New steroid: THG

[hitmansb]

Several track athletes tested positive for a steroid that until recently was undetectable and now face suspensions that could bar them from the 2004 Athens Olympics, the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency said Thursday.

USADA chief executive officer Terry Madden called it a widespread "conspiracy" involving chemists, coaches and athletes that was brought to the agency's attention by an anonymous tip.

He said the inquiry has expanded to other U.S. professional sports, but wouldn't give specifics. He also refused to details about the athletes or say how many tested positive for the steroid, known as tetrahydrogestrinone, or THG..

"What we have uncovered appears to be intentional doping of the worst sort," Madden said in a statement before his conference call from USADA headquarters in Colorado Springs, Colo. "This is a far cry from athletes accidentally testing positive as a result of taking contaminated nutritional supplements.

"Rather, this is a conspiracy involving chemists, coaches and certain athletes using what they developed to be 'undetectable' designer steroids to defraud their fellow competitors and the American and world public who pay to attend sports events."

Olympic athletes face drug tests at major competitions, as well as random testing between events. Their samples are divided in two and stored for future reference.

The athletes whose "A" samples revealed THG have been notified and will now have their "B" samples tested. If those are positive, a review process will begin. Appeals could last for months. Track athletes found to have used steroids would face two-year bans.

THG has a chemical structure similar to the banned anabolic steroids gestrinome and trenbolone, Madden said. Though THG is not specifically named as a banned substance in world track, it would be considered a related substance outlawed under the sport's doping rules.

[hitmansb]

I wonder how effective this stuff would be for bodybuilding. If it's related to Tren, it has to have some potential.

[6p6]

give us more info....

[hitmansb]

This is all the info I have...this is the first time I've heard about this stuff. Was hoping someone here would know more.

[turboguy]

i wonder if we can somehow find the make up of the drug and how it affects the body to know more how it would react in say a bodybuilding type atmosphere.

[spidey]

gestrinone is very similar to trenbolone in structure with the same pattern of double bonds and lack of a 19-methyl group. The differences are that the 13-methyl group in trenbolone is replaced with a 13-ethyl group in gestrinone and it is 17-alkylated with an acetylene function. If the acetylene function was fully hydrogenated (adding 4 hydrogens), that could be tetrahydrogestrinone.

That would look like a 17-ethyl trenbolone. There is very little difference biologically between a methyl group at the 17 position vs. an ethyl group. I don't expect there would be much difference between a 13-ethyl vs. a 13 methyl either.

So, to recap, tetrahydrogestrinone is the same as a 17-alkylated trenbolone with the minor modification that the 13-methyl in tren is a 13-ethyl in THG.

17-methyl trenbolone is a known AS (metribolone) and is schedule III. I have read that it is MADLY liver toxic, making anadrol look like candy. I don't think I would try THG without having a doctor to keep me monitered for problems. I only have one liver.

[SMACKAVELI]

It's also one of the Designer Steroids that Balco Labs are using to give to their athletes. Designer Steroids are very big right now among the superstars because they are undetectable with traditional IPO Steroid Testings.
Vic Conte is in some serious trouble and it might roll downhill to his superstars, Gunter, Bonds, Jones, etc.

[SMACKAVELI]

More info on Balco Labs bust and the discovery of Designer Steroid THG. Damn Feds!


Oct 16, 9:37 PM (ET)

By ROB GLOSTER
Several track athletes tested positive for a steroid that until recently was undetectable and now face suspensions that could bar them from the 2004 Athens Olympics, the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency said Thursday.

USADA chief executive officer Terry Madden called it a widespread "conspiracy" involving chemists, coaches and athletes that was brought to the agency's attention by an anonymous tip.

He said the inquiry began in June and has expanded to other U.S. professional sports, but wouldn't give specifics. He also refused to give details about the athletes or say how many tested positive for the steroid, known as tetrahydrogestrinone, or THG.

"What we have uncovered appears to be intentional doping of the worst sort," Madden said in a statement before his conference call from USADA headquarters in Colorado Springs, Colo. "This is a far cry from athletes accidentally testing positive as a result of taking contaminated nutritional supplements.

