Green tea represents new method to cheat

Sportspersons become more and more sophisticated in administration of steroids. They find new ways to hide their administration of banned preparations. Several athletes take time to study experts’ statements which may help them to hide that they dope. Today a method has been discovered: athletes can mask application of testosterone with the help of green tea.
Testosterone is a hormone which presents in body naturally. Thus, it may be difficult for anti-doping organizations to determine that a person has used testosterone. T: E ratio testing is usually used by anti-doping organizations. Such tests may demonstrate uncommon ratio of testosterone to epitestosterone in urine. But it is not capable to display difference between testosterone that has been produced in body naturally and that introduced into body with the help of injections, creams, etc.
 Declan Naughton and his colleagues at Kingston University ( London) have determined that green tea has such compounds that are called “catechins”. They are capable to inhibit the enzyme UGT2B17. This enzyme induces attaching glucuronic acid to testosterone. In case UGT2B17 is inhibited, less testosterone glucoronide is excreted in urine.  
Catechins, the substances that have capacity to mask intake of testosterone, are in green and white tea. Such compounds are not in black tea.
Naughton and his colleagues have conducted several experiments. They confirm that a cup of strong green tea hides application of testosterone.
Thus, those sportspersons that take testosterone may lower measures of testosterone that are excreted in urine by drinking of green or white tea. Green or white tea can block excretion of testosterone, enhancing circulating levels of this hormone.
The World Anti-Doping Agency was informed about the findings by the experts. If this process occurs, it is worthless to subject athletes to urine tests. Blood tests should be performed in order to detect testosterone use.
Olivier Rabin, the WADA’s expert, claims that regular checks of blood steroids will be added. Everything will be done by anti-doping officials in order to prevent fooling of urine tests.