The United States Government recently mandated that a sports nutrition company comply with aspects of the WADA Prohibited List as part of a criminal plea agreement.

The government did not simply require that the company produce dietary supplements compliant with the Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act (DSHEA), the Anabolic Steroid Control Acts or any other relevant local, state and federal laws affecting the dietary supplement industry. The United States felt it necessary to incorporate a moral agenda above and beyond existing law into the plea agreement.

WADA supposedly exists to keep athletes in sports from doping. However, WADA’s dangerous influence threatens to influence laws that will affect tens of millions of ordinary people around the world who are not competitive athletes and have no aspirations of sports competition. They are simply individuals who are looking to feel better, to look better and to perform better with the help of supplements.

The requirement that any dietary supplement company follow the WADA code represents a disturbing trend in which WADA (and national anti-doping agencies operating under its directive) have aggressively sought to change international laws related to dietary supplements, anabolic steroids and performance-enhancing substances.

WADA has failed miserably at keeping steroids out of sports but they could have considerable success in influencing legislation affecting choice and freedom of ordinary consumers.

WADA has explicitly stated their desire for ALL national governments to criminalize the personal use of anabolic steroids and other performance enhancing drugs as defined in the WADA code – for athletes and non-athletes alike.

The UNESCO International Convention against Doping in Sport has a stated objective of criminalizing personal non-medical steroid use by applying the force of international law behind the anti-doping WADA code. The Convention also calls for increased regulation of dietary supplement (ideally to be compliant with the WADA Prohibited List).

The biggest problems caused by using the WADA code as the basis for international law is the fact that the overwhelming majority of dietary/sports nutrition supplement users and non-medical steroid users are NOT athletes. They are simply ordinary responsible, law-abiding adults who use these substances as a tool to feel better, to increase muscle size and strength, to reduce bodyfat, and/or to enhance physical attractiveness.

If WADA succeeds in the moralization of international laws related to dietary supplements and performance-enhancing substances, we may soon see laws that mirror the moralistic WADA Code. Non-athletes will be they ones that suffer while doping in sport continues unfettered.

It represents the height of hypocrisy for the founder of Anti-Doping Research to attack Amazon.com for “trafficking steroids” and selling “Schedule III controlled substances” via merchants in the Amazon Seller program when he is guilty of doing something similar.

The criticism of Catlin’s hypocrisy is justified given Catlin’s recent criticism of Amazon.com.

The problem with inappropriate matches with the contextual advertising service offered by Google is well-documented. I have written about this for several years. Tech Crunch has written about it. Other anti-doping websites are aware of the problem with contextual ads. Anyone on top of the steroid issue should be aware of this.

Catlin identifies the problem at Amazon (“Amazon sellers trafficking steroids, some classified as Schedule III Controlled Substances,” January 19, 2011):

Today at Amazon.com you will find Competitive Edge Labs P-Plex. P-Plex was also included in the FDA action against Bodybuilding.com, yet it remains in stock and available through two Amazon Sellers as of Jan. 17. The marketing headline for P-Plex on Amazon.com reads, “P-Plex-Anabolic Muscle Building Formula 10mg, 90ct (Compare To Phera-Plex).” We purchased the product on Jan. 6 through Amazon.com in an order fulfilled by Amazon Seller MMMPower and have identified Madol in the product.

Isn’t there a similar problem at The Catlin Perspective:

Today at The Catlin Perspective blog, you will find an advertisement for Superdrol. Superdrol was an ingredient in products included in the FDA action against Bodybuilding.com, yet it remains in stock and available through two advertisers appearing on The Catlin Perspective as of February 1, 2011. The marketing headlines for two merchants advertising Superdrol on thecatlinperspective.wordpress.com read, “Buy Superdrol Now: Gain Bulk & Build Mass ASAP! Get Big at a Great Price” and “Strong SuperDrol: Strong Superdol Explosive gains hardcore Bodybuilding supplement”.

Catlin finds it objectionable when third-party merchants sell these products on Amazon via the Amazon Sellers program:

Competitive Edge Labs M-Drol was purchased through Amazon.com on Nov. 15 in an order fulfilled by Amazon Seller Surplus-Supplements. We analyzed it in our ISO 17025-accredited lab and compared it to a reference standard of methasterone, or Superdrol, and in fact M-Drol does still contain methasterone. The sale of methasterone or a drug like it would likely qualify as sale of an unapproved new drug, according to the FDA’s recent letter to industry from Dec. 15: “These products are illegal because they are unapproved new drugs under 21 U.S.C. §§ 321(p) and 355(a) and/or adulterated dietary supplements under 21 U.S.C. § 342.”

Isn’t is similarly objectionable when third-party merchants sell these products through links on The Catlin Perspective via the Google Adsense program?