"Rather, this is a conspiracy involving chemists, coaches and certain athletes using what they developed to be 'undetectable' designer steroids to defraud their fellow competitors and the American and world public who pay to attend sports events."

Olympic athletes face drug tests at major competitions, as well as random testing between events. Their samples are divided in two and stored for future reference.

The athletes whose "A" samples revealed THG have been notified and will now have their "B" samples tested. If those are positive, a review process will begin. Appeals could last for months. Track athletes found to have used steroids would face two-year bans.

THG has a chemical structure similar to the banned anabolic steroids gestrinome and trenbolone, Madden said. Though THG is not specifically named as a banned substance in world track, it would be considered a related substance outlawed under the sport's doping rules.

"This is a serious warning for cheaters," said Dick Pound, chairman of the World Anti-Doping Agency. "It shows that supposedly undetectable substances can be detected as new tests are developed."

Madden said the USADA received a call from a man in June claiming to be a track coach. The caller named athletes he claimed were using a steroid that wouldn't be detected by tests then being used by the USADA. The man later sent the agency a syringe containing the substance, Madden said.

After determining the syringe contained THG, the USADA retested 350 urine samples taken from athletes at the U.S. track and field championships in June at Stanford, as well as 100 samples from random out-of-competition tests.

Madden said USADA contacted federal authorities with the findings.

The anonymous tipster, Madden said, identified the source of the THG as Victor Conte, founder of BALCO laboratory of Burlingame, Calif. The lab supplies nutritional guidance and supplements to athletes ranging from Barry Bonds to Bill Romanowski to Marion Jones.

"Everything that the coach has identified to us up to this time is true. We are fairly certain this substance came from Victor Conte and BALCO labs," said Madden, refusing to be specific.

Conte did not respond Thursday to an e-mail inquiry from The Associated Press, and calls to BALCO went unanswered.

In an e-mail to the San Francisco Chronicle and San Jose Mercury News, Conte denied BALCO was the source of the substance.

"In my opinion, this is about jealous competitive coaches and athletes that all have a history of promoting and using performance enhancing agents being 'completely hypocritical' in their actions," Conte said.

Agents from the Internal Revenue Service and a San Mateo County narcotics task force went to BALCO last month. No arrests were made, and IRS spokesman Mark Lessler wouldn't comment on the visit.

As part of the retesting of the samples from the U.S. track championships, Madden said, officials discovered several positive tests for the stimulant modafinil - which sprinter Kelli White says she took for the sleep disorder narcolepsy.

White tested positive this summer at the world championships in Paris for modafinil, and it could cost her a pair of sprint gold medals. Her case is being reviewed by USADA.

USA Track & Field, in a statement, said it didn't know all the details of the anti-doping agency's probe but said those responsible "should be held accountable for their actions."

U.S. Olympic Committee spokesman Darryl Seibel said: "We created USADA to be a leader in the fight against doping in sport. There is no issue of greater importance to the USOC and their effort underscores the commitment we've made."

[turboguy]

Originally posted by spidey
gestrinone is very similar to trenbolone in structure with the same pattern of double bonds and lack of a 19-methyl group. The differences are that the 13-methyl group in trenbolone is replaced with a 13-ethyl group in gestrinone and it is 17-alkylated with an acetylene function. If the acetylene function was fully hydrogenated (adding 4 hydrogens), that could be tetrahydrogestrinone.

That would look like a 17-ethyl trenbolone. There is very little difference biologically between a methyl group at the 17 position vs. an ethyl group. I don't expect there would be much difference between a 13-ethyl vs. a 13 methyl either.

So, to recap, tetrahydrogestrinone is the same as a 17-alkylated trenbolone with the minor modification that the 13-methyl in tren is a 13-ethyl in THG.

17-methyl trenbolone is a known AS (metribolone) and is schedule III. I have read that it is MADLY liver toxic, making anadrol look like candy. I don't think I would try THG without having a doctor to keep me monitered for problems. I only have one liver.

i applaud your research. that is exactly what i was talking about. great read

[6p6]

smack is the man....

....I'd like to try it....to bad I don't have a 7 figure MLB salary to pay for it!!!

