Higenamine & Oxilofrine: What Are the Banned Substances that Jared Graves & Richie Rude Tested Positive For?
As reported earlier today, Richie Rude and Jared Graves failed an anti-doping test at round 3 of the Enduro World Series in Orlagues, with the drugs Higenamine and Oxilofrine in their systems.
We dug deeper into the drugs.
What have they tested positive for?
Jared and Richie have tested positive for two performance enhancing drugs, Higenamine and Oxilofrine. Both are explicitly banned by the World Anti Doping Authority (WADA) but they are listed as Specified Substances.
What is Higenamine?
Higenamine is a drug used to treat asthma and is part of the Beta2 Agonist class of drugs. All Beta2 Agonists are banned by WADA.
The most notorious of the Beta2 Agonists is Sulbutamol that Chris Froome returned an Adverse Analytical Finding for on Stage 18 of the 2017 Vuelta Espana. Chris Froome was allowed a certain dosage of Sulbutamol to combat his asthma and he was later cleared of any wrongdoing when the test was adjusted to take account of dehydration.
Unlike Sulbutamol, which is allowed in certain doses as a Therapeutic Use Exemption for asthma sufferers, Higenamine is totally banned in and out of competition.
Higenamine is a naturally occuring substance that is found in plants such as the Lotus and Chinese Wolfsbane and has a history of being used in traditional medicine. Higenamine is also a legal food supplement in Canada, the USA and the EU.
What does Higenamine do?
Beta2 Agonists relax the muscles that control the airways, allowing an athlete’s lungs to take in more oxygen and boost performance. Higenamine is also used as a fat burner in dietary supplements.
Who else has tested positive for Higenamine?
Most famously, Liverpool FC soccer player Mamadou Sakho was tested positive for Higenamine in April 2016 and was punished with a 30-day ban from European competition. This ban was overturned when Sakho argued that Higenamine was not explicitly listed as a Beta2 Agonist in WADA’s guidelines. It was officially added in October 2016.
Higenamine’s purported fat burning properties mean it can be found in some training supplements. The drug is known by many names and the Australian Sports Anti-Doping Authority published an official warning in August 2017 that 13 Australian athletes across nine sports had tested positive for Higenamine.
The supplement market is largely unregulated and it is ultimately an athlete’s responsibility to monitor what they are using and its legality. The WADA’s strict liability rule means that unintentional or negligent consumption does not absolve an athlete of responsibility.
What is Oxilofrine?
The other drug Jared and Richie tested positive for, Oxilofrine, is a stimulant and amphetamine. It is commonly used to treat low blood pressure in people who do not respond to conventional treatment.
What does Oxilofrine do?
Stimulants such as Oxilofrine increase focus, alertness and can reduce reaction times.
Oxilofrine also causes the body to produce more adrenaline, which has added performance benefits including boosting endurance, increasing the oxygenation of the blood and burning fat.
Who else has tested positive for Oxilofrine?
In one of the most famous doping cases in history, 100 metre sprinters Asafa Powell and Tyson Gay tested positive for Oxilofrine in 2013. Both athletes maintained they did not take it knowingly and their bans were overturned a year later.
Jared Graves at EWS Rotorua in 2017.
A cyclist, Flavia Oliviera, was also popped for Oxilofrine in 2009. She unknowingly took it in a supplement known as HyperDrive 3.0+. Her two year sentence was reduced to 18 months after she proved it was not a labelled ingredient on the supplement.
What is a specified substance?
Higenamine and Oxilofrine are both specified substances. Specified Substances are a subcategory of prohibited substances that are not necessarily less potent but they do leave open the possibility of a reduced sentence through a plausible explanation.
WADA says that Specified Substances were introduced: “to recognize that it is possible for a substance to enter an athlete’s body inadvertently, and therefore allow a tribunal more flexibility when making a sanctioning decision.
“Specified” substances are not necessarily less effective doping agents than “Non-Specified” substances, nor do they relieve athletes of the strict liability rule that makes them responsible for all substances that enter their body.”
This means WADA acknowledges Higenamine and Oxilofrine can be taken accidentally and they may take this into account when it comes to sanctioning an athlete after a positive test.
Unlike other performance enhancing drugs, Specified Substances also do not warrant the instant “mandatory, provisional suspension” that is usually imposed when an athlete first tests positive for a banned substance. This explains why the riders were allowed to compete at Petzen, La Thuille and Whistler, despite a positive test.
What kind of sanctions are expected?
Each case is individual to that athlete and their circumstances but we can look at other recent cases to see what sort of sanctions to expect.
