SARMs product survey detecting Prohibited Substances including anabolic steroids and prescription medications

Abstract

Selective androgen receptor modulators (SARMs) are a group of experimental drugs that are used illegally by bodybuilders and athletes, for their demonstrated potential to stimulate muscle growth (anabolic effect). Due to these properties, SARMs are classified as World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) Prohibited Substances within Group S1: Anabolic Agents (Other anabolic agents, subsection 2). As there are no SARMs approved for human use, it is illegal to manufacture, advertise or supply SARMs in Australia. Despite this, SARMs are readily available online. As these products are illegal and therefore unregulated, there is no guarantee that a product sold as SARM contains the substance declared on its label. Human and Supplement Testing Australia (HASTA) screened 33 products labelled as containing SARMs against a panel of over 250 WADA Prohibited Substances. Of the products screened, 97% were found to contain WADA Prohibited Substances, including SARMs, but also anabolic androgenic steroids (AAS), a beta-2-agonist, a diuretic, stimulants and the non-WADA Prohibited Substances sildenafil and tadalafil. Five products did not contain any of the listed compounds, however, did contain other WADA Prohibited Substances. The lack of correlation between the label and the contents of these products, and the presence of multiple unlabelled drugs in many of them, highlights the additional risks to both athletes and other users purchasing these products.