Determination of AAS on The Black Market

[Michael Scally MD]

Development of an UHPLC-MS/MS Method for The Determination of Anabolic Steroids Currently Available on The Black Market

Over the past decade, the use of anabolic androgenic steroids (AAS) by recreational bodybuilders and regular gym members has been increasing exponentially. However, there is a lack of knowledge on AAS products sold in the Czech Republic and Slovakia. The aim of this study was to assess the quantity of active substances in AAS products obtained from AAS users in the Czech Republic and Slovakia.

In addition, the study also examined the current trends in counterfeit AAS products used by recreational bodybuilders and regular gym members. For this purpose, the authors developed and validated a universal ultra high performance liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry method to determine the most popular doping substances in different pharmaceutical formulations (oil-based injectables, tablets, and capsules). This method was successfully utilized for the analysis of 358 AAS products.

Our results showed that 58.9% AAS products analyzed contained the declared active substances at the declared concentrations, 15.9% contained no active substance, 16.8% were under-concentrated, 4.5% contained active substances different from those declared on the label, and 3.6% products were over-concentrated. Alarmingly, the results demonstrated that over 40% of the AAS analyzed failed to meet label claims and therefore may pose serious health risks to consumers.

This study also highlighted that the availability of AAS should be more rigorously restricted and their quality closely monitored in order to protect AAS users. In conclusion, the authors have developed a precise, accurate, sensitive, selective and robust method for the routine screening of products containing anabolic androgenic steroids.

Tircova B, Bosakova Z, Kozlik P. Development of an UHPLC-MS/MS method for the determination of anabolic steroids currently available on the black market in the Czech Republic and Slovakia. Drug Testing and Analysis 2018;0. https://doi.org/10.1002/dta.2541

 

[NorthMich]

Always Dr S and these informative posts!

 

[Burrr]

They must have bought there shit off of Reddit.

 

[master.on]

European investigators test 358 anabolic steroids: two of three oxandrolones are bad

Sixty percent of the anabolic steroids on the black market are okay, and the other forty percent are not. Czech and Slovak chemists will soon be writing this in Drug Testing & Analysis. Especially the oxandrolones on the black market are often fake.

Study
The researchers analyzed 358 different preparations with anabolic steroids, all of which came from users in Czech and Slovakian gyms.

Results
Almost sixty percent of the preparations were good. They contained the same anabolic steroids that the label mentioned, in the right concentrations. However, the other forty percent of the preparations were bad.

There was no difference between the orals and the injectables.

Slightly more than 15 percent of the preparations were under-dosed, and almost as many preparations did not contain anything at all.

The most faked category was oxandrolone. Only 1 of 3 oxandrolone tablets was okay. The researchers suspect that because of the relatively high price of oxandrolone, it is financially attractive for workshops to produce fake oxandrolones.

Below, the test results of the oxandrolones were compared with those of the methandienones. Methandienone - the active ingredient in Dianabol - is currently a safe buy in Central Europe.

The table below summarizes all test results. The researchers do not provide more precise data on the tested products.

Source:
Drug Test Anal. 2018 Nov 13. doi: 10.1002/dta.2541. [Epub ahead of print].

 

[hammerheart]

Winstrol disguised as var is quite old news...

 

[valuum]

I don't even think Reddit is the source of most of these fakes. Do you see how many sources you could stumble upon if you just set out googling "buy steroids"? And I'm sure plenty of people do that. I'm sure there's so many international pharmacies sending out fake liquid. When I look on the darknet markets I see such obviously scammy listings it's unbelievable. That and Eroids.