of androstenedione in 6-OXO. I don't think this is being disputed. Apparently, so tiny that they wouldn't even have any type of physiologic effect.

This is really a separate issue where law enforcement agencies are holding Ergopharm to a higher standard than they hold pharmaceutical companies who have products containing significant, unlisted steroids.

By: Millard Baker

Millard Baker — Fri, 08 May 2009 17:07:17 +0000

HCG is used by athletes in a variety of ways. Traditionally, it was only used after a steroid cycle to help restore testicular size/function. It is still most commonly used in this manner. But given that HCG continues to suppress the HPTA (and LH/FSH), it is not effective as a standalone post cycle therapy (PCT) protocol.

But it started to be used during a steroid cycle (based on the recommendations by Bill Roberts published on http://www.meso-rx.com ) to prevent testicular atrophy. The idea was that preventing testicular atrophy during a steroid cycle would make it easier to restore natural testosterone production after cessation.

Yeah, I shared an exchange with Will Carroll on Twitter about HCG. If I had known that he was going to quote me, I probably would have expounded on my comments in an email or phone call.

There is only so much information that you can share in a 140 character message on Twitter!

By: Dave

Dave — Fri, 08 May 2009 09:14:42 +0000

If the lawsuit is as frivilous as you claim, then why did its maker pull the product?

Also, you are being quoted re hCG and Manny. The biochemists that I've spoken with say that you don't use hCG after the steroid cycle but during. You would use Clomid after the cycle. From what I've been told, the hCG is used solely and only to prevent testicular atrophy and only affects the production of luteinizing hormone and does not ramp up the entire hormone cycle as does Clomid [which is why one would use hCG during the cycle and Clomid following].

By: Millard Baker

Millard Baker — Tue, 05 May 2009 00:23:25 +0000

Assuming that 6-OXO itself can be shown to be responsible for false positive, does trace contamination still have any relevance to the case?

I think Romero's false positive is unfortunate. But trying to blame it on trace contamination seems like a dishonest approach.

By: Millard Baker

Millard Baker — Mon, 04 May 2009 23:57:11 +0000

Thank you for your legal insight. I can't tell you how much I miss the TBV blog

By: TBV

TBV — Mon, 04 May 2009 18:01:35 +0000

I don't think it's legally frivolous, to the extent that the sufficiency of that warning is something that needs to be litigated. Now, whether I think Romero is an idiot for taking it anyway is a different question.

TBV