38-year old American cyclist Tyler Hamilton tested positive for the steroid DHEA or Dehydroepiandrosterone, during a surprise out-of-competition test last February 9 at the hotel where the whole team stayed. As a result, he would be facing suspension for a minimum of eight years to life.

This was his second doping offense in his whole cycling career. He initially tested positive for homologous blood transfusion in 2004. Anti-doping test in Tour de Spain found him to have another person’s blood in his system. He served the mandatory two-year suspension due to this offense.

Consequently, he decided to announce his retirement last Friday, August 28.

He admitted that he was aware of taking DHEA, which was found in one of the supplements he bought. It was called Mitamins, an over-the-counter herbal anti-depressant.

His decision to retire finally was also due to his battling with clinical depression, which started in 2003. He said that he would want to focus more in treating his illness.

The cyclist previously took the antidepressant Celexa prescribed by his doctor, but he stopped the medication due to its side effects.

According to the cyclist, he consciously took DHEA but it was not in any way for performance enhancement.

From ESPN:

American cyclist Tyler Hamilton announced his retirement Friday after testing positive for the steroid DHEA, which he said he knowingly ingested in an over-the-counter herbal antidepressant.

Tags: cyclist, DHEA, Mitamins, Tyler Hamilton

Posted in buy steroids, Steroid Cycles, steroid nation, Steroids and Anabolic Steroids

French Anti-doping Agency (AFLD) released a report that evidences of steroids were fount on the analysis of hair strands. These tests were conducted among 138 tests. Among them 22 were tested positive for anabolics. This alarmed sports authorities who convened on Wednesday. The main objective of the testing was to conduct a survey if athletes were using performance enhancing Drugs. The results were astounding. Pierre Rochcongar, physician for the French Football Federation said there was quite a number of athletes from different sports categories like cycling, football, and rugby using the banned substances. Despite their efforts to regulate the usage of steroids among athletes, he says the numbers were telling a different story.

From AFP:

“I am puzzled by these abnormal results,” Rochcongar told AFP. “As doctors we have been trying to do things correctly and work on prevention and yet these figures speak for themselves.”
He added that the full extent of the effects of the steroids and on boosting an athlete’s recuperative powers still had to be ascertained.

Of the 22 positive cases in question unearthed by the study the highest number from any one sport, seven, came from samples emanating from 32 tests carried out on footballers’, equivalent to 21.8 percent.

“I shall be approaching the AFLD to obtain details, while respecting medical ethics on privacy, to understand how this could occur and to put in place a policy of information and prevention,” Rochcongar said, adding that some 1,000 footballers undergo full tests on their overall fitness twice yearly.

Presidents of major sports organizations were given the heads up on the results of the tests. The tests confirmed that there were traces of DHEA or Dehydroepiandrosterone and testosterone in the hair samples. DHEA is a hormone that is derived from cholesterol and being secreted by the adrenal glands. While it is a legal food supplement in the United States, buying it in France would require prescription.

Tags: DHEA, French Anti-Doping Agency, Pierre Rochcongar, steroids, testosterone

Posted in buy steroids, steroid nation, Steroids and Anabolic Steroids, Steroids in Baseball, Steroids in Sports