Hypothesis: Intranasal administration of exogenous testosterone results in a characteristic profile during anti-doping testing, which is different than the profile seen when testosterone is administered into muscle, on skin or under the tongue. Objective: The investigators aim to characterize the unique steroid doping profile following administration of intranasal testosterone to healthy, active volunteer subjects.
Testosterone is a substance commonly abused in the sporting world despite being banned by all American sports leagues, international federations, and the World Anti-Doping Agency. Current methods employed to detect exogenously administered testosterone include direct detection using isotope ratio mass spectrometry (IRMS) and indirect detection using the athlete biological passport (ABP). However, different formulations of testosterone (oral, transdermal, sublingual, etc) are expected to result in characteristic IRMS profiles, affect the ABP readings in unique ways, and differ in their windows of detection. In 2014, a new formulation of testosterone, Natesto, which is administered intranasally, was FDA approved. Though only approved for medical use, it is expected athletes may use this product, and its effect on steroid doping markers has yet to be determined. Characterization of this detection profile is necessary for confirmation of the exact product being administered in an anti-doping setting. In this study, the investigators aim to understand the effects on the steroid doping profile following a single administration of Natesto to healthy, active volunteers. Windows of detection will be determined for the standard dosing of Natesto, and the effects on ABP markers and IRMS profiles will also be established.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
NA
Purpose
BASIC_SCIENCE
Masking
NONE
Enrollment
5
Participants will self-administer 11 mg 3x daily, for 5 consecutive days for 4 weeks.
University of Utah Orthopaedic Center
Salt Lake City, Utah, United States
Steroid Levels in Urine Steroid Profile
Participants were instructed to follow this dosing pattern: Begin taking Intranasal Testosterone at Day 1 for 5 consecutive days (Days 1-5), then to take 2 days off (Day 6 and 7) Urine sample at Day 6 Begin taking Intranasal Testosterone at Day 8 for 5 consecutive days (Days 8-12), then to take 3 days off (Day 13, Day 14, Day 15) Urine sample at Day 13 Begin taking Intranasal Testosterone at Day 16 for 5 consecutive days (Days 16-20), then to take 2 days off (Day 21 and 22) Urine sample at Day 21 Begin taking Intranasal Testosterone at Day 23 for 5 consecutive days (Days 23-27 ), then to take 2 days off (Day 28 and 29) Urine sample at Day 28 The first day of the dosing pattern is considered Day 1 and the last day of the pattern is considered Day 29. Samples 4-8 were analyzed between 0 and 24hours post-dose Sample 9 was analyzed 48 hours post-dose Sample 10 was analyzed 72 hours post-dose Sample 11 was analyzed one week post-dose
Time frame: 4 weeks of dosing for each participant
Number of Participants With Suspicious Steroid Profile in Urine Samples at Baseline
Participants were asked to provide 3 urine samples at Day 1, Day 3, Day 5 to measure their baseline urinary steroid marker levels. To accommodate participant schedules, all baseline samples were collected within a two week timeframe. This outcome is measuring if any participants baseline urine samples resulted in a suspicious steroid profile. For this study, "suspicious" is defined as any urine sample resulting in testosterone steroid detection above 200ng/mL.
Time frame: Day 1, Day 3, Day 5
Testosterone Level in Blood as Measured for Safety
Testosterone level in blood to ensure safety levels of testosterone prior to (Day 0) and after the first two weeks of drug administration (Day 19). Steroid levels below the normal range were considered safe to continue study participation.
Time frame: Day 0 and Day 19
This platform is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional.