In recognition of World AIDS Day, we urge Congressional leaders in the United States to carefully consider the significant harm that morally-guided U.S. steroid policy has had for the life-saving therapeutic applications offered by anabolic-androgenic steroids. The criminalization of anabolic steroids and steroid hysteria perpetuated by Congressional steroid hearings has had an adverse impact on medical research and medical therapies involving anabolic steroids, particularly in the prevention and treatment of HIV+ associated wasting disease.
Anabolic steroids are one of the safest and most effective treatments for HIV associated wasting and have been invaluable in helping HIV+ patients retain, preserve and restore lean body weight and stay alive. Given that wasting is one of the most common symptoms of HIV and that HIV+ patients with wasting symptoms have significantly higher mortality rates, anabolic steroids have been an invaluable medical treatment.
Michael Mooney, of Medibolics, and Nelson Vergel, of the Program for Wellness Restoration, have spearheaded educational efforts and have extensively documented the benefits of anabolic steroid therapy for AID/HIV wasting in “Built to Survive“. Mooney and Vergel have discussed the negative consequences arising from the demonization of steroids by the Anabolic Steroid Control Act of 1990 Read more
Gordon Taylor, the chief executive of the Professional Footballers’ Association (PFA), asserts that there is a “virtual absence” of steroid use by soccer players in the Premier League . The head of the players’ union cites this as one of his reasons behind his objections to the introduction of WADA drug testing to the popular professional soccer league in the United Kingdom. While there are several reasonable objections to increased steroid testing in soccer, the assertion that soccer players do not use anabolic steroids is not one of them (”Home drugs test idea upsets PFA,” November 11).
“If we complain about anything to do with drug-testing people think we might have something to hide, but football’s record is extremely good and there has been a virtual absence of any performance-enhancing drugs over decades.
“We do appreciate that football is a major spectator sport and we wish to co-operate, but football should not be treated in the same way as individual sports that do have a problem with drugs, such as athletics, cycling and weightlifting. (emphasis added)
United Manchester boss Sir Alex Ferguson made defensible objections to the more stringent anti-doping rules based on cost, convenience and privacy. But the PFA’s assertion of drug-free football (soccer) is contradicted by extensive evidence to the contrary (and basic common sense regarding performance enhancing drug use at the elite level).
Jeffrey Weiser, DDS. was the most popular dentist among bodybuilders for several years even though he never evaluated any patients. Yet he guaranteed to bring a big smile to the faces of his bodybuilding clientele.
Even though Weiser retired from the practice of dentistry in May 2001, he retained his DEA controlled substances registration enabling him to continue writing scripts for prescription medications. Weiser used his DEA license to write prescriptions for various anabolic steroids such as testosterone, nandrolone, oxandrolone and stanozolol; human growth hormone; and ancillary medications such as HCG, Clomid and Nolvadex from July 2001 through October 2004 for clients of his “personal fitness consulting business.”
Weiser advertised his services on various bodybuilding forums and found many customers who felt that they were legally obtaining anabolic steroids. After all, they received a prescription for the bodybuilding medications which they could take to their local pharmacy. There would be no legal risks with a prescription for steroids, would there?
Jason Trahan of the Dallas Morning News contacted me today with the autopsy and toxicology results for convicted steroid dealer David Jacobs. The report revealed that David Jacobs was using Deca Durabolin (nandrolone decanoate) and Testosterone when he committed the murder-suicide. This was not a major surprise since authorities discovered a significant quantity of anabolic steroids at his home in June 2008.
Nandrolone, 19-norandrosterone, and 19-noretiocholanolone metabolites were present in the urinalysis; a testosterone:epitestosterone ratio (T:E ratio) revealed a ratio of 22:1 with testosterone glucuronide (TG) and epitestosterone glucuronide (EG) levels of 270 ng/ml and 12.2 mg/ml, respectively. The T:E ratio of 22:1 and the TG level of 270 ng/ml are both putative evidence of exogenous testosterone usage. Read more
The Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) has notified law enforcement agencies around the country to be on the look out for anabolic steroids in Eco Oils packages that purported contain indian aromatherapy oils. In the April 2008 issue of the DEA’s Microgram Bulletin to law enforcement “forensic scientists concerned with the detection and analyses of suspected controlled substances,” the DEA reports on the first encounter of this type of steroid packaging by the Pennsylvania State Police Crime Laboratory system.
