Abstract

ANALYTICAL METHODS FOR THE DETECTION OF NON-LABELED ANABOLIC ANDROGENIC STEROIDS IN FOOD SUPPLEMENTS

S. Ivanova, K. Ivanov, S. Pankova, P. Atanasov, D. Obreshkova, V. Petkova*

ABSTRACT

Recent studies showed that non-hormonal supplements such as vitamins, minerals and amino acids or other food additives can contain anabolic androgenic steroids not declared on the labels of the products. These undeclared substances (often prohormones of testosterone or 19-nortestosterone) can cause health risks to consumers and might lead to positive results in sports doping control. The analysis of nutritional supplements for anabolic steroids has proven to be rather difficult due to the different matrices in the various products. To conduct a broad-based analysis, a few robust methods capable of analyzing various matrices are needed. To obtain a sensitive gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) analysis, a method including extraction and purification of the analytes followed by GC-MS analysis of the trimethylsilyl (TMS) derivatives of the steroids was developed. In this review we summarized some of the most used methods for determination of steroids in food additives.

Keywords: anabolic androgenic steroid; androstenedione; dehydroepiandrosterone; steroids; side effects, sport medicine , food additives.