Green and white tea may help to cheat

Sportspeople become more and more sophisticated in administration of steroids. They find new ways to mask their administration of prohibited drugs. Certain sportspersons spend time studying scientists’ statements that could help them to hide that they dope. Nowadays a way has been found: athletes may mask administration of testosterone by drinking of green tea.
Testosterone is a hormone which is secreted in body naturally. Thus, it may be difficult for anti-doping organizations to define that an athlete has administered testosterone. T: E ratio testing is commonly utilized by anti-doping organizations. Such tests can show uncommon ratio of testosterone to epitestosterone in urine. But it doesn’t show 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 found that green tea contains such compounds that are called “catechins”. They have capacity to inhibit the enzyme UGT2B17. This enzyme induces joining glucuronic acid to testosterone. If UGT2B17 is inhibited, less testosterone glucoronide is excreted in urine.  
Catechins, the substances that may mask intake of testosterone, are in green and white tea. Black tea lacks such compounds.
Naughton and his colleagues have conducted some experiments. They conclude that a cup of strong green tea mask usage of testosterone.
Thus, those athletes who use testosterone can lower measures of testosterone which are excreted in urine by consumption of green or white tea. Green or white tea is capable to block excretion of testosterone, enhancing circulating levels of this hormone.
The World Anti-Doping Agency was informed about the discovering by the scientists. If this process occurs, it means that it is not worthy to subject sportspersons to urine tests. Blood tests should be performed in order to detect testosterone use.
Olivier Rabin, the WADA’s specialist, claims that regular checks of blood steroids will be added. Everything will be done by anti-doping officials in order to avoid fooling of urine tests.