Steroid Masking Agents on Steroids Rx.com

Probenecid is often also known as a uricosuric drug - meaning that it can remove uric acid from the body and excrete it into the urine. Probenecid was once widely used to treat gout. It works on the kidney and has the ability to block the excretion of several drugs. For instance, if a patient took a drug A to cure an illness and if this drug was rapidly excreted in the urine, it would be a total waste of money. Therefore, sometimes physicians add probenecid to the regimen - it blocks the excretion of drug A. The drug A then stays in the body for a long time and is no longer excreted in the urine.

In medicine, probenecid is sometimes used with several types of antibiotics to make them more effective in the treatment of infections. Probenecid does not make the antibiotics more potent, but simply blocks their excretion in the urine. This then allows for the drug to remain in the body for a long time.

 

Probenecid is only available with a prescription and can be taken orally.

Dose

For adult the typical dose of probenecid is 250 mg twice a day for a few weeks. Some people may need high doses to completely block the excretion of uric acid.

Side effects

 

Probenecid is a relatively safe drug. Very rarely it may cause headaches or a warm body sensation. Wheezing and a feeling of tightness around the chest have also been reported.

 

This property of probenecid in blocking the excretion of drugs has often been utilized by bodybuilders to prevent excretion of anabolic steroids in the urine.  What this means is that if someone takes a steroid and probenecid at the same time, the anabolic steroid will remain in the body and won’t be excreted in the urine. Thus, the steroid will not be detected in the urine. In the past probenecid has often been called a steroid masking agent.

 

Facts about probenecid

 

There is a lot of literature on probenecid and use in bodybuilding. However, there are a lot of myths and false beliefs about this drug.

 

The Facts

 

Probenecid can be used to treat gout and works well.

 

Probenecid is widely used by many athletes to mask the presence of steroids.

 

Probenecid does not completely block the excretion of all steroids.

 

To block the excretion of anabolic steroids, one has to take 3-5 times the dose of probenecid a few hours prior to testing.

 

No one knows what the exact dose of probenecid is for the complete blockage of anabolic steroids.

 

Even if one takes probenecid, trace amounts of the anabolic steroid can easily be detected with the sophisticated detection methods available today.

 

Probenecid has been banned by most sporting agencies.

 

Since the half life of probenecid is about 4-6 hours, it is only effective if it is ingested just before testing takes place. Thus, some bodybuilders continue to take the drug before and after the sports event.

 

Many athletes have been caught with probenecid in the urine and thus today, detection of probenecid in the urine is illegal.

 

Small doses of probenecid do not work.

 

While one may be able to hide the anabolic steroid use, the detection of probenecid is very simple. And if probenecid is detected in the urine, you go home empty.

 

For all body builders who wish to mask the use of anabolic steroids, there are many treatments touted over the internet. The majority of these methods are junk science and do not work. The only sure way to hide the use of anabolic steroids is not to take them in the first place.

 

References

 

Barroso O, Mazzoni I, Rabin O. Hormone abuse in sports: the antidoping perspective. Asian J Androl 2008 May; 10(3):391-402.

 

Mahler N. [Misuse of drugs in recreational sports] Ther Umsch 2001 Apr; 58(4):226-31.

 

Mareck U, Geyer H, Opfermann G, et al. Factors influencing the steroid profile in doping control analysis. J Mass Spectrom 2008 Jun 20.

 

Saudan C, Baume N, Robinson N, et al. Testosterone and doping control. Br J Sports Med 2006 Jul.:i21-4.

 

Thieme D, Grosse J, Sachs H, et al. Analytical strategy for detecting doping agents in hair. Forensic Sci Int 2000 Jan 10; 107(1-3):335-45.

 

Wagner JC. Enhancement of athletic performance with drugs. An overview. Sports Med 1991 Oct; 12(4):250-65.