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1-1.5 months*** oxymetholone
fluoxymesterone
methandienone
mesterolone
ethylestrenol
norethadrolone
oxandrolone
oral stanozolol
methyltestosterone
testosterone propionate
oral
testosterone undecanoate
oral methenolone acetate
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1-2 weeks
clenbuterol
* Long-chain esterified injectable steroids are the most unreliable in terms of determining an actual clearance time. Their extremely low water solubility and high affinity for fat give them the ability to be stored in small amounts in body tissues for many months after use. These are the most dangerous types of drugs for tested competitors to use, particularly when being administered heavily in the off season.
** Short or medium chain esterified injectables are cleared from the body more rapidly than long chain injectables, however are still somewhat inconsistent in terms of calculable clearance times. It is safest to use such compounds only in the off season, provided this season protects the user from drug testing.
*** Oral steroids are the most reliable in terms of rapid clearance time. In many cases the athlete can safely use such compounds three weeks out from a drug
test and return a negative result. The time frame of 1-1 1/2 months was provided as a guideline for maximum safety. The short chain esterified injectable
testosterone propionate was included in this category due to the fact that testosterone metabolites will only cause a drug
test failure if they appear in unusually high quantities (in relation to epitestosterone metabolites). Should agencies adopt procedures that look for the actual esterified compound in blood, this would be moved to one of the categories listing other small to medium chain steroids.
OTHER SUBSTANCES----------- URINE-----HAIR
Alcohol---------------------------- 6-12 hrs- n/a
Amphetamines------------------ 4-5 days- up to 90 days
Barbiturates--------------------- 2-12 days-n/a
Benzodiazepines--------------- 1-42 days-n/a
Cannabis (single use)--------- 24-72 hrs-up to 90 days
Cannabis (habitual use)------ up to 12 wks
Cocaine-------------------------- 4-5 days-up to 90 days
Codeine/Morphine------------- 2-4 days-up to 90 days
Heroin---------------------------- 8 hrs-----up to 90 days
PCP------------------------------- 2-10 days-up to 90 days
All detection times are approximate.
Times may oscillate between a occasional user (1 a year)
vs. habitual user (4 times plus a week).
Drug Half-Life:
Arimidex 3 days
Clenbuterol 1.5 days
Anavar 9 hours
Stanozolol (oral) 9 hours
Methyltest 4 days
Stanozolol (injectable) 1 day
Clomid 5 days
Anadrol / Anapolan50 (oxymetholone) 8 to 9 hours
Dianabol 4.5 hours
Testosterone Suspension 1 day
Here are the half-lives for any of the following steroid esters:
Ester Half-Life
Formate 1.5 days
Acetate 3 days
Propionate 4.5 days
Phenylpropionate 4.5 days
Butyrate 6 days
Valerate 7.5 days
Hexanoate 9 days
Caproate 9 days
Isocaproate 9 days
Heptanoate 10.5 days
Enanthate 10.5 days
Octanoate 12 days
Cypionate 12 days
Nonanoate 13.5 days
Decanoate 15 days
Undecanoate 16.5 days
DOD Urinalysis (Drug
Test) Program
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Test Positive Rates
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DoD labs
test 60,000 urine samples each month. All active duty members must undergo a urinalysis at least once per year. Members of the Guard and Reserves must be tested at least once every two years. There are several protections built-in to the system to ensure accurate results.
First, individuals initial the label on their own bottles. The bottles are boxed into batches, and the
test administrator begins a chain-of-custody document for each batch.
This is a legal document Everybody who has had something to do with that sample signs it - whether it be the observer who watched the person collect the sample, the person who puts it into the box or the person who takes it out of the box. There is always a written record of who those individuals are.
The chain-of-custody requirement continues in the lab as well. People who come in contact with each sample and what exactly they do to the sample are written on the document.
After arrival at the lab, samples then undergo an initial immunoassay screening (using the Olympus AU-800 Automated Chemistry Analyzer). Those that
test positive for the presence of drugs at this point undergo the same screen once again. Finally, those that come up positive during two screening tests are put through a much more specific gas chromatography/mass spectrometry
test. This
test can identify specific substances within the urine samples.
Even if a particular drug is detected, if the level is below a certain threshold, the
test result is reported back to the commander as negative.
DoD labs are equipped to
test for marijuana, cocaine, amphetamines, LSD, opiates (including morphine and heroin), barbiturates and PCP. But not all samples are tested for all of these drugs.
