New and improved test for identifying use of illegal steroids in cattle
A new test has been developed and reported by scientists in the United Kingdom that has the capacity to identify steroid use with higher accuracy in the European beef industry.
It was remarked that the test is more economical and convenient than the conventional drug test. In the study, Rodat Cunningham and colleagues said that widespread abuse of steroids is still on a rampant rise and remains difficult to detect despite the ban of growth-promoting agents in cattle by the European Union.
From Sciencedaily.com:
The scientists describe a new test that measures steroids indirectly based on chemical changes associated with growth and muscle development in steroid-treated cattle. Using a commercial blood analyzer commonly found in hospitals, the researchers measured 20 chemical markers, including proteins and cholesterol, in cattle treated with and without commonly used steroids over a 42-day study period.
The new test detected the steroids with accuracy between 91 and 96 percent. The study opens the door to on-site steroid testing with portable instrumentation, the researchers say.
The standard methods – mass spectrometry and gas chromatography – for detecting steroid abuse are not only expensive but also fail to detect some of the newer steroid hormones.
Tags: conventional doping tests, steroid abuse, steroid testing, Steroids
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