If previous sanctions are any indication, Jared and Richie may see some results to be stripped and a ban to be imposed. Australian Sports Anti-Doping Authority (ASADA) has published three cases of Higenamine violations combined with other substances on its sanctions website and they all carried bans of at least 18 months. The website has no mention of Oxilofrine punishments.
Richie Rude took the top spot on the podium at EWS Olargues in May 2018.
The US Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) has sanctions for Higenamine ranging from nine months to four years and two cases of Oxilofrine abuse, one with a six-month sanction and one with 18 months.
Until now, the EWS has not had to impose sanctions due to banned substances.
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I would say the same of this piece. It draws from primary sources. It reports. It describes past sanctioning practices. I came away educated. I say this because often one doesn't hear the good but only hears the bad; bravo to PB, MikeL and James S for journalism.
www.physiology.org/doi/full/10.1152/jappl.2000.89.2.430
For example, I live at elevation, so I don't suffer from the same breathing issues as far more fit people from sea level. When they take albuterol, they exceed my performance by a fair margin, but are likely to die without it.
There’s been some research showing cyclists with TUEs for Salbutamol massively over represent the wider population which does raise questions of if the system works well.
It’s not surprising the French carried out the test, France has led anti doping in cycling since the late 90’s, and caught out a few pros along the way when they’ve crossed the border.
link.springer.com/article/10.2165/00007256-200737020-00001
Answer: No, because it’s expensive to produce specified substances, so no one accidentally puts them in granola. If, on the other hand you are managing your “pre-race diet” to optimise your performance to every extent possible within the rules...then you might be ingesting specified substances...in my view at this level of “optimisation” you definitely should be. checking everything and ignorance is a weak defence.
I wonder if part of it is they get tested though, and lots of people are suboptimal but don't know
The quality of unbiased journalism shown by PinkBike over this is refreshing to read, no speculation and rumour-spreading crap. Just well-researched facts and figures. As this is the first big doping issue to hit the MTB world for a long time it's great to see it being dealt with professionally.
performxracing.com
Thank you!
Or not so accidentally I suppose
Of course this would all be moot in skiing slalom as you'd finish last. But still.
... yeah, I haven't a clue mate..
But how does one know if it's safe to take if it's not labelled anyways?
"She unknowingly took it in a supplement known as HyperDrive 3.0+. Her two year sentence was reduced to 18 months after she proved it was not a labelled ingredient on the supplement."
I can't believe that they put amphetamine in their supplement and don't indicate it
@FatTonyNJ are supplement regulated by FDA ? they are normally pretty strict
I suspect too that an athlete showing they had used specifically accredited supplements would be taken in to account by any tribunal should they get unlucky.
It’s not perfect, but there are lots of ways of reducing risk.
Do you mean at @yoannbarelli ?
If so, I actually welcome the input on this issue from other pro's. I have seen quite a few giving their take today across these failed test articles comments and each of their comments has educated me a bit more.
www.fda.gov/ForConsumers/ConsumerUpdates/ucm153239.htm
www.businessinsider.com/supplements-vitamins-bad-or-good-health-2017-8
In the end, even if WADA / USADA, WhereADA keeps a list, you'll still be responsible for whatever tests positive in your blood unless you prove otherwise.
I do wonder if supplement manufacturers knowingly slip some stuff in and don't disclose it. If their product gets results, they'll sell more, right? Even if they don't know, their suppliers may be a bit shady, and the QC is off. Soon it will have to be all natural foods and drinks, nothing else. And if you get popped, you'll know the testing has some QC issues.
Good luck and I hope you never have to go through this ordeal.
To me it sounds like JG and RR we’re careless with their supplements. I hope we learn of more info to prove this or some other explanation other than them being dopers.
www.informed-choice.org
Results were mixed, but the protein isolate of the most popular brand in Spain claiming to be 90something% protein turned out to be like 70% carbs, so here's that.
That’s the funny thing here, both athletes actually have a supplement sponsor, who has already declared that the substances in question do not stem from their stuff.
Of course they do. Especially if they are a publicly traded company, whose main obligation is to the stock holder. No consideration of right vs wrong, good vs bad. Just profit. It doesn't even matter if people die, so long as the numbers work out.
I personally still give them the benefit of the doubt, in interviews and over time they have been nothing but humble and stand-up men.
Take something as basic as protein and the assorted types of powders available. If protein powders are design to allow you to build muscle mass and strength outside of what any normal person would be able to get in a diet, are they a "booster" or performance enhancing drug?
