# What can cause a low epitestosterone level?



## rocco (Apr 30, 2005)

*What can cause a low epitestosterone concentration?*

As I've cross referenced reports form John Eustice and NPR it's apparent that Landis's epitestosterone level is low not that his testosterone level is low or high. What can cause a low epitestosterone level?

*EDIT: What can cause a low epitestosterone concentration?*


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## gebbyfish (Apr 26, 2002)

presumably doping and I guess the thing that should concern all of us, is that I am sure that the same drug tests were done before stage 17 when he held the yellow jersey and those were negative for the abnormal ratio that was detected after stage 17; which leads one to wonder why the ratio would all of a sudden change.


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## rocco (Apr 30, 2005)

gebbyfish said:


> presumably doping and I guess the thing that should concern all of us, is that I am sure that the same drug tests were done before stage 17 when he held the yellow jersey and those were negative for the abnormal ratio that was detected after stage 17; which leads one to wonder why the ratio would all of a sudden change.



Keep in mind that it's not just the ratio that is important but also the concentration. Someone posted a link around here for a page about this on the ASADA? site. I'll have find that link but it said steroids don't effect the concentration of epitestosterone.


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## Gripped (Nov 27, 2002)

rocco said:


> As I've cross referenced reports form John Eustice and NPR it's apparent that Landis's epitestosterone level is low not that his testosterone level is low or high. What can cause a low epitestosterone level?


If you want to pony up $4.00 a page, this seems like the article to read:

http://www.jatox.com/abstracts/2000/march/102-vandekerk.html



> Evaluation of Testosterone/Epitestosterone Ratio Influential Factors as Determined in Doping Analysis
> D.H. van de Kerkhof1, D. de Boer1,2, J.H.H. Thijssen1,3, and R.A.A. Maes1
> 1Utrecht Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences (UIPS), Department of Human Toxicology, University of Utrecht, Sorbonnelaan 16, 3584 CA Utrecht, The Netherlands; 2Instituto Nacional do Desporto, Laboratório de Análises de Dopagem e Bioquímica, Av. Prof. Egas Moniz (Estádio Universitário), 1600 Lisboa, Portugal; and 3Department of Endocrinology, Academisch Ziekenhuis Utrecht, Heidelberglaan 100, P.O. Box 8550, 3508 GA Utrecht, The Netherlands
> 
> The ratio of the concentration of testosterone glucuronide to the concentration of epitestosterone glucuronide (T/E ratio) as determined in urine is the most frequently used method to prove testosterone abuse by athletes. A T/E ratio higher than 6 has been considered as proof of abuse in the past; however, cases of naturally occurring higher T/E ratios have been described. Since the introduction of the T/E ratio in doping analysis, the parameters that may or may not influence the T/E ratio, possibly leading to false-positive results, have been debated. To achieve more insight on the influencing circumstances, an overview is given to obtain an objective view on the merits of the urinary T/E ratio. Relevant analytical aspects of the T/E ratio, potential parameters of endogenous and exogenous origins, as well as some alternative methods to determine testosterone abuse, such as the urinary testosterone/luteinizing hormone ratio, gas chromatography– combustion–isotope-ratio mass spectrometry, hair analysis, and high-performance liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry, are discussed.


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## Gripped (Nov 27, 2002)

rocco said:


> it said steroids don't effect the concentration of epitestosterone.


That's what I've read thus far. There does seem to be a market for epitestosterone to use as a masking agent for steriod doping though. That's why the absolute levels are important also.


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## rocco (Apr 30, 2005)

Gripped said:


> That's what I've read thus far. There does seem to be a market for epitestosterone to use as a masking agent for steriod doping though. That's why the absolute levels are important also.



I phrased my question wrong when used the word level instead of concentration.


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