Every sample gets tested for marijuana, cocaine and amphetamines, including ecstasy. Tests for other drugs are done at random on different schedules for each lab. Some laboratories do
test every sample for every drug.
Commanders can request samples be tested for steroids. In this case, the samples are sent to the Olympic testing laboratory at the University of California at Los Angeles.
Commonly available substances such as golden seal and lasix are often touted as magical substances that can mask drugs in urine. In fact, they can make it easier to get caught. These substances are diuretics, so if they're taken before giving a urine sample they flush chemicals out of the body - right into the collection cup. Drugs are often more concentrated in the urine after a service member takes one of these substances.
And other "sure-fire" solutions are even worse for you. Some people drink vinegar. There are stories of some people drinking bleach. None of these will defeat the urinalysis
test.
Over- the-counter cold medications and dietary supplements might cause a screening
test to come up positive, but that the more specific secondary testing would positively identify the medication. In this case, the report that goes back to the commander says negative.
How the results of drug tests can be used legally, depends upon the reason for the urinalysis
test.
Random Testing. By regulation, each military member must be tested at least once per year. Reserve members must be tested at least once every two years. This is done by means of "random testing." Basically, a commander can order that either all or a random-selected sample of his/her unit be tested, at any time. Results of random testing can be used in court-martials (Under Article 1128a of the Uniform Code of Military Justice), article 15s (nonjudicial punishment), and involuntary discharges. This includes using the results to determine service characterization (honorable, general, or other-than-honorable). Members do not have the right to refuse random testing. However, commanders cannot order specific individuals to take a "random"
test. Those selected must be truly "random."
Medical Testing. This is testing which is accomplished in compliance with any medical requirements. Urinalysis tests given to new recruits falls under this category. As with Random Testing, results can be used in court-martials, article 15s, and involuntary discharges, to include service characterization. Members do not have a right to refuse medical testing in the military.
Probable Cause. If a commander has probable cause that a person is under the influence of drugs, the commander can request a search authorization from the Installation Commander, who is authorized to issue "military search warrants" after consultation with the JAG. Again, results of urinalysis tests obtained through search authorizations can be used in court-martials, article 15s, and involuntary discharges, including service characterization. Members cannot refuse to provide a urine sample which has been authorized by a military search warrant.
Consent. If a commander does not have probable cause, the commander can ask the member for "consent to search." If the member grants consent, the results of the urinalysis may be used in court-martials, article 15s, and involuntary discharges to include service characterization. Under this procedure, members do not have to grant consent.
Commander Directed. If a member refuses to grant consent, and if the commander does not have enough evidence to warrant a probable-cause search warrant, the commander may order the member to give a urine sample anyway. However, commander-directed urinalysis results may not be used for court-martial or article 15 purposes. The results MAY be used as a reason for involuntary discharge, but MAY NOT be used to determine service characterization. In other words, the member can be discharged, but what kind of discharge he/she receives (honorable, general, other-than-honorable) depends upon his/her military record (WITHOUT using the urinalysis results).
DOD Urinalysis (Drug
Test) Cutoff Levels)
Drug Screening Level (Nanograms per milliliter) Confirmation Level (Nanograms per milliliter)
THC (Marijuana) 50 NG/ML 15 NG/ML
Cocaine 150 NG/ML 100 NG/ML
Opiates:
Morphine 2000 NG/ML 4000 NG/ML
Codeine 2000 NG/ML 2000 NG/ML
Heroin (6 MAM) 300 NG/ML 10 NG/NL
Amphetamines 500 NG/ML 500 NG/ML
Methamphetamine 500 NG/ML 500 NG/ML
MDA/MDMA (Ecstasy) 500 NG/ML 500 NG/ML
Barbiturates (Amobarbital, butalbital, Pentobarbital, Secobarbital) 200 NG/ML 200 NG/ML
PCP 25 NG/ML 25 NG/ML
LSD .5 NG/ML 0.2 NG/ML
Drug Detection Windows
Drug Detection Windows
THC (Marijuana) 1-3 Weeks*
Cocaine 2-4 Days
Amphetamines 2 Days
Barbiturates 1-2 Days
Opiates` 1-2 Days
PCP 5-7 Days
LSD 1-2 Days
Steroids 3 Days or Longer**
Notes:
* Longer than 3 weeks is indicative of chronic or heavy use.
** Length of detection determined by type and duration of use.