6-Oxo Extreme Causes Failed Drug Test
January 13, 2009
6-Oxo Extreme causes a failed drug test in Phillies pitcher J.C. Romero! Yes, the MLB pitcher tested positive for the banned substance Androstenedione and will be suspended for 50 games! Romero says that he simply took the supplement “6-Oxo Extreme” made by the infamous chemist Patrick Arnold (pictured in lab coat below). Yes, he’s the same chemist linked to the BALCO Laboratories scandal.
Was 6-Oxo Extreme Contaminated?
Of course with all the contaminated supplements flooding the marketplace these days, there was suspicion that 6-Oxo Extreme may have accidently been mixed with ingredients that were banned at some point during the manufacturing process. This has been happening quite a bit in recent months with other companies. However, the manufacturer of 6-Oxo Extreme issued this statement:
“While advances in analytical testing and sensitivity in detection of metabolites have made drug testers more proficient at catching cheaters, the unintended consequence is that a perfectly legal and untainted substance can cause a positive test for a banned or illegal substance,” Proviant Technologies said in a statement. “Although little information has been released about the specifics of the alleged positive test, our preliminary investigation of these allegations has uncovered information showing that the main active ingredient in our product will trigger a false positive for Androstenedione.”
In response, Major League Baseball issued the following statement: “We stand by our drug testing program and its results.”
Christiane Ayotte, head of the Doping Control Laboratory at the INRS-Institut Armand-Frappier Research Center disputed Proviant’s statement and defended the testing program.
Scott Welch’s Comments
“The main ingredient in 6-Oxo Extreme is Androstenetrione which can convert into the banned substance “Androstendione”. But the makers of 6-Oxo (ErgoPharm) also sell another supplement that converts into Androstenedione! This may cause a positive drug test which MLB players and other athletes should be aware of - click HERE to read about it. I’ve followed Pat Arnold’s career since he was working with “The Steroid Guru” Dan Duchaine and can safely say he’s always two steps ahead of other supplement companies and the FDA when it comes to developing prohormones. His product line “ErgoPharm” is always on the legal edge which is the niche he caters to. Pro athletes spend tons of money on trainers and nutritionists but they also need to start hiring supplement experts to work with them to ensure they’re not taking anything that will cause them to fail a drug test.”
SOURCE: The Philadelphia Inquirer
Supplements Cause Failed Drug Tests? Natural Products Association Response
January 8, 2009
If you’ve been watching the news, no doubt you’ve seen the blame that athletes have given to supplements for failing their drug tests. If not, check out this news story by clicking HERE or another one that has kept “The Chemist” Patrick Arnold busy lately (click “6-OXO” to read it). But in response to negative statements made in the press regarding dietary supplement regulation, the Natural Products Association released this statement:
“Increased scrutiny by professional sports leagues on steroid usage, which the Natural Products Association (NPA) commends, has unfortunately also led to increased and unsubstantiated allegations that a “tainted” or mislabeled dietary supplement is to blame when an athlete tests positive for a banned substance.
As the Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act of 1994 (DSHEA) mandates, all ingredients must be listed on product labels and product claims must be substantiated. If this is not the case, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) — along with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) — have the authority under DSHEA to act promptly. These federal enforcement powers include, but are not limited to, removing any dietary supplements deemed adulterated from the marketplace and imposing substantial penalties on those who violate the law. Additional regulations authorized by DSHEA require that makers of dietary supplements have manufacturing practices in place that ensure their products meet high standards for quality and purity.
Finally, it is important to remember that substances that are banned by various sports leagues as performance enhancers are not necessarily dangerous or illegal and include caffeine, commonly used over-the-counter cold remedies and prescription medications. Athletes have the right and responsibility to avoid their use. However, the consuming public who benefits from legitimate medications or dietary supplements — as well as a trip to the local coffee house — should not be denied their use if an athlete is unwilling or unable to follow the rules established by their sport.”
What Is The Natural Products Association?
The Natural Products Association, founded in 1936 and headquartered in Washington, D.C., is the largest and oldest non-profit U.S. trade organization dedicated to the natural products industry. Currently, the association represents more than 10,000 retailers, manufacturers, wholesalers and distributors of dietary supplements, food and health and beauty aids.
SOURCE: PR Newswire
Patrick Arnold Brings Back 1-AD
August 26, 2008
By Scott Welch
A few years back, baseball homerun hitter Mark McGwire was taking a pro-hormone supplement called Androstenedione a.k.a. “Andro” to boost his testosterone levels. This substance converted into the hormone testosterone once your liver processed it. This controversy got tons of mainstream press as everyone wanted to know exactly what the heck this stuff was that he was taking to hit so many homeruns. But what didn’t get as much press was the story of a chemist working behind the scenes in Chicago named Patrick 
Arnold (pictured on left). Patrick had looked closely at the DSHEA laws governing supplements and found a loophole which allowed anything not classified as a drug before 1994 to be sold as a dietary supplement – provided these substance were found in nature! So, he moved full speed ahead to hunt for old steroids that were not brought to market that were also found in nature. So in the case of Andro, it was not an approved drug before 1994 and it was found naturally in Scotch Pine Trees! Therefore, it was “found in nature” as the law stated so it could be sold as a supplement legally. Patrick partnered with anesthesiologist Dr. Scott Connelly who was the owner of MET-Rx at the time. The two formed a division of MET-Rx called “Substrate Solutions” and began introducing a bunch of different prohomone combinations. Over time, other companies found new prohormones such as: Nor-Diol, OHAT, ADT, 1-MT and 1-AD.
Prohormone Heroes
The discovery or at least the commercialization of the various prohomones can be traced back to the following guys:
- Pat Arnold - CEO of Ergopharm
- Bruce Knellar - one of the key formulators for Gaspari Nutrition
- Eric Marchewitz - CEO of LG Sciences
- William Llewellyn - CEO of Molecular Nutrition
- Derek Cornelius - former owner of Syntrax Solutions.
- Dan Amato - CEO of Fizogen SDI Labs and also Cibexo Labs
- Bill Roberts - former formulator for Biotest
- L. Rea - CEO of ALR Industries
- Jeff McCarrell - coowner of Nutrex
- Jack Owac - owner of VPX
- And of course the gang at Zoe Labs
But with the flood of dozens of prohormones that has hit the market, there were a few that really stood out. One such prohormones was the original 1-AD that was originally was released in 2001. It did not take long for people to realize that the stuff was not like the prohormones. Gains of 15 pounds were common. Of course, this stuff was really not a supplement but rather a supplement that converted into a steroid once it hit your liver. But all good things must come to an end however and in 2005 1-androstenedione and 1-androstenediol (the two versions of the original 1-AD) were added to the Anabolic Steroid Control Act and made controlled substances. It seemed that the good old days were officially in the history books.
1-AD Is Back!
Patrick Arnold has managed to pull one last rabbit out of his hat. There is still a naturally occurring precursor to the original 1-AD that converts with high efficiency that is not yet banned. This precursor is not on the list of controlled anabolic steroids. It’s called 1-androstenolone and it will convert into 1-AD once it hits your liver, which will convert into Testosterone. Yes, two steps rather than the good old days with just one chemical step being needed. The product is only sold on ErgoPharm’s website (www.ergopharm.com).
I’m personally not a fan of using pro-hormones as they carry the same side effects as other oral steroids do, but they’re indeed quite popular.