[speedy7]

The funny thing is the media is acting so surprised when really this kind of chemical manipulation has been going on ever since they started drug testing. Most of the top runners are on gear that cannot be tested, THG is just one of who knows how many manipulations of AS. The drug testing battle will never end. There isn't enough money out there to catch everything. Realistically they have to just keep plugging away, having an anonymous tip like they did is the only way testers have a chance against finding these chemically altered steriods.

[speedy7]

Really the gear that is specially made is not better than what untested Joe Blow can get. It is basically overpriced gear that is undectable by drug testers.
GH testing is pretty much impossible. Its like asking me to look at the free way and telling you which car got on the freeway a half hour ago. Unless I see the guy inject gh I will not be able to prove anything.

[turboguy]

Originally posted by 6p6
...I'd like to try it....to bad I don't have a 7 figure MLB salary to pay for it!!!

is it that pricy?

[6p6]

probably not but imagine what it would cost to hire a chemist to make secret formulations of juice and not spill his guts to the rest of us to make more money....

[speedy7]

The guy who snitched must have had it out for them. IOC would have never known about thg. The funny thing is that THG is only one of hundreds of specially made AS.

[6p6]

you watch nothing will happen....the names involved are to big to sports.

[turboguy]

who cares if you use. just come out and say so, so you stop looking like a liar.

[spidey]

What a load of BS.

"A man's
testicles will shrink and his breasts will grow, while
a woman's breasts will get smaller."

This guy either doesn't know what he is talking about or he does know and is trying to exagerate to scare people away from taking it. THG, like tren, will not aromatize, so no estrogen will be produced. It may (also like tren) have some progesteronic activity so gyno can't be absolutely ruled out but with proper usage, it is quite unlikely. It is likely to be very supressive of the HPTA so testicular shrinkage is an issue but that is a temporary and completely reversable effect. With a little HCG added in mid cycle, it doesn't even have to occur in the first place.

I find it SO irritating that people who have the educational background to really understand the chemistry and biology of steroids choose to either remain ignorant or to perpetuate the various myths associated with their usage.

[6p6]

there was a huge article on this guy in ESPN the Magazine a few months ago, the dude sounds like a horse's ass to me.....JUST LET US JUICE MAN!!!!

[hitmansb]

We need to set the record straight about this drug: Spidey, whip up a batch and send it to a few of us for a 'trial run'!

[spidey]

LOL, you WISH!!!

I, of course, do not use steroids and do not recommend using them to others (steroids are baaaaaad for you).

I, like most others on these boards, am simply here for the educational and recreational value of discussion. All posts that I have made or may make in the future that appear to contradict the above statements were (and will be) simply a role playing fantasy and are in no way based on actual events.

[IntensityX]

Originally posted by spidey
LOL, you WISH!!!

I, of course, do not use steroids and do not recommend using them to others (steroids are baaaaaad for you).

I, like most others on these boards, am simply here for the educational and recreational value of discussion. All posts that I have made or may make in the future that appear to contradict the above statements were (and will be) simply a role playing fantasy and are in no way based on actual events.

you don't know me vewy well do ya

Eat,Learn,Train,Grow
IntensityX

[hitmansb]

Originally posted by spidey
LOL, you WISH!!!

I, of course, do not use steroids and do not recommend using them to others (steroids are baaaaaad for you).

I, like most others on these boards, am simply here for the educational and recreational value of discussion. All posts that I have made or may make in the future that appear to contradict the above statements were (and will be) simply a role playing fantasy and are in no way based on actual events.

Fine then, killjoy....

But could you post a step-by-step Dummies Guide To Synthesising THG In The Basement over in the Chemical Discussion Forum???

(for entertainment purposes only, of course )

[spidey]

Originally posted by hitmansb
Fine then, killjoy....

But could you post a step-by-step Dummies Guide To Synthesising THG In The Basement over in the Chemical Discussion Forum???

(for entertainment purposes only, of course )

The synthesis would probably be difficult without an equipped lab. At any rate, what would be the point? It appears to have been specifically designed to have very similar properties to 17-methyl-tren. 17-Methyl-tren, I think, is already available.

The only selling point for THG was it's undetectability (now a moot point).

[hitmansb]

True...I am just a bit of a nerd...would enjoy reading about the process regardless of whether or not it'd be viable to actually do it. Sure as hell would not be cost effective, doing it in small batches.