Food And Drug Administration (FDA)

Currently the FDA does not regulate these natural products, as they belong to category known as "dietary supplements".  These over-the-counter supplements are not regulated because they do not claim to treat, cure, diagnose or prevent disease or other medical conditions. The FDA can only require the manufacturer to remove these products from shelves if they can prove that they are "unsafe".  Currently, the FDA has not been able to prove creatine, androstenedione, and epinephrine unsafe.

International Olympic Committee (IOC)

Prohibited classes of substances by the IOC include stimulants, narcotics, anabolic agents, diuretics, and peptide hormones.  Ephedrine is considered in the class of stimulants and a positive test for ephedrine would be greater than 10 micrograms per millilitre.  Androstenedione, testosterone and other related substances are classified under anabolic agents, more specifically anabolic androgenic steriods, which are also prohibited by the IOC.  Urine testing is used to determine positive testing for athletes in the Olympics.  Out-of-competition testing is directed only at the substances classified as anabolic agents, diuretics, and peptide hormones.  Phosphocreatine is not prohibited or regulated by the IOC.
Click to download pdf file showing the substances banned by the IOC.

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National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA)

Nutritional supplements are not strictly regulated by the NCAA, but may contain substances banned by the NCAA.  One of these substances is androstenedione.  Andro is classified as an anabolic agent because of its steriod like structure.  Androstenediol, norandrostenediol, norandrostenedione and testosterone also fall under the category of anabolic agents.  Ephedrine is considered a stimulant by the NCAA and is also prohibited. Phosphocreatine is not regulated by the NCAA as it falls under the category of nutritional supplements.

Visit the NCAA Banned-Drug Classes site to view other substances regulated by the organization.
 http://www.ncaa.org/sports_sciences/drugtesting/banned_list.html
 
 

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Professional Sports Organizations

 

    The regulation of nutritional supplements vary among the various sports organizations.

National Football League (NFL)

Prohibts the use of anabolic steriods and related substances, Beta-2-agonists, diuretics and other masking agents; and dietary supplements containing prohibited substances.

Major League Baseball (MLB)

Prohibits use cocaine, marijuana, amphetamines, opiates, pencyclidine (PCP), and steriods.  The MLB does not prohibit the use androstenedione, phosphocreatine, or ephedrine.

National Basketball Association (NBA)

Prohibits only the use of cocaine and heroin, other substances not specified.
National Hockey League (NHL)

Prohibits all illegal drugs.  Does not prohibit any performance enhancing natural products.

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  Secondary Schools Athletic Associations

 

Delaware Secondary Schools Athletic Association (DSSAA)

DSSAA does not regulate the use of any performance enhancing natural product.  There are no tests done on athletes to regulate any use.  This is consistent with other secondary school associations, no testing regulates high school athletics.  This is due to the high cost of testing and not a high competition rate as compared to professional sport organizations, where the athletes are paid.
 
 

Anabolic Steroid Act of 1990

 

   Anabolic Steroids Act of 1990  states: that in order for a substance to be classified as an anabolic steroid it (1) must have a structure related to testosterone, (2) must have pharmacology related to testosterone, (3) the substance cannot be an estrogen, progestin, or corticosteroid, (4) the substance must promote muscle growth.  The latter of the four requirements does not classify andro as an anabolic steroid. Androstenedione is considered in the same class as anabolic steriods according to the IOC, NFL, and the NCAA; these organizations prohibit the use of the product although it is not proven to promote muscle growth.
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 Home | Introduction | Creatine | Androstenedione
Epinephrine | Guidelines | Conclusion

 

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Additional Resources (not listed above)

Michoes, Gary. "McGwire Supplement and Issue"  Detroit News.  26 Aug 98.

Fonorow, Owen R. "JAMA Study on Androstenedione - A Critique" 1999.
      <http://www.vitamincfoundation.org/andro.html>