Tea Catechins Cloud Doping Tests

LONDONResearchers from Kingston University found that catechins in tea hide testosterone from the standard doping test administered to Olympic athletes by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA). Testosterone is an anabolic steroid that enhances athletic performance and muscle growth.

As reported by the Associated Press, an official from WADA said the doping test may have to be tweaked to adjust for positive results that might be modified by food, training or disease.

The study, published in the journal Steroids, set out to analyze dietary tea samples for inhibition of testosterone glucuronidation, which serves as the marker for the testosterone/epitestosterone (T/E) ratio used to detect testosterone abuse by athletes.

Via liquid chromatography assays of UDP-glucuronosyltransferase (UGT2B17), the key enzyme involved in the glucuronidation of testosterone, results showed that epicatechin, epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) and catechin gallate from green and white tea extracts inhibited testosterone glucuronidation.

The researchers concluded that "Inhibitors of testosterone glucuronidation could have an impact on circulating testosterone levels, thus aiding performance, as well as potentially affecting the urinary T/E ratio and therefore masking testosterone abuse."