Competitive Edge Labs M-Drol could be purchased through a link on thecatlinperspective.wordpress.com and be fulfilled by factorysupplements.co.uk. Maybe someone will buy it and analyze it in their ISO 17025-accredited lab and compare it to a reference standard of methasterone, or Superdrol, to see if, in fact, M-Drol does still contain methasterone. The sale of methasterone or a drug like it would likely qualify as sale of an unapproved new drug, according to the FDA’s recent letter to industry from Dec. 15: “These products are illegal because they are unapproved new drugs under 21 U.S.C. §§ 321(p) and 355(a) and/or adulterated dietary supplements under 21 U.S.C. § 342.”

The only problem is that if someone purchased Competitive Edge Labs M-Drol through that Google Adsense link appearing on The Catlin Perspective, that means that Don Catlin and/or Anti-Doping Research would profit as a result of a customer clicking the advertisement to buy this unapproved new drug. Certainly, that would be just a little hypocritical after Catlin attacked Amazon.com.

Catlin doesn’t think ignorance is an excuse when it comes to Amazon.

Knowingly or not, Amazon does appear to be providing a marketplace for selling steroids, some classified as controlled substances. Amazon was willing to withdraw the pedophile’s guide in three weeks, as we pointed out in our blog post Nov. 12. Hopefully, Amazon will hear the FDA on this matter and also voluntarily withdraw these steroid products from their website, sooner rather than later. We stand ready to help Amazon or other retailers in maintaining a safe marketplace for dietary supplements in the future.

Will Catlin be willing to accept full responsibility for his role in advertising anabolic steroids for sale on his website?

Knowingly or not, Don Catlin does appear to be providing a marketplace for selling unapproved new drugs, SARMs, testosterone and steroids. Hopefully, Don Catlin will hear the FDA on this matter and also voluntarily withdraw these steroid product advertisements from his website, sooner rather than later. I stand ready to help Don Catlin and other anti-steroid organizations in maintaining a safe marketplace for dietary supplements in the future by discontinuing the advertisement of steroids on their website(s).

Who knows? Maybe Catlin will even tear up those Google checks?

Anabolic steroids are unlikely to be a scapegoat. Dr. Richard Auchus, an expert on steroid biosynthesis at UT Southwestern Medical School, summarily dismissed the connection between the muscle disorder and performance-enhancer drugs such as anabolic steroids and human growth hormone while suggesting recreational drugs as one possible culprit. “You don’t see rhabdomyolysis with anabolic steroid use or growth hormones. You can see rhabdo with GHB. It’s is one of those recreational drugs that can cause this,” according to the consultant to the United States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA).

At the moment, Chris Doyle, the University of Iowa head strength and conditioning coach, is in the hot seat.  However, Doyle’s colleagues are skeptical that he is to blame. Additionally, even in the aftermath of the rhabdomyolysis scandal, Iowa recruits are reconfirming their commitments to Iowa precisely because of the strength and conditioning program. Doyle has been credited with paving the way for 68 of 78 senior starters at Iowa to go on to play football in the NFL.

Mark Philippi, of the Philippi Sports Institute in Las Vegas:

“[T]he people at Iowa are pretty cutting-edge as far as training and testing and rehabilitation. It’s ironic this happened at a place so respected across the country, a place known for being very, very knowledgeable and proactive.

“Iowa is known for taking good players and making them into great ones. A big part of that is the strength and conditioning program, and maybe this time they tried things they haven’t done before to shake it up or get an edge.”

Matt McGettigan, the strength and conditioning coach for Air Force football

“There’s not been a trend of this happening at Iowa, and it’s not like Chris Doyle to all of a sudden throw everything successful that he’s done over the years out the window. We all know the body of successful work he’s done at Iowa. They’ve had great success with what he’s done over the years.

“Given Chris’ proven track record, it makes no sense to me what happened. Why would Chris all of a sudden change what he’s been successful at? He’s been there and he’s done that.”

Paul Arndorfer, the assistant strength and conditioning coordinator at the University of Tulsa:

“I know Doyle well, and I can say that he is probably one of the most knowledgeable coaches in the business.

“I truly believe that he would never knowingly put an athlete in harm’s way. He also doesn’t ask the players to do anything he has never done before — so I guarantee he’s done that workout himself.

“He might be the most researched guy, most well-read guy out there. It’s not his nature to make a workout to kill a guy, so to speak. His workouts have a purpose.”

Many experts feel it is premature to assign blame because the full story behind the Hawkeye rhabdomyolysis cluster has yet to be told.

Dr. John Graves of the Mayo Clinic:

“Yes. That says that the kids aren’t telling you what happened on the weekend,” he said. “That says there is more to the story than the workouts. There is more going on that they aren’t telling us about … something else that sensitized them, perhaps, to the workout on Monday, and that is what tripped them into rhabdomyolysis.”

