Official Title

Intranasal Delivery of Testosterone and Its Effect on Doping Markers
  • Phase

    Phase 4
  • Study Type

    Interventional
  • Study Participants

    5
Hypothesis: Intranasal administration of exogenous testosterone results in a characteristic profile during anti-doping testing, which is different than the profile seen when testosterone is administered into muscle, on skin or under the tongue.

Objective: The investigators aim to characterize the unique steroid doping profile following administration of intranasal testosterone to healthy, active volunteer subjects.
Testosterone is a substance commonly abused in the sporting world despite being banned by all American sports leagues, international federations, and the World Anti-Doping Agency. Current methods employed to detect exogenously administered testosterone include direct detection using isotope ratio mass spectrometry (IRMS) and indirect detection using the athlete biological passport (ABP). However, different formulations of testosterone (oral, transdermal, sublingual, etc) are expected to result in characteristic IRMS profiles, affect the ABP readings in unique ways, and differ in their windows of detection. In 2014, a new formulation of testosterone, Natesto, which is administered intranasally, was FDA approved. Though only approved for medical use, it is expected athletes may use this product, and its effect on steroid doping markers has yet to be determined. Characterization of this detection profile is necessary for confirmation of the exact product being administered in an anti-doping setting. In this study, the investigators aim to understand the effects on the steroid doping profile following a single administration of Natesto to healthy, active volunteers. Windows of detection will be determined for the standard dosing of Natesto, and the effects on ABP markers and IRMS profiles will also be established.
Study Started
Nov 18
2015
Primary Completion
Jan 19
2016
Study Completion
Jan 19
2016
Results Posted
Mar 10
2017
Last Update
Feb 11
2020

Drug Testosterone

Participants will self-administer 11 mg 3x daily, for 5 consecutive days for 4 weeks.

  • Other names: Natesto

Intranasal Testosterone Experimental

All participants will be receiving intranasal testosterone and will follow the same study procedures.

Criteria

Inclusion Criteria:

1. Males between the ages of 18 and 35 years-old who participate in regular, moderate to high intensity physical activity will be recruited for the study.

Exclusion Criteria:

Individuals below the age of 18 or greater than the age of 35 on the day of enrollment
Individuals who are in a Registered Testing Pool for anti-doping purposes, or individuals who for any reason could be subject to doping control testing.
Unwilling to provide blood or urine samples
Not actively exercising
Individuals with any history of cancer, cardiovascular disease, endocrine abnormalities, renal disease, hepatic disease, neurologic disease or any psychiatric history
Individuals with a history of nasal disorders, nasal surgeries, sinus surgeries, or sinus disease
Individuals that have a baseline hematocrit value above the normal range
Individuals that are diabetic or are currently taking a diabetic medication
Individuals that are currently using any WADA prohibited substances
Individuals that have recently used or currently using anabolic androgenic steroids

Summary

Intranasal Testosterone

All Events

Event Type Organ System Event Term

Steroid Levels in Urine Steroid Profile

Participants were instructed to follow this dosing pattern: Begin taking Intranasal Testosterone at Day 1 for 5 consecutive days (Days 1-5), then to take 2 days off (Day 6 and 7) Urine sample at Day 6 Begin taking Intranasal Testosterone at Day 8 for 5 consecutive days (Days 8-12), then to take 3 days off (Day 13, Day 14, Day 15) Urine sample at Day 13 Begin taking Intranasal Testosterone at Day 16 for 5 consecutive days (Days 16-20), then to take 2 days off (Day 21 and 22) Urine sample at Day 21 Begin taking Intranasal Testosterone at Day 23 for 5 consecutive days (Days 23-27 ), then to take 2 days off (Day 28 and 29) Urine sample at Day 28 The first day of the dosing pattern is considered Day 1 and the last day of the pattern is considered Day 29. Samples 4-8 were analyzed between 0 and 24hours post-dose Sample 9 was analyzed 48 hours post-dose Sample 10 was analyzed 72 hours post-dose Sample 11 was analyzed one week post-dose

Urine Steroid Profile - Day 6

5αAdiol

81.50246345
ng/mL (Mean)
Standard Deviation: 28.87216828

5βAdiol

323.5235566
ng/mL (Mean)
Standard Deviation: 95.27658018

Androsterone

2780.422993
ng/mL (Mean)
Standard Deviation: 1545.144279

Epitestosterone

14.54132527
ng/mL (Mean)
Standard Deviation: 7.954646945

Etiocholanolone

3420.811467
ng/mL (Mean)
Standard Deviation: 2957.358109

Testosterone

69.5773456
ng/mL (Mean)
Standard Deviation: 35.54601116

Urine Steroid Profile - Day 13

5αAdiol

70.09892435
ng/mL (Mean)
Standard Deviation: 31.91867777

5βAdiol

370.2752839
ng/mL (Mean)
Standard Deviation: 244.8399242

Androsterone

3147.357191
ng/mL (Mean)
Standard Deviation: 2520.278196

Epitestosterone

16.23444899
ng/mL (Mean)
Standard Deviation: 11.98868156

Etiocholanolone

2984.088377
ng/mL (Mean)
Standard Deviation: 2078.022714

Testosterone

138.0291641
ng/mL (Mean)
Standard Deviation: 141.9066157

Urine Steroid Profile - Day 21

5αAdiol

79.92660959
ng/mL (Mean)
Standard Deviation: 19.82671546

5βAdiol

386.6496467
ng/mL (Mean)
Standard Deviation: 178.3061711

Androsterone

3377.718911
ng/mL (Mean)
Standard Deviation: 1511.306185

Epitestosterone

10.08654906
ng/mL (Mean)
Standard Deviation: 4.588211806

Etiocholanolone

3168.249168
ng/mL (Mean)
Standard Deviation: 1630.873996

Testosterone

163.117081
ng/mL (Mean)
Standard Deviation: 109.276721

Urine Steroid Profile - Day 28

5αAdiol

83.39693284
ng/mL (Mean)
Standard Deviation: 59.00306611

5βAdiol

369.209311
ng/mL (Mean)
Standard Deviation: 243.4060107

Androsterone

4014.439418
ng/mL (Mean)
Standard Deviation: 4846.667258

Epitestosterone

9.736167767
ng/mL (Mean)
Standard Deviation: 4.015340993

Etiocholanolone

4614.568182
ng/mL (Mean)
Standard Deviation: 7192.193898

Testosterone

107.7160658
ng/mL (Mean)
Standard Deviation: 113.703136

Urine Steroid Profile - Day 29

5αAdiol

37.53345262
ng/mL (Mean)
Standard Deviation: 7.673138406

5βAdiol

145.5896139
ng/mL (Mean)
Standard Deviation: 54.18663296

Androsterone

1098.544542
ng/mL (Mean)
Standard Deviation: 430.6835869

Epitestosterone

12.22899541
ng/mL (Mean)
Standard Deviation: 4.434891082

Etiocholanolone

1154.779419
ng/mL (Mean)
Standard Deviation: 460.2075499

Testosterone

14.15587072
ng/mL (Mean)
Standard Deviation: 4.228012086

Urine Steroid Profile - Day 30

5αAdiol

51.7003489
ng/mL (Mean)
Standard Deviation: 22.77519196

5βAdiol

158.5303528
ng/mL (Mean)
Standard Deviation: 90.57253904

Androsterone

1689.228939
ng/mL (Mean)
Standard Deviation: 968.2213645

Epitestosterone

16.38534782
ng/mL (Mean)
Standard Deviation: 4.918171284

Etiocholanolone

1810.282342
ng/mL (Mean)
Standard Deviation: 1552.137347

Testosterone

21.42280994
ng/mL (Mean)
Standard Deviation: 14.29364856

Urine Steroid Profile - Day 35

5αAdiol

60.19484767
ng/mL (Mean)
Standard Deviation: 21.91151504

5βAdiol

166.0185686
ng/mL (Mean)
Standard Deviation: 97.42880397

Androsterone

2292.971167
ng/mL (Mean)
Standard Deviation: 853.7596469

Epitestosterone

27.76476978
ng/mL (Mean)
Standard Deviation: 16.66310752

Etiocholanolone

2612.685992
ng/mL (Mean)
Standard Deviation: 2105.416619

Testosterone

32.9077285
ng/mL (Mean)
Standard Deviation: 13.76180063

Urine Steroid Profile - Day 42

5αAdiol

56.94343765
ng/mL (Mean)
Standard Deviation: 30.25653073

5βAdiol

85.54384971
ng/mL (Mean)
Standard Deviation: 17.46215146

Androsterone

1561.824479
ng/mL (Mean)
Standard Deviation: 663.1827091

Epitestosterone

32.56796986
ng/mL (Mean)
Standard Deviation: 10.94213563

Etiocholanolone

1281.752255
ng/mL (Mean)
Standard Deviation: 372.3518874

Testosterone

28.14492389
ng/mL (Mean)
Standard Deviation: 6.661553442

Number of Participants With Suspicious Steroid Profile in Urine Samples at Baseline

Participants were asked to provide 3 urine samples at Day 1, Day 3, Day 5 to measure their baseline urinary steroid marker levels. To accommodate participant schedules, all baseline samples were collected within a two week timeframe. This outcome is measuring if any participants baseline urine samples resulted in a suspicious steroid profile. For this study, "suspicious" is defined as any urine sample resulting in testosterone steroid detection above 200ng/mL.

Testosterone

Epitestosterone

Androsterone

5αAdiol

Etiocholanolone

5βAdiol

Testosterone Level in Blood as Measured for Safety

Testosterone level in blood to ensure safety levels of testosterone prior to (Day 0) and after the first two weeks of drug administration (Day 19). Steroid levels below the normal range were considered safe to continue study participation.

Serum Testosterone - Day 0

408.4
ng/mL (Mean)
Full Range: 300.0 to 1080.0

Serum Testosterone - Day 19

373.4
ng/mL (Mean)
Full Range: 300.0 to 1080.0

Age, Categorical

Region of Enrollment

Sex/Gender, Customized

Overall Study

Intranasal Testosterone