HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS REGISTER		Author Keyword(s) Vol Page [Advanced]

This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) Submit a response Alert me when this article is cited Alert me when eLetters are posted Alert me if a correction is posted Citation Map Services Email this link to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Add article to my folders Download to citation manager Request Permissions Citing Articles Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by de Hon, O. Articles by Coumans, B. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by de Hon, O. Articles by Coumans, B. Topic Collections Relevant Article

The continuing story of nutritional supplements and doping infractions

Anti-Doping Authority of the Netherlands, The Netherlands

Correspondence to:
Olivier de Hon, Anti-Doping Authority of the Netherlands, The Netherlands; o.dehon{at}dopingautoriteit.nl

Nutritional supplements can be a source of positive doping cases as some supplements contain prohibited substances without showing this on their label. This problem has existed for some time and has been extensively studied in the past 8 years. The sport of tennis has played a particular role in this problem because of some peculiar doping cases within its community.

This article focuses on this particular doping problem, explaining the background and reviewing the available literature. It presents the first 3 years of experience within the Netherlands Security System Nutritional Supplements Elite Sports ("Nederlands Zekerheidssysteem Voedingssupplementen Topsport" or NZVT) and explains the most extensive system established to combat this particular doping problem.

The NZVT experience has shown that paper-based quality systems are still prone to possible contaminations, which leads to the conclusion that the best possible solution for athletes who wish to use nutritional supplements must include laboratory-based analysis for doping substances, preferably repeated for every new batch. The most important educational message, however, is to use a nutritional supplement only if it is deemed of benefit by a nutritional expert.

Abbreviations: BCAA, branched-chain amino acids; CLA, conjugated linoleic acid; DHEA, dehydroepiandrosterone; DSHEA, Dietary Supplement Health Education Act; HACCP, hazard analysis critical control points; IOC, International Olympic Committee; MDMA (or XTC), methylenedioxymethylamphetamine; NOC*NSF, Netherlands Olympic Committee/Netherlands Sports Confederation; NZVT, Nederlands Zekerheidssysteem Voedingssupplementen Topsport; OKG, ornithine-alpha-ketoglutarate; WADA, World Anti-Doping Agency

Keywords: doping; nutritional supplements; contamination

Relevant Article

Commentary on ""

Wim Van Thuyne
Br. J. Sports Med. 2007 41: 805. [Extract] [Full Text] [PDF]