In modern day competition the use of performance enhancing drugs is a common occurrence in the optimization of athletic performance. To discourage drug use it is important to establish testing methods and programs that are effective and fair. Currently results of urine tests on athletes are based on concentration data, which may lead to incorrect conclusions for test results. The purpose of the present study was to investigate the excretion of a higher-than-therapeutic dose of Pseudeoephedrine (PSE) in urine and to monitor the excretion over 14 hours. Three subjects participated in two conditions: normal state (fluid intake of subject was similar to their normal regime) and hydrated state (500mL water every hour for 8 hours). Subjects provided samples at regular intervals over the 14-hour period. The urine samples were measured for volume, specific gravity (only two giving values not acceptable by "drug testers") and the concentration of PSE determined. Currently a concentration cut-off of 10 m g/mL is used for PSE. The results of this study produced greater concentrations at 3 hours (Mean ± se) in the normal state of 87.23 ± 7.33 m g/mL compared to 30.74 ± 5.90 m g/mL in the hydrated state (see figure 1 below). This is a likely time for a drug test to be performed and suggests that urine drug concentration is not ideal for drug testing of stimulants. The differences in urine drug concentration are probably due to increased urine production in the hydrated state.
© Copyright 1999 5th IOC World Congress on Sport Sciences with the Annual Conference of Science and Medicine in Sport 1999. Alle Rechte vorbehalten.