The National Dope Testing Laboratory has made a breakthrough in improving the accuracy of drug detection by creating a long-term metabolite of a widely misused anabolic steroid. This advancement will enable a longer period for identifying the banned substance in urine samples.
Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya shared the news on X, praising India’s growing reputation as a leader in sports science and innovation.
He said he was proud that NDTL had produced a new reference material based on the long-term metabolite of methandienone, which will strengthen the reliability of doping tests by extending the detection window. He also confirmed that the material would be distributed to other laboratories recognized by the World Anti-Doping Agency, reinforcing international anti-doping initiatives.
Methandienone, also known as metandienone, is an anabolic androgenic steroid first introduced in the 1960s. Athletes have often turned to it for its strong muscle-enhancing effects.
According to WADA, the new metabolite identified from this steroid is 17a methyl 17b hydroxymethyl androst 1 4 13 trien 3 one, which was confirmed in urine samples during excretion studies. The global body notes that this provides an important tool for the long-term detection of metandienone misuse in sports testing.
WADA’s findings reveal that this metabolite can still be found in urine up to 19 days after a single 5 milligram dose, extending the detection period by over a week compared to conventional testing methods.
Data from WADA’s 2023 testing reports show that anabolic agents account for 42 percent of all doping violations, with methandienone alone responsible for nine percent. This is a steep rise from the 4.4 percent share recorded in 2011. Among the most widely abused substances are metabolites of stanozolol and nandrolone.
