Techniques to Reveal Steroid Abuse in Sport  

Steroid use has been a part of sports such as baseball and American football for decades now. This is despite the fact that any athlete caught using steroids or any performance enhancing drugs, risks getting banned and worse.

But it is easy to see why athletes take steroids, even at the cost of endangering their career and reputation. Taking steroids can result in impressive muscle growth, speed, stamina, strength and explosive power. This could very well make the difference between winning and losing.

Steroid Drug Tests

As you would know, steroids are banned by all the amateur and professional sports. Steroid drug tests are done to ensure that none of the athletes competing in a sporting event have an unfair advantage because of taking steroids.

Any athlete found guilty of using steroids is suspended, fined heavily and even banned for life. This is serious stuff! Even schools and colleges carry out steroid drug tests to make sure that none of the students competing in school sports have an unfair edge over others.

 Steroid drug tests in sports are carried out by reputable independent agencies such as United States Anti-Doping Agency, World Anti-Doping Agency, and the International Olympics Commission. Each of these organizations has their own methods for the drug testing.  The National Collegiate Athletic Association is responsible for carrying out the steroid drug testing for student athletes.

Types of Steroid Drug Tests

Urine Tests and Blood Tests are two of the most common types of steroid drug tests. Steroids can also be detected from hair follicles. There are new and advanced types of tests where the activity of the androgen receptors is examined closely. High androgen activity is a surefire way of proving steroid use.

What’s the Difference between Urine Tests and Blood test? 

The main difference is that urine tests cost less and less invasive. They have fewer complications and can be done easily.

Blood testing is not only more expensive, it should only be carried out by a trained specialist. Inserting needles to draw out the blood is not something that can be carried out by just about anyone.

 But blood tests are difficult to mask than urine tests and they are the current standard for detecting high levels of HGH (Human Growth Hormone).

 What’s the Detection Time for Steroid Drug Tests?

Steroids have a high half-life and can stay in the body for 2 to 4 weeks, and are detected from the high levels of steroid metabolites and testosterone in the user’s blood or urine.

The detection time depends on the type of steroid. It’s 3 weeks for Winstrol and Anavar, 5 weeks for Andriol, 6 weeks for Dianabol, Proviron and Turinabol and 8 weeks for Halotestin.

 How Much Do Steroid Tests Cost?

The professional steroid tests conducted by the leading sports bodies are expensive. But the testing done by schools and colleges is relatively cheap and ranges from $50 to $100 per test, apart from the cost of collecting and handling of the test samples.