Glucocorticoid administration in athletes: Performance, metabolism and detection

Area of Science:

• Sports Science
• Pharmacology
• Anti-Doping

Background:

• Glucocorticoids (GCs) are known to enhance physical performance.
• The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) bans systemic GC administration during competition.
• Local GC administration is permitted for therapeutic use, creating a need for analytical discrimination.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review current knowledge on ergogenic and metabolic effects of GCs in athletes.
• To present anti-doping legislation and analytical methods for GC detection.
• To discuss practical considerations and future perspectives in GC anti-doping.

Main Methods:

• Literature review of ergogenic and metabolic effects of GCs.
• Analysis of WADA regulations and urine reporting levels for GCs.
• Discussion of analytical challenges in distinguishing GC administration routes.

Main Results:

• Data on ergogenic GC effects are relatively recent, with mixed results in human studies.
• Distinguishing authorized (local) from banned (systemic) GC use via urine analysis is complex.
• New analytical methods and WADA monitoring programs aim to improve detection accuracy.

Conclusions:

• GCs offer ergogenic benefits, leading to WADA restrictions on systemic use.
• Accurate differentiation between therapeutic and illicit GC use is crucial for fair sport.
• Advancements in analytical science are key to refining anti-doping strategies for GCs.