Abstract
Urine represents a valuable biofluid for noninvasive measurement of Human Growth Hormone (HGH) secretion. Unfortunately, currently available commercial HGH immunoassays do not achieve the sensitivity needed for urinary HGH measurement in the low picogram per milliliter range, the expected normal concentration range of HGH in urine. A nanotechnology based sample preprocessing step was used to extract and concentrate HGH in urine so that urinary HGH could be measured with a clinical grade standard immunoassay designed for serum (Immulite 1000, Siemens). We applied the nanoparticle enhanced immunoassay to evaluate the baseline value of urinary HGH in a population of healthy young adults (age 18-30, N=33, median 21, M: F=39%:61%, with no reported medical therapies). Nanoparticle sample preprocessing effectively improved the lower limit of detection of the Immulite HGH assay by more than 50 fold, shifting the linear range of the assay to encompass the expected value of urinary HGH. The full process between run and within run CV% was 7.9 and 9.0%, respectively. On 33 healthy volunteers, the 95% reference values for hGH in spot urine normalized to specific gravity were 0.64 - 16.85 pg/mL (0.05-5.82 ng/g creatinine). Nanoparticle preprocessing constitutes a reliable means of measuring urinary HGH with a clinical grade immunoassay, now establishing a normal baseline value for HGH in urine. Nanoparticles can be used to study the kinetics of HGH excretion in urine, and the factors that influence urinary HGH secretion and HGH isoform proportions.
Highlights
When athletes use performance enhancing drugs, they violate the nature of sport
The potential consequences of being caught are intended to deter athletes from doping [6]. It seems that more and more athletes are taking a “defensive doping” approach, whereby athletes believe they must dope to be competitive at the elite level, due to the perception that Performance Enhancing Drug (PED) use is required to make it to the podium [10]
Using semi-structured interviews with nine English bodybuilders with experience of PED use, Boardley and Grix revealed the use of six mechanisms of moral disengagement [38]. These mechanisms were Displacement of Responsibility, Diffusion of Responsibility, Advantageous Comparison, Distortion of Consequences, Moral Justification, and Euphemistic Labeling
Summary
When athletes use performance enhancing drugs, they violate the nature of sport. With the recent doping scandals in Olympic and professional sport, current deterrence methods do not appear to be effective. Because experimental testing of the long-term effects of PED in healthy human beings is potentially dangerous and unethical, little is known about severity of the health risks associated with doping. Developing a league which allows athletes to use PEDs is problematic from a number of perspectives.
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
