Epitestosterone
| File:Epitestosterone.gif | |
| Identifiers | |
|---|---|
| |
| CAS Number | |
| CompTox Dashboard (EPA) | |
| ECHA InfoCard | 100.169.813 |
| Chemical and physical data | |
| Formula | C19H28O2 |
| Molar mass | 288.42 |
Epitestosterone is a natural steroid, an inactive isomer of the hormone testosterone. Epitestosterone is believed to form in a similar way to testosterone; however, the exact site of its formation is unknown. It has been shown to accumulate in mammary cyst fluid and in the prostate. Epitestosterone levels are typically highest in young males; however, by adulthood, most healthy males exhibit a testosterone to epitestosterone ratio (T/E ratio) of about 1:1[1].
Epistestosterone and Testosterone
It has been shown that exogenous administration of testosterone does not affect levels of epitestosterone in the body. As a result, tests to determine the ratio of testosterone to epitestosterone in urine are used to find athletes who are doping. A normal healthy person has a ratio of about 1:1 testosterone to epitestosterone (T/E ratio) in their urine .
Although epitestosterone has not been shown to enhance athletic performance, administration of epistestosterone can be used to mask a high level of testosterone if the standard T/E ratio test is used. As such, epitestosterone is banned by many sporting authorities as a masking agent for testosterone.
In a test, urine taken from Floyd Landis, winner of the 2006 Tour de France showed "an unusual level of testosterone/epitestosterone" of 11:1, in violation of the 4:1 limit imposed by the race organizers. Although this suggested doping, it may have been caused by a low epitestosterone level rather than an artificially elevated testosterone level. Landis has also claimed that an elevated testosterone level could be related to his hypothyroidism.
In 1996 the US athlete Mary Decker failed a T/E test with a T/E ratio of greater than 6, the limit in force at the time. She took the case to arbitration, arguing that birth control pills can cause false positives for the test, but the arbitration panel ruled against her.
External links
Notes
- ^ "Substances: Testosterone to epitestosterone (T/E) ratio". Australian Government. Tuesday, February 28, 2006.
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