Methods
The research, funded by Lucozade Sport and conducted by HFL Sport Science - a laboratory that tests supplements for substances prohibited by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) – discovered that 10.5% of 152 supplements tested were found to be contaminated with steroids and/or stimulants. Non-UK brands purchased online are potentially a higher risk to athletes than those purchased from supermarkets or specialist stores/gyms. A previous study published in 2004 revealed that almost 15% of 634 supplements tested were found to contain banned steroids, none of which were declared on the label.
Results
- While it is clear that a number of supplements explicitly contain banned substances (as declared on the label), it has also become clear that a number of commercially available ‘clean’ supplements may be inadvertently contaminated with substances that could lead to a positive drugs test.
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- ‘It is vital for athletes to be provided with an informed choice about their diet and supplements,’ explains David Hall, HFL Chief Executive. ‘Only a small number of supplement manufacturers follow the necessary quality control procedures to ensure the safety of athletes and the general public who use their products. Athletes need to be aware of these manufacturers.’
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- One athlete who is aware of the dangers of supplement contamination is Liz Yelling, British Olympic Marathon runner. ‘These findings are worrying because athletes have a right to know that any supplements they use are totally clean. As an elite athlete preparing to compete in the Beijing Olympics it is vital to know that the supplements I use come from a reputable manufacturer with rigorous quality control procedures.’
Conclusions
A new initiative from HFL seeks to help athletes assess the risk when deciding to use supplements. Its Informed-Sport programme works with supplement manufacturers to evaluate their process integrity and to screen supplements and/or ingredients for the presence of substances that appear on the World Anti-Doping Agency’s List of Prohibited Substances and Methods. HFL provides a list of screened products at http://www.hfl.co.uk/uploadedPDF/Sport%20Supp%20Web%20All.pdf.
‘Our role is to help athletes make sensible, informed decisions to minimise the risks of inadvertent doping,’ says Andy Parkinson, Acting Director of Drug-Free Sport at UK Sport. ‘Part of the process athletes need to go through when thinking about using supplements is to distinguish between companies that follow quality assurance procedures to the highest standards and those companies that do not. This is particularly important with so many products readily available via the internet which may lay claim to being ‘drug-free’ when there are no guarantees that this is the case.’
Lucozade Sport is one manufacturer leading the field by pioneering product safety and quality assurance. ‘While the findings suggest that the issue of supplements and contamination is improving, the fact remains that any athlete not buying from a reputable manufacturer risks a one in ten chance of potentially ending their career by testing positive for banned substances,’ warns John Brewer, performance director at the Lucozade Sport Science Academy (LSSA). ‘We understand that elite athletes competing at the highest levels need the confidence of knowing that the products they use are screened for prohibited substances. As a result, Lucozade Sport products are tested by HFL for the presence of a range of World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) banned steroid and stimulant contaminants.
To find out more information on quality control measures undertaken at HFL on behalf of supplement manufacturers, visit http://www.hfl.co.uk/Sport/SupplementsNutrition.html and www.informed-sport.com.
Notes for editors:
About HFL Sport Science
HFL Sport Science is located on a 32 acre purpose-built site near Fordham, Cambridgeshire and employs over 160 staff. It was established in 1963 to provide drug-testing services to British Horseracing and, latterly, to the National Greyhound Racing Club and other sports, and has evolved into a world leader in drug surveillance testing. It is now established as a major UK provider of high quality analytical and drug development services to the global pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries – triggering a privatisation process that led to acquisition by Quotient Bioresearch Ltd in January 2007. For further information, visit www.hfl.co.uk
About Lucozade Sport
Lucozade Sport works closely with elite athletes and sports associations to increase its knowledge of the impact of nutrition and hydration on sporting performance. This knowledge has been applied in the development of an outstanding range of high quality sports nutrition products that are tested by HFL for the presence of a range of World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) banned steroid and stimulant contaminants. For further information, visit www.lucozade.com/sport
ENDS
For further information, please contact:
Rob Taylor David Hall, CEO
Lucozade Sport HFL Sport Science
Tel: 020 7096 5810 Tel: 01638 720 500
rob.taylor@fasttrackagency.com info@quotientbioresearch.com
Working with the Premier League and the FA
The Lucozade Sport Science Academy (LSSA) works collaboratively with the FA and Barclays Premier League clubs to provide advice, support and proven products to meet the nutritional needs of elite players. More recently this support has been taken further by carrying out the first ever applied research studies with clubs.
More about the LSSA