What is Ostarine and why is it used in sports?

Ostarine is a drug originally designed to help cancer patients rebuild wasting muscles, belonging to a class of compounds called Sarms, intended for muscle building without steroid side effects. It has become a concern in sports due to its detection in athlete samples.

How do athletes unintentionally test positive for Ostarine?

Athletes can test positive for Ostarine through contaminated sports supplements that do not declare its presence, or through accidental transfer via sweat or shared equipment.

What is being done to address Ostarine-related doping issues?

Researchers, including the drug's creator, are working on new testing methods to differentiate between accidental contamination and intentional doping, aiming to protect innocent athletes while still penalizing deliberate cheating.

Home / Sports / Cancer Drug Becomes Athlete's Nightmare

Cancer Drug Becomes Athlete's Nightmare

18 Feb

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Summary

Ostarine, a cancer drug, now causes athlete doping issues.
Contaminated supplements and sweat transfer lead to bans.
Scientist works to distinguish accidental vs. intentional doping.

A drug developed to aid cancer patients with muscle wasting, Ostarine, has become a contentious substance in elite sports. Its creator, James Dalton, now dedicates time to preventing its misuse rather than promoting its medical applications. Ostarine is a selective androgen receptor modulator (Sarm), intended as a safer alternative to steroids for muscle-building.

Despite not yet passing clinical trials for medical approval, Ostarine is illegally sold as a sports supplement. The World Anti-Doping Agency (Wada) has banned it since 2008, with it being the most detected Sarm in athlete samples over the past two years. Athletes face strict liability, meaning any banned substance in their system can lead to a ban, regardless of intent.

Poor supplement quality control means Ostarine can appear undeclared in products. Athletes can also test positive due to accidental transfer through sweat or shared equipment. Dalton's current research aims to develop testing methods to distinguish between contamination and intentional doping, to protect innocent athletes while still catching cheaters.

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