Serum androgen levels in elite female athletes.

Objective: Prior to the implementation of the blood steroidal module of the Athlete Biological Passport, we measured the serum androgen levels among a large population of high-level female athletes as well as the prevalence of biochemical hyperandrogenism and some disorders of sex development (DSD).

Methods And Results: In 849 elite female athletes, serum T, dehydroepiandrosterone sulphate, androstenedione, SHBG, and gonadotrophins were measured by liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry high resolution or immunoassay. Free T was calculated.

2011 lAAF World Championships in Daegu: blood tests for all athletes in the framework of the Athlete Biological Passport.

The 2011 International Association of Athletics Federation (IAAF) World Championships took place in Daegu, Korea. For the first time, all athletes were blood tested prior to the competition in order to give a clear signal to the world athletic community of the wish to enter into the era of the Athlete Biological Passport and fight against doping in their sport. The hematological parameters were measured on site.

Prevalence of blood doping in samples collected from elite track and field athletes.

Background: No reliable estimate of the prevalence of doping in elite sports has been published. Since 2001, the international governing body for athletics has implemented a blood-testing program to detect altered hematological profiles in the world's top-level athletes.

Methods: A total of 7289 blood samples were collected from 2737 athletes out of and during international athletic competitions.

The use of drugs and nutritional supplements in top-level track and field athletes.

Background: High use of medication and nutritional supplements has been reported in several sports.

Purpose: To document the use of prescribed medication and nutritional supplements in female and male junior, youth, and adult track and field athletes depending on their sports discipline.

Study Design: Descriptive epidemiology study.