Nov 15, 2007 9:20 pm US/Pacific
New Cases Of Undetectable Steroids
DAVIS (CBS13) ―
Tonight we spoke to Dr. Jeffrey Tanji in the U.C. Davis Medical program. He explained exactly what steroids do to the body, how athletes beat tests, and the new alternative performance boosters that sound like a science experiment.
Dr. Jeffrey Tanji directs the U.C. Davis sports medicine department. In his 23 years treating pro and amateur athletes, he's knows performance enhancing drugs like anabolic steroids.
"It improves power so it's used in activities that involve leaping, jumping, and weightlifting," says Dr. Tanji.
Tanji says steroids are a compound that occurs naturally in the body.
But synthetic steroids generate more muscle cells and muscle mass.
They also can cause heart, liver and emotional problems, but many athletes have felt the competitive edge is worth it.
Tanji says athletes know how to beat the tests.
"There are medications you can use that block excretions in the urine," explains Dr. Tanji.
Tanji says steroids are not the only option; there are growth hormone stimulants and combinations of drugs.
"You can take certain types of amino acids which stimulate growth hormone which stimulate testosterone so you can take a chain of medications that eventually result in stamina and speed," Dr. Tanji says.
Tanji says these risky alternatives don't always show up in tests.
"Gene therapy is quite honestly very frightening," says Dr. Tanji.
Dr. Tanji says this highly controversial method and is utterly undetectable.
"You can attach a gene to a virus that incorporates itself into a muscle it replicates it self and produces hormones that make you bigger, faster, stronger," concludes Dr. Tanji.
(© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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