Banned substances in sports supplements
This page has information about banned substances in sports supplements being sold in stores.
These substances are dangerous to your health and can cause serious health concerns.
Banned substances
These include:
- selective androgen receptor modulators (SARMs),
- stenabolic
- ibutamoren
- cardarine
- tadalafil
- oxedrine
- melatonin
- phenibut
- clomifene
- l-dopa
- DHEA.
If your supplement contains a banned substance
Stop taking it immediately and report the name of the product where you bought it to the Pharmaceutical Services Section of the Health Protection Service on 02 6205 0998.
Selective Androgen Receptor Modulators (SARMs)
SARMs are a group of compounds which act in a similar way to anabolic steroids and cause tissue (bone and muscle) growth. Unlike anabolic steroids, SARMs are less likely to cause unfavourable side effects such as the development of male gender characteristics in females, and the development of baldness, breast tissue and testicular shrinkage in males.
Common names
Substances which are commonly known as SARMs include:
- Enobosarm (also known as Ostarine, GTx-024, MK-2866 and S-22)
- Ligandrol (also known as VK5211, LGD-4033)
- YK11
- RAD140 (also known as Testolone)
- Andarine (also known as Acetamidoxolutamide, Androxolutamide, GTx-007, S-4, S4
Health effects
SARMs are associated with serious safety concerns including liver toxicity and the potential to increase the risk of heart attack and stroke. Read more on the US Food and Drug Administration website.
The long-term effects of SARMs on the human body are unknown. At present, SARMS have no known therapeutic purpose and there are no registered products containing SARMS available in Australia for medical use.
SARMs are a Schedule 4 (prescription only) medicine in Australia. It is illegal for supplements containing SARMs to be supplied by supplement stores and for consumers to possess these products without a prescription.
Some products labelled as containing SARMs include the disclaimer 'for research purposes only' on their packaging. This does not legitimise their use.
Stenabolic
Supplements containing stenabolic and its related compounds may be marketed as sports performance enhancers, anti-ageing or fat-reducing products.
Common names
Stenabolic is also known as SR9009. Compounds related to stenabolic include:
- SR9011
- GSK2945
- GSK0999
- GSK5072
- GSK2667.
Health effects
Stenabolic and its related compounds may increase the risk of cancer, heart attack and stroke, as well as have an effect on sleep, metabolism and mental health problems. There is no human safety data for stenabolic or its related compounds.
Find out more on the Therapeutic Goods Administration website.
Stenabolic and its related compounds are Schedule 4 (prescription only) medicines in Australia. It is illegal for supplements containing stenabolic (and related compounds) to be supplied by supplement stores and for consumers to possess these products without a prescription.
At present, stenabolic has no known therapeutic purpose and there are no registered products containing stenabolic available in Australia for medical use.
Ibutamoren
Ibutamoren stimulates the release of growth hormone, though its theoretical benefits of increased bone and muscle mass have not been established in clinical trials. Supplements containing ibutamoren may be marketed as anti-ageing or performance-enhancing.
Common names
Ibutamoren is also known as:
- MK-0677
- MK-677
- Nutrobal.
Health effects
The long-term safety of ibutamoren has not been established. Potential safety concerns include an increased risk of heart failure.
Find out more on the Therapeutic Goods Administration website.
Ibutamoren is a Schedule 4 (prescription only) medicine in Australia. It is illegal for supplements containing ibutamoren to be supplied by supplement stores and for consumers to possess these products without a prescription.
At present, there are no registered products containing ibutamoren available in Australia for medical use.
Cardarine
Cardarine is a metabolic activator which was primarily developed to treat obesity, diabetes, and heart health problems by changing the body’s metabolism to burn fat for energy instead of muscle or carbohydrates. Supplements containing cardarine may be marketed as performance-enhancing products.
Common names
Cardarine is also known as:
- Endurobol
- GSK-516
- GW1516
- GW501516
- GW501
- 2-[2- methyl-4-[[4-methyl-2-[4-(trifluoromethyl)phenyl]-1,3-thiazol-5- yl]methylsulfanyl]phenoxy]acetic acid (IUPAC).
Health effects
The potential safety concerns for Cardarine includes the risk of cancer, with the clinical development abandoned for safety reasons when it was demonstrated to cause a range of cancers in animals. Cardarine’s long-term effects on the human body are unknown.
Find out more on the Therapeutic Goods Administration website.
Cardarine is a Schedule 10 substance in Australia which means that it is of such danger to health to warrant prohibition of sale, supply and use.
Tadalafil
Tadalafil is a Schedule 4 (prescription only) medicine in Australia. It is used to treat erectile dysfunction and a type of high blood pressure that affects blood vessels in the lungs and the heart. Supplements containing tadalafil may be marketed as sexual enhancers.
Common names
Tadalafil may be included in a supplement’s ingredient list as '(6R-trans)-6-(1,3-benzodioxol[1]5-yl)- 2,3,6,7,12,12a-hexahydro-2-methyl-pyrazino [1’,2’:1,6] pyrido[3,4-b]indole-1,4-dione'.
Health effects
Serious side effects of tadalafil include vision loss, hearing loss, seizures (fits), heart attack, and a persistent and painful erection. People with heart or blood vessel problems or who are taking certain medications should not take tadalafil due to the risk of severely low blood pressure and heart attack.
Find out more on the Therapeutic Goods Administration website.
As with all prescription medicines, tadalafil should not be used without medical supervision.
Oxedrine
Oxedrine is found in the herb Citrus aurantium (also known as bitter orange). Products containing oxedrine may be marketed as energy supplements, appetite suppressants and weight loss products.
Common names
Oxedrine is also known as synephrine.
Health effects
When taken in combination with caffeine and other stimulants, oxedrine can have potentially serious effects on the heart and blood vessels such as raised heart rate, increased blood pressure, stroke and heart attack. Read more on the Therapeutic Goods Administration website.
Oxedrine is a Schedule 4 (prescription only) medicine for internal use except in preparations labelled with a recommended daily dose of 30mg or less. It is illegal for supplements labelled with a recommended daily dose of more than 30mg to be sold by retail supplement stores.
Melatonin
Melatonin is a naturally occurring hormone produced by the pineal gland in the brain that helps to bring on sleep by its involvement in the body’s sleep cycle. Supplements containing melatonin may be marketed to treat sleep disorders.
Health effects
The melatonin in supplements may interact with medications and substances taken by an individual and cause underlying sleep conditions to not be diagnosed or managed appropriately. Evidence of the long-term effects of melatonin treatment on the human body is lacking.
Melatonin is a Schedule 4 (prescription only) medicine in Australia. It is illegal for supplements containing melatonin to be sold in retail supplement stores. Read more on the Therapeutic Goods Administration website
Phenibut
Phenibut has anti-anxiety and sedative effects. Supplements containing phenibut may be marketed to relieve anxiety and depression, improve sleep and enhance cognition (thinking).
Common names
Phenibut is also known as beta-phenyl-gamma-aminobutyric acid (beta-phenyl-GABA).
Health effects
Risks of phenibut use include toxicity and overdose potentially requiring hospitalisation and intensive care unit (ICU) admission. People who take phenibut may develop dependence and experience withdrawal symptoms such as hallucinations, psychosