HGH Testing Finally Working!
Athletes will have to rethink their use of HGH with new HGH testing methods that have shown to be extremely accurate. Of course, human growth hormone has been a banned substance for some time, but that has not stopped some athletes for relying on it not for better performance but to heal injuries faster.
The people behind creating dope tests have had a significant breakthrough in their testing with two Russian power lifters who were competing at the 2012 London Paralympics were banned for two years after testing positive for HGH, which up until now was not detectable.
Nikolay Marfin and Vadim Rakitin were both caught because of the new testing methods, which were introduced at the London Drug Control Centre in Harlow. Both of these athletes returned adverse analytical findings in the blood samples that had been taken just days before Paralympics started.
Both athletes were quickly notified that they had failed their tests on September 4, which was the same day the King’s College laboratory results were received by the International Paralympic Committee. They were immediately suspended.
It has long been suspected that human growth hormone or HGH is one of the most abused drugs, and that some of the world’s top athletes use HGH. Since the 2004 Olympics in Athens, testing for HGH has been in place, but this new technique is far more sophisticated.
This test does not directly detect HGH. What it does is look for an unnatural increase in two markers – insulin like growth factor 1 (IGF-1) and a substance that is called P3NP, which is produced when bone or collagen is formed. It occurs after an HGH injection.
This is a major breakthrough because it shows that pioneering scientists have developed a test, which significantly widens the HGH detection window from a few hours to a few weeks, making this new test one of the most important anti-doping breakthroughs ever.
The new test was not officially approved until the eve of the Olympics. Until then, the only major competitor to be caught for drugs was Belarus’ Nadzeya Ostapchuk, who found herself stripped of her gold medal that she had won in shot put, after she tested positive for anabolic steroids. But when these two unknown Russians were busted, it sent shockwaves around the world.
“This case is a world-first as some of the latest testing methods were used which were only introduced prior to London 2012,” said Toni Pascual, chair of the IPC Anti-Doping Committee.
“These new methods are able to detect misuse of human growth hormone over a span of weeks compared to previous methods used which only detected use over a shorter time period.
“These findings prove the efficiency and effectiveness of the IPC anti-doping programme in place for the Games.”
Just before the test results became known, Rakitin had competed in the men’s -90kg class at the Games, finishing seventh. Marfin was to compete in the men’s +100kg class. However, with the publication of the results he was prohibited from participating.
The suspensions begin August 23, which is the date the first blood samples were collected, while all competition results recorded on that date and beyond will be discounted. They also each have been fined €1,500 (£1,200/$1,920).
Summary On HGH Doping
There is one problem with HGH being part of the anti doping testing. HGH is not a steroid and it is not a drug. It is natural to the body, and the majority of professional athletes turn to HGH to help injuries heal faster. There is proof of its benefits.
A Miami Dolphins football player by the name of Abdul-Karim al-Jabbar turned to HGH to reconstruct a seemingly destroyed knee after undergoing multiple surgeries. Nearly all of the cartilage in his bad knee was gone, and HGH seemed like his last option. With regular injections of HGH into the area, his problems soon began to disappear. This is just one example of HGH helping after an injury.
It seems wrong that a natural substance to the body is being categorized as a drug. For most people taking an HGH supplement can provide them with many benefits including leaner muscle mass, belly fat loss, anti aging benefits, increased energy and endurance, and a stronger immune system to name just a few benefits. If you have a severe HGH depletion, you should see your doctor.
I agree that HGH should not be used to give a performance advantage to athletes that are using over those that are not. But I think for recovery from injury HGh should be allowed. Also this bad publicity is really giving a bad rep to something that we all have naturally in our bodies anyway.