Paul Arndorfer, the assistant strength and conditioning coordinator at the University of Tulsa:

“I have had guys do that workout and I have done that workout myself, and it’s (tough), but there’s got to be some underlying reason” for the hospitalization,  Arndorfer said.  Iowa players “do that workout every year at this time and have not had any problems in the past.”

“I would have a couple of questions for the players,” he said. “One is: What were they doing Sunday or over the weekend? … Another is: Were any of them taking a supplement not given to them by the university?”

The University of Iowa is conducting an investigation into the highly unusual cluster of rhabdomyolysis cases affecting the Hawkeye football program that will hopefully answer these questions.

Read more at Steroids.Info: Steroid Use Not to Blame in Iowa Football Mass Hospitalization

Photo credit: Hawkeye Central

Sportswriters are mistakenly reporting that Mayo is the second basketball player in the NBA to test positive for DHEA. Orlando Magic Rashard Lewis did not test positive for DHEA. In actuality, he tested positive for anabolic steroid use after failing the testosterone:epitestosterone ratio (T:E ratio) test which is suggestive of exogenous testosterone use. Lewis blamed the positive steroid test on his inadvertent use of DHEA in a smoothie.

Few people think DHEA offers any performance-enhancement benefit.

Read more at Steroids.Info: Steroids Invade the NBA – Actually It’s Only DHEA

IForce Nutrition was required to pay a $125,000 as part of a plea agreement that allowed the principals of the company to avoid felony charges and/or imprisonment. iForce Nutrition admitted to selling the following products which contained synthetic steroids and unapproved new drugs: 17a PheraFLEX (Madol), Dymethazine (Superdrol) and Methadrol (Superdrol).

The settlement roughly represented the gross revenue iForce earned from a single internet retailer of their product (Bodybuilding.com) which purchased approximately 2,828 bottle from iForce for $120,000.

This is a good sign for sports nutrition companies involved in the Bodybuilding.com investigation who are in a similar predicament. The government appears more inclined to impose substantial financial penalties on companies rather than prosecuting the owners and principals individually.

Rick Collins, steroid legal expert and attorney representing Tribravus Enterprises dba iForce Nutrition, has successfully negotiated similar plea agreements for other supplement companies facing prosecution in the many related steroid investigations affecting the industry.

Read more at MESO-Rx:

• iForce Nutrition Served Search Warrant During 2009 Olympia Expo
• Bodybuilding.com Raided in Criminal Steroid Investigation on Eve of IFBB Olympia Weekend

Read more at Steroids.Info:

• iForce Pleads Guilty to Selling Designer Steroids as Supplements

The hit MTV reality television series has courted its share of controversy with its portrayal of Italian Americans as “guidos and guidettes” but one ad spot appears to capitalize on suspicions that some of the more muscular cast members may have used anabolic steroids to obtain their physiques.

The New York Times discusses the use of the steroid reference “get juiced” to promote “Jersey Shore” along with MTV’s denial that this is the case.

Read more at Steroid Media Watch: “Jersey Shore”: Get Juiced, Get Jersey Shored

The phrase “shock and awe” has been used to refer to the “military doctrine based on the use of overwhelming power, dominant battlefield awareness, dominant maneuvers, and spectacular displays of force to paralyze an adversary’s perception of the battlefield and destroy its will to fight”.

The Sheriff’s Office didn’t take over a Middle Eastern country but they did seize approximately $20,000 of suspected anabolic steroids.

Read more at Steroids.Info: Marijuana Tip Leads to Florida Steroid Bust

The supplements in question are not legally classified as scheduled III anabolic steroids  in most cases but Catlin tested several products and found that one of the steroids for sale did indeed include a Schedule III controlled substance. Selling an “unapproved new drug” as a dietary supplement is still a serious crime.

Oliver Catlin of ADR claims there are a “million other products on sale on Amazon that are similar” to the ones tested by ADR.

Is Catlin trying to incite some hysteria with this bit of hyperbole by stating there are a “million other products on sale on Amazon that are similar” to the steroids they purchased and tested?!

Read more at Steroids.Info: Steroids for Sale on Amazon.com

The movie’s  anti-steroid propaganda is pretty extreme. The movie goes one step beyond the usual sensationalistic treatment of steroid side effects. It doesn’t just suggest testicular atrophy or even penis shrinkage as a side effect. The possibility that a steroid user’s penis may actually “fall off” is introduced to the audience.

Read more at Steroid Media Watch: “Whatever It Takes”: Steroids Cause Penis to Fall Off

Read more at Steroids.Info: Girls Gone Wild on Steroids