The suspect in the case admitted to steroid abuse and indicated that the package actually contained “Sustanon” (which is a steroid cocktail containing the following testosterone esters: Propionate 30 milligrams, phenylpropionate 60 milligrams, isocaproate 60 milligrams, and decanoate 100 milligrams). The package markings included the website “821.in,” and indicated that the contents were Indian Aromatherapy Oils. The oil fluoresced when concentrated sulfuric acid was added and the resulting mixture was subjected to UV irradiation. Analysis of a methanol extract of the oil (total net volume 3.1 milliliters) by GC/MS confirmed testosterone propionate, cypionate, and decanoate in an approximate 4 : 3 : 1 ratio based on the TIC. The results indicated that the oil was not actually “Sustanon,” but rather a substitute or mimic steroid cocktail.
It is surprising that it has taken law enforcement so long to take notice of the sachet packaging. After all, they have been openly and widely discussed on various mainstream bodybuilding forums and popular steroid forums for almost two years. The existence of steroid sachets have largely remained a secret to most law enforcement officials. The DEA alert across agencies could likely make law enforcement more vigilant to this type of packaging in the future.
The Eco Oils sachets have been widely distributed since the summer of 2006 with information websites (originally at EcoOils.net and 821.in). The website URL 821.in was listed on the sachets and provided information about the alleged aromatherapy oil ingredients including Lavender oil, Euclaptus, Pogostemum Patchouli, Rosemarinus. Steroid users could find information about the steroid ingredients at the website EcoOils.net (with identical information now appearing at Eco-Oils.net). The line of anabolic steroids distributed by Eco Oils included nandrolone decanoate, trenbolone acetate, testosterone cypionate, testosterone enanthanate, dromastolone propionate, testoserone propionate, boldenone undeclaynate, methenolone enanthate, trenbolone enanthate, nandrolone undecanoate, sustanon, nandrolone mix, nandrolone phenylpropionate and boldenone mix.
As early as 2006, steroid experts like William Llewellyn (author of Anabolics 2007 and Body of Science) and others had already submitted samples of the Eco Oils sachets to San Rafael Chemical Services (before the DEA raided SRCS and subsequently prevented them from analyzing anabolic steroid samples). The lab analyses confirmed that the products contained ingredients and dosages that closely approximated what was advertised on their website.
In the aftermath of the British Dragon and Redicat steroid bust in Thailand, steroid sources in the Southeast Asian country continue to face disruptions in their steroid distribution efforts (”Customs uncover ‘huge’ steroids stash,” April 1).
More than 2000 vials of a banned steroid have been found by Customs officials inside a parcel sent to Sydney from Thailand.
The Sydney Morning Herald reports that the steroid seizure by customs in February has resulted in ongoing steroid busts in Sydney Australia (”Steroids found in Thai parcel: customs,” April 1).
Customs officers at Australia Post’s Gateway Facility in Sydney found the 2,378 ampoules of Sustanon 250, Stanozol and Nandrolone in plastic bags after examining a parcel from Thailand said to contain glass figures…
After finding the drugs in the mail on February 19, Customs investigators executed search warrants on premises in south-western Sydney last Friday and seized evidentiary material.
Investigations into the major steroid seizure are continuing.
Customs national manager for investigations, Richard Janezcko, said the agency was “continuing to detect and investigate increased attempts to smuggle prohibited and restricted performance enhancing drugs into Australia”.
Australia’s war on steroids is one of the most aggressive in the world, perhaps even more draconian than the efforts by the United States.
The “war on steroids” in the United States has been highly effective in one regard; it has limited the availability of anabolic steroids for those individuals who use steroids as a matter of medical necessity. Nelson Vergel has written about the problems arising from the nation’s steroid hysteria as it affects the medical applications of steroids. These problems include Watson Pharmaceuticals discontinuation of nandrolone decanoate (Deca Durabolin) and the increasingly limited number of compounding pharmacies that offer nandrolone.
Since nandrolone decanoate is no longer manufacturer by any U.S. pharmaceutical company, it is difficult to find in the United States with availability limited to compounding pharmacies. Members of Vergel’s Yahoo Group PozHealth have researched and identified only five compounding pharmacies nationwide that still offer nandrolone decanoate with a valid medical prescription (and in some cases, additional requirements) ["Nandrolone Prices at Compounding Pharmacies," March 28).
Prices of a 10mL vial Nandrolone Decanoate (200 mg/ml) at Compounding Pharmacies
[NOTE: Pricing and compounding pharmacy has been removed per request. The publication of such information has regrettably caused adverse attention for at least one compounding pharmacy.]
Two other compounding pharmacies have ceased production of nandrolone decanoate due to federal pressure and/or limited availability of the raw materials (Applied Pharmacy Services and Leiter’s Pharmacy, respectively).
We desperately need a rational discussion on anabolics steroids to replace the steroid demonization and steroid hysteria sweeping our country. Legislation and federal actions involving anabolic steroids over the past several years have arguably done nothing to decrease steroid use among professional athletes or high school athletes; the war on steroids has indisputably compromised the available of anabolic steroids for medical purposes in affected populations. This is the real crime.