Then you say, well, its not natural, so it should be banned. What about natural sources of performance enhancement? Nandina, Wolfsbane and Lotus seeds are all natural and an athlete could benefit from the Higenamine in them. Likewise, could someone drink Bitter Orange smoothies all days to get the mild benefits of naturally occurring Oxilofrine? If we say "no" to eating concentrated substances of naturally occurring performance enhancers in certain foods, does that mean protein hydrolysates should be banned as well? Or maltodextrin?
If you could take a pill that would be completely safe, but "unlock" your maximum physical performance (with training) to allow you to shed weight, run further, lift more, and absolutely shred on a bike...why wouldn't you take it? It's just allowing you to be your best, not adding anything, so is that a performance enhancer, or a performance unlocker? In the future of health and sports sciences, this will be an active and continuous debate.
www.physiology.org/doi/full/10.1152/jappl.2000.89.2.430
It's not right that any athlete should be ever put in a position of having to take harmful substances in order to compete. But when it comes to substances that aren't harmful, I don't see a compelling case for banning them, and any distinction between "banned" vs. "allowed" just seems arbitrary.
Often they are substances present naturally on the body. Or just substances only harmful in big doses.
That leaves room to allow everything, just in certain amounts
Hey, I certainly don't pretend to be an expert or have all the answers, it just seems to me that harmfulness should be the main guidepost when it comes to determining whether something is banned or not.
Next we have Higenamine which helps reduce inflammation of the airways similar to other drugs used to treat asthma, once again definitely proven and banned performance enhancing drug.
If these guys really didn’t know what they were taking or couldn’t tell something was up with their bodies after taking it “accidentally,” then they are dumbasses. More likely they knew this shit was gonna get them hopped up but it was obscure enough they thought they could get away with it.
It’s not me or you walking into gnc and buying supplements. It’s two former EWS champions! They got all the resources in the world to know what they can and can’t put in their bodies.
For all we know, Graves and Rude were unlucky coz their masking agents didn't work as expected while the other dopers got theirs right.
Reality- Now we can begin hearing the stories of denial, assignment of blame, misdirection and obfuscation-- historically the communication strategy of every pro athlete who gets caught with a banned substance in their system in the modern age.
What will the penalty be for a couple of first-time-caught offenders?
Sadly, we can consider mountain biking firmly established in the ranks of professional sport, where cheaters are either winning, or supplying fans with the drama that supplants the efforts of those who accept and play by the rules.
If you haven't already, consider professional mountain biking it as entertainment, as one might consider the outcome of a professional wrestling match.
www.naturalproductsinsider.com/litigation/researchers-find-stimulant-oxilofrine-14-dietary-supplement-brands
A few posts later somebody shows the ingredient list and it contains Higenamine. So it seems Graves has been taking this stuff long term.
www.vitalmtb.com/forums/The-Hub,2/EWS-Doping-Thread-Removal,10326?page=5
rynopower.com/blogs/news/ryno-power-supplements-the-absolute-industry-leader-in-clean-safe-and-effective-supplements-for-all-wada-and-olympic-committee-athletes
If I have exercise induced asthma - and then become an elite athlete - sure my training and competing at that high level will cause lots of asthma symptoms.
But if I don't have exercise induced asthma - and then become an elite athlete - over time does my chances of developing exericse induced asthma increase due to "the stress caused on your respiratory system"?
Each had their sentences reduced. Powell and Simpson to 6 months, after successfully arguing they unknowingly consumed Oxilofrine as an unmarked ingredient in a supplement. Gay to 12 months, largely for cooperating with the USADA. Gay lost is 2012 Olympic silver medal as a result of the positive test for Oxilofrine.
WADA was declared "unfit for purpose" by 17 national anti-doping agencies. I'm starting to see why.
www.physiology.org/doi/full/10.1152/jappl.2000.89.2.430
Party party.
