WASHINGTON--The U.S. Senate Caucus on International Narcotics Control held a hearing titled "The Abuse of Anabolic Steroids and Their Precursors by Adolescent and Amateur Athletes" during which performance-enhancing dietary supplements were criticized.
The July 13 hearing was called by Sens. Charles Grassley (R-Iowa) and Joseph Biden (D-Del.), and featured testimony from the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), U.S. Anti-Doping Agency (USADA), former athletes, a former illegal steroid dealer, and the father of 17-year old who committed suicide after using steroids.
In addition to anabolic steroids, the hearing also addressed steroid precursors such as androstenedione and dietary supplements such as creatine. The hearing painted a picture of millions of adolescents using legal and illegal substances to gain an edge in athletic competition and to improve physical appearance. Witnesses also criticized the Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act (DSHEA).
"Too many kids and adults believe that supplements will make them faster and stronger and never think about the health consequences," Biden said in his opening remarks about steroid precursors. Biden is co-author with Sen. Orrin Hatch (R-Utah) of the "Anabolic Steroid Control Act," S.2195, which would classify steroid precursors as controlled substances.
The harshest criticism of the dietary supplement industry came during the testimony of Terry Madden, chief executive officer of USADA. Madden focused on the availability of anabolic steroid precursors sold as dietary supplements. He criticized manufacturers that "take advantage of DSHEA by touting these substances as 'natural,' and implying in their advertising that 'natural' equals safe." He also said, under current regulations, manufacturers are not required to test steroid precursor products for side effects or purity prior to putting them on the shelf, and by the time the government can remove a product from the market, an "unscrupulous manufacturer could simply make a minor chemical change and reintroduce the product."
Madden's criticism of DSHEA was echoed by Bill Martin, athletic director at the University of Michigan and former president of the U.S. Olympic Committee. "As a result of [DSHEA], the U.S. Food and Drug Administration does not tightly regulate the supplement industry, and thus, the purity and safety of nutritional supplements are a real concern," he said.
Details about the hearing, including transcripts of the statements and testimony, are available at http://drugcaucus.senate.gov/steroids04index.html.
