Objective:

To discuss the current gold standard for detecting anabolic steroid doping and explore emerging technologies that may overcome its limitations.

Approach:

• Current Detection Methods: The gold standard involves chromatographic separations coupled to triple quadrupole tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS), which is selective and sensitive but targeted.
• Emerging Technologies: Advances in high-resolution mass spectrometry and ion mobility (IM) techniques are explored to improve the detection of unknown substances.
• Overcoming Barriers: Strategies to improve quantitative performance and resolving power of LC-IM-MS techniques are being implemented, including multiplexed acquisition and structurally-selective derivatization.
• Computational Methods: Collaboration with computational chemists aims to develop predictive databases for novel substances and assess biological effects.

Key Findings:

• Current MS/MS methods are limited to known substances on WADA's Prohibited List.
• High-resolution mass spectrometry and ion mobility can help identify unknown compounds.
• Barriers to adoption include quantitative performance, cost, and resolving power.
• Improvements in sensitivity and resolution have been achieved through new techniques.

Interpretation:

Limitations:

• Reduced quantitative performance of new methods.
• High implementation costs.
• Limited resolving power of commercial instruments.

Conclusion:

Advancements in detection methods and computational modeling are crucial for improving anti-doping analysis.

Sources:

• Florida Institute of Technology