Green tea may make urine tests worthless

Sportspersons become more and more sophisticated in steroid use. They find out new methods to mask their usage of forbidden products. Some athletes spend time studying specialists’ conclusions that could help them to hide that they dope. Today a method has been discovered: athletes may mask usage of testosterone by drinking of green tea.
Testosterone represents a hormone that is secreted in body naturally. So, it can be difficult for anti-doping organizations to determine that a person has used testosterone. T: E ratio testing is usually utilized by anti-doping agencies. Such tests may manifest unusual ratio of testosterone to epitestosterone in urine. But it doesn’t manifest difference between testosterone which has been produced in body naturally and that introduced into body with the help of injections, gels, etc.
 Declan Naughton and his colleagues at Kingston University ( London) have determined that green tea contains such compounds which are called “catechins”. They are capable to inhibit the enzyme UGT2B17. This enzyme induces attaching glucuronic acid to testosterone. If UGT2B17 is inhibited, less testosterone glucoronide is excreted in urine.  
Catechins, the compounds that are capable to mask intake of testosterone, are in green and white tea. Black tea lacks such compounds.
Naughton and his colleagues have conducted several experiments. They conclude that a cup of strong green tea hides application of testosterone.
So, those sportspeople who apply testosterone may decrease amounts of testosterone that are excreted in urine by consumption of green or white tea. Green or white tea may block excretion of testosterone, increasing circulating levels of this hormone.
The World Anti-Doping Agency was informed about the findings by the scientists. If this process occurs, it is worthless to apply urine tests. Blood tests should be performed in order to determine that a person has used testosterone.
Olivier Rabin, the WADA’s specialist, confirms that regular checks of blood steroids will be added. Everything will be done by anti-doping officials in order to prevent fooling of urine tests.