1. ANABOLIC ANDROGENIC STEROIDS (AAS)
A. EXOGENOUS * AAS, INCLUDING:
1-androstenediol (5α-androst-1-ene-3β,17β-diol)
1-androstenedione (5α-androst-1-ene-3,17-dione)
1-androsterone (3α-hydroxy-5α-androst-1-ene-17-one)
1-testosterone (17β-hydroxy-5α-androst-1-en-3-one)
4-hydroxytestosterone (4,17β-dihydroxyandrost-4-en-3-one)
Bolandiol (estr-4-ene-3β,17β-diol)
Bolasterone
Calusterone
Clostebol
Danazol ([1,2]oxazolo[4',5':2,3]pregna-4-en-20-yn-17α-ol)
Dehydrochlormethyltestosterone (4-chloro-17β-hydroxy-17α-methylandrosta-1,4-dien-3-one)
Desoxymethyltestosterone (17α-methyl-5α-androst-2-en-17β-ol)
Drostanolone
Ethylestrenol (19-norpregna-4-en-17α-ol)
Fluoxymesterone
Formebolone
Furazabol (17α-methyl [1,2,5]oxadiazolo[3',4':2,3]-5α-androstan-17β-ol)
Gestrinone
Mestanolone
Mesterolone
Metandienone (17β-hydroxy-17α-methylandrosta-1,4-dien-3-one)
Metenolone
Methandriol
Methasterone (17β-hydroxy-2α,17α-dimethyl-5α-androstan-3-one)
Methyldienolone (17β-hydroxy-17α-methylestra-4,9-dien-3-one)
Methyl-1-testosterone (17β-hydroxy-17α-methyl-5α-androst-1-en-3-one)
Methylnortestosterone (17β-hydroxy-17α-methylestr-4-en-3-one)
Methyltestosterone
Metribolone (methyltrienolone, 17β-hydroxy-17α-methylestra-4,9,11-trien-3-one)
Mibolerone
Norboletone
Norclostebol
Norethandrolone
Oxabolone
Oxandrolone
Oxymesterone
Oxymetholone
Prostanozol (17β-[(tetrahydropyran-2-yl)oxy]-1'H-pyrazolo[3,4:2,3]-5α-androstane)
Quinbolone
Stanozolol
Stanozolol
Stenbolone
Stenbolone
Tetrahydrogestrinone (17-hydroxy-18a-homo-19-nor-17α-pregna-4,9,11-trien-3-one)
Trenbolone (17β-hydroxyestr-4,9,11-trien-3-one)
and other substances with a similar chemical structure or similar biological effect(s).
B. ENDOGENOUS** AAS WHEN ADMINISTERED EXOGENOUSLY:
19-norandrostenediol (estr-4-ene-3,17-diol)
19-norandrostenedione (estr-4-ene-3,17-dione)
Androstanolone (5α-dihydrotestosterone, 17β-hydroxy-5α-androstan-3-one)
Androstenediol (androst-5-ene-3β,17β-diol)
Androstenedione (androst-4-ene-3,17-dione)
Boldenone
Boldione (androsta-1,4-diene-3,17-dione)
Nandrolone (19-nortestosterone)
Prasterone (dehydroepiandrosterone, DHEA, 3β-hydroxyandrost-5-en-17-one)
Testosterone
and their metabolites and isomers, including but not limited to:
3β-hydroxy-5α-androstan-17-one
5α-androst-2-ene-17-one
5α-androstane-3α,17α-diol
5α-androstane-3α,17β-diol
5α-androstane-3β,17α-diol
5α-androstane-3β,17β-diol
5β-androstane-3α,17β-diol
7α-hydroxy-DHEA
7β-hydroxy-DHEA
4-androstenediol (androst-4-ene-3β,17β-diol)
5-androstenedione (androst-5-ene-3,17-dione)
7-keto-DHEA
19-norandrosterone
19-noretiocholanolone
Androst-4-ene-3α,17α-diol
Androst-4-ene-3α,17β-diol
Androst-4-ene-3β,17α-diol
Androst-5-ene-3α,17α-diol
Androst-5-ene-3α,17β-diol
Androst-5-ene-3β,17α-diol
Androsterone
Epi-dihydrotestosterone
Epitestosterone
Etiocholanolone
2. OTHER ANABOLIC AGENTS
Including, but not limited to:
Clenbuterol
Selective androgen receptor modulators (SARMs), e.g. andarine, LGD-4033, ostarine and RAD140;
Tibolone
Zeranol
Zilpaterol
For purposes of this section:
* “ exogenous” refers to a substance which is not ordinarily produced by the body naturally.
** “ endogenous” refers to a substance which is ordinarily produced by the body naturally.
The following diuretics and masking agents are prohibited, as are other substances with a similar chemical structure or similar biological effect(s).
Including, but not limited to:
• Desmopressin; probenecid; plasma expanders, e.g. intravenous administration of albumin, dextran, hydroxyethyl starch and mannitol.
• Acetazolamide; amiloride; bumetanide; canrenone; chlortalidone; etacrynic acid; furosemide; indapamide; metolazone; spironolactone; thiazides, e.g. bendroflumethiazide, chlorothiazide and hydrochlorothiazide; triamterene and vaptans, e.g. tolvaptan.
•
All selective and non-selective beta-2 agonists, including all optical isomers, are prohibited;
Including, but not limited to:
Fenoterol
Formoterol
Higenamine
Indacaterol
Olodaterol
Procaterol
Reproterol
Salbutamol
Salmeterol
Terbutaline
Tulobuterol
Vilanterol
1. ERYTHROPOIETINS (EPO) AND AGENTS AFFECTING ERYTHROPOIESIS, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO:
1.1 ERYTHROPOIETIN-RECEPTOR AGONISTS, E.G.
Darbepoetins (dEPO)
Erythropoietins (EPO)
EPO based constructs (EPO-Fc, methoxy polyethylene glycol-epoetin beta (CERA))
EPO-mimetic agents and their constructs , e.g. CNTO-530, peginesatide;
1.2 HYPOXIA-INDUCIBLE FACTOR (HIF) ACTIVATING AGENTS, E.G.
Argon
Cobalt
Molidustat
Roxadustat (FG-4592)
Xenon
1.3 GATA INHIBITORS, E.G.
K-11706
1.4 TGF-BETA (TGF-Β) INHIBITORS, E.G.
Luspatercept
Sotatercept
1.5 INNATE REPAIR RECEPTOR AGONISTS, E.G.
Asialo EPO
Carbamylated EPO (CEPO)
2. PEPTIDE HORMONES AND HORMONE MODULATORS
2.1 CHORIONIC GONADOTROPHIN (CG) AND LUTEINIZING HORMONE (LH) AND THEIR RELEASING FACTORS, IN MALES, E.G.
Buserelin
Deslorelin
Gonadorelin
Goserelin
Leuprorelin
Nafarelin
Triptorelin
2.2 CORTICOTROPHINS AND THEIR RELEASING FACTORS, E.G.
Corticorelin
2.3 GROWTH HORMONE (GH), ITS FRAGMENTS AND RELEASING FACTORS, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO:
Growth Hormone fragments , e.g. AOD-9604 and hGH 176-191;
Growth Hormone Releasing Hormone (GHRH), e.g. CJC-1293, CJC-1295, sermorelin and tesamorelin;
Growth Hormone Secretagogues (GHS), e.g. ghrelin and ghrelin mimetics, e.g. anamorelin, ipamorelin and tabimorelin;
GH-Releasing Peptides (GHRPs), e.g. alexamorelin, GHRP-1, GHRP-2 (pralmorelin), GHRP-3, GHRP-4, GHRP-5, GHRP-6, and hexarelin;
3. GROWTH FACTORS AND GROWTH FACTOR MODULATORS, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO:
Fibroblast Growth Factors (FGFs)
Hepatocyte Growth Factor (HGF)
Insulin-like Growth Factor-1 (IGF-1), and its analogues;
Mechano Growth Factors (MGFs)
Platelet-Derived Growth Factor (PDGF)
Thymosin-β4 , and its derivatives e.g. TB-500;
Vascular-Endothelial Growth Factor (VEGF)
1. Aromatase inhibitors including, but not limited to:
4-androstene-3,6,17 trione (6-oxo)
Aminoglutethimide
Anastrozole
Androsta-1,4,6-triene-3,17-dione (androstatrienedione)
Androsta-3,5-diene-7,17-dione (arimistane)
Exemestane
Formestane
Letrozole
Testolactone
2. Selective estrogen receptor modulators (SERMs) including, but not limited to:
Raloxifene
Tamoxifen
Toremifene
3. Other anti-estrogenic substances including, but not limited to:
Clomifene
Cyclofenil
Fulvestrant
4. Agents modifying myostatin function(s) including, but not limited, to:
Myostatin inhibitors
5. Metabolic modulators:
Activators of the AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK), eg. AICAR, SR9009;
Peroxisome Proliferator Activated Receptor δ (PPARδ) agonists , e.g. 2-(2-methyl-4-((4-methyl-2-(4-(trifluoromethyl)phenyl)thiazol-5-yl)methylthio)phenoxy) acetic acid (GW1516, GW501516);
Insulins , and insulin-mimetics;
Meldonium
Trimetazidine
If WADA really wanted to improve things they could offer (for a price) supplement testing and certification to specific brands who wanted the highest certification possible.
Clearly they work! I'm looking for results.
f*ck me up!
All actions have consequences but that goes both ways. (e.g. Act responsibly = have your name cleared)