The supply of pharmaceutical quality nandrolone decanoate by prescription is becoming very limited within the United States. Watson Pharmaceuticals was the only pharmaceutical company producing Deca Durabolin (nandrolone decanoate) in the U.S. It was available by prescription and could be obtained at most pharmacies around the country.
Watson claimed that Deca Durabolin was discontinued in March 2007 because the raw ingredients were no longer available from the FDA-approved supplier of the powder (”AIDS activists upset by dropped wasting drug,” April 19, 2007).
Patricia Eisenhaur, director of investor relations for Watson Pharmaceuticals, confirmed that Deca-Durabolin, also known as nandrolone decanoate, an anabolic steroid prescribed by physicians to combat AIDS wasting, was discontinued on March 20.
According to Eisenhaur, the active ingredient to manufacture the drug was no longer available from the Food and Drug Administration-approved supplier. Eisenhaur was unable to provide the name of the supplier, which was the only approved manufacturer of the active ingredient.
Obviously, those familiar with black market androgens know that there is no nandrolone decanoate powder shortage. Nelson Vergel of the HIV Blog explains the real reasons why Watson discontinued production (”Important information about nandrolone in the U.S.” March 17).
The decision from the manufacturer (Watson) to stop making nandrolone decanoate (an effective injectable medicine to treat unintentional weight loss and to increase muscle mass) was based on economics and political pressure.
Watson stopped making it because:
- It is a generic CHEAP drug
- They can sell expensive Oxandrin instead. Oxandrin is approved for unintentional weight loss but costs $1200 a month and can cause liver toxicity in some.
- Nandrolone’s indication is for anemia and no doctor uses it for that purpose, so they prescribe it legally off label.
- Congress and the DEA are treating anabolics like the treat crack-cocaine and are closely watching every prescriber’s and manufacturer’s move. No HIV doc has ever got in trouble since many studies have shown nandrolone’s benefit and can justify its medical use. However, inexperienced HIV doctors who have not been around long enough to know its history shy away from prescribing due to the bad publicity and misconceptions around these medicines.
Nandrolone decanoate is still available [link removed] from a few compounding pharmacies. However, under extreme federal pressure resulting from the steroids in sports scandals, fewer and fewer compounding pharmacies are willing produce nandrolone medications. As a result, compounding pharmacies are quickly dropping nandrolone decanoate.
Applied Pharmacy stopped all production due to DEA pressure. Some compounders are making doctors sign a waiver to say they will not prescribe nandrolone for non medical uses. Some doctors feel this represents extra liability.
Applied Pharmacy is a compounding pharmacy that provided pharmaceutical quality anabolic steroid and hormone preparations to customers with medical prescriptions. They became the target of a federal probe resulting from prosecutor and political opportunist David Soares’ far reaching steroid scandal investigation. They stopped production of all anabolic steroids as a result.
Former NFL running back Femi Ayanbadejo has filed a lawsuit against Author L. Rea of ALR Industries. He claims an undisclosed ingredient in ALRI Max LMG caused him to fail an NFL doping test leading to his release by the Arizona Cardinals and Chicago Bears. Ayanbadejo tested positive for a “form of nandrolone.” Ayanbadejo’s attorney is blaming the positive steroid test on the manufacturer for possibly intentionally “spiking” the supplement with banned substances or contamination from the manufacturing facility (”Ex-Aztec sues supplement maker, shop over failed NFL steroid test,” March 11).
“We’re still not sure whether we have a pure cross-contamination matter (from the mixing facility), or we have a company that actually spiked the supplement (intentionally),” said Ayanbadejo’s attorney, Jim Miller.
However, he ignores a third possibility that doesn’t work in his client’s favor - that the ingredient that caused the positive drug test was plainly listed on the label and his client was unaware that the metabolites would result in a positive steroid test. Then this is no longer a case of “undisclosed ingredients” or “contaminated supplements.”
The marketing materials for ALRI Max LMG clearly list the ingredients and similarity to other progestin-based steroids like trenbolone and nandrolone.
The active compound in Max LMG is 13-ethyl-3-methoxy-gona-2,5(10)-diene-17-one… It is legal because it is a progestin, and before anyone thinks “birth-control”, remember that trenbolone, nandrolone, methyltrienolone and Methyl-Dien all are also progestins. I doubt anyone will disagree with the effects of these compounds upon favorable body composition.
In addition, the label warned consumers about androgenic side effects.
Possible side effects include acne, hair loss, hair growth on the face (in women), aggressiveness, irritability, and increased levels of estrogen.
Are supplement companies responsible for ensuring that their supplements are “IOC-friendly”? Or are supplement companies only responsible for complying with legal requirements of DSHEA (which permit certain progestin-based steroidal compounds)?
