Doping control in sports: chemical and pharmacological aspects that effect the detection of drugs in hair

Abstract

Hair analysis is very well documented in forensic toxicology. It has been employed for differentiation between chronic or occasional consumption of certain drugs. The Society of Hair Testing published rules about hair analysis in sportive doping, which are accepted in most courts of justice, in spite that they had not been incorporated by the International Olympic Committee. Among the substances forbidden by the IOC, the great challenge of hair analysis in doping control is to confirm his validity in the detection of anabolic steroids. Before validation of hair analysis in doping control, the scientific community has to answer at least five critical questions: (1) What is the minimal amount detectable in hair after administration? (2) What is the relationship between the amount of the drug used and the concentration of the drug or its metabolites in hair? (3) What is the influence of hair's color? (4) Is there any racial bias in hair testing? (5) What is the influence of cosmetic treatments? Until now, the limiting factor for hair analysis in doping control is the lack of scientific data. The present article revises published material with special attention to the analytical and pharmacological parameters that may hinder the use of hair analysis in doping control.