Abstract

A detection method for testosterone administration was developed using radioimmunoassay to measure the urinary ratios of testosterone (T) to epitestosterone (E) and to luteinizing hormone (LH). A comparative study of the effect on these ratios of a single intramuscular injection of testosterone heptanoate followed by stimulation with human chorionic gonadotrophin (HCG) in three normal men was undertaken. To allow immediate investigation, a commercially supplied epitestosterone antiserum was used. This study showed that both T/E and T/LH ratios could be used to detect testosterone administration, the latter also being an indicator of HCG use due to cross-reactivity with the LH antiserum. Subsequently, an epitestosterone antiserum of superior specificity was raised and used in a study to demonstrate the insignificant effect of exercise on these ratios. Finally, an intramuscular injection of a combined preparation of testosterone/epitestosterone heptanoates resulted in raised ratios of T/LH but not of T/E. This demonstrated the importance of the T/LH ratio in circumstances where the T/E ratio can be easily circumvented.