Extensive Making of Steroids

Professional sportsmen and bodybuilders have been trying their best to minimize the presence of steroids in their urine samples by considering steroid masking in the recent times.

In this respect, the use of diuretics such as epitestosterone, plasma expanders, and secretion inhibitors is on an all-time high. These diuretics have been helping them to stay away from the hassles of doping and avoid suspicious eyes after delivering an almost dramatic performance on the field.

From Entertainment.howstuffworks.com:

Epitestosterone
Epitestosterone is a biological form of testosterone that does not enhance performance. Drug tests for testosterone typically measure the ratio of testosterone to epitestosterone (T/E ratio). An athlete can inject epitestosterone, lower the T/E ratio and hide the use of testosterone. By itself, epitestosterone has no real harmful side effects.

Plasma Expanders
Plasma expanders are substances that are used to increase the fluid component of blood. They are used to treat victims of shock, trauma and surgery. Athletes can use these substances to dilute the concentration of banned substances (EPO) in their blood. Most side effects include moderate to severe allergic reactions.

Secretion Inhibitors
Many drugs and foreign substances have structures that are shaped like organic acids. In the body, these organic acids are removed by a protein in the kidney that transports organic acids. If this protein can be blocked, then these drugs or foreign substances would not appear in the urine. Doctors use these inhibitors to treat gout. However, the drugs can be used to manipulate the results of urine drug tests. Possible side effects include nausea, vomiting, allergic reactions and kidney problems.

With this information of steroid masking, one thing is for sure that diuretics will continue to increase the problems of sports confederations and doping agencies. Till a solution is achieved, sportsmen and bodybuilders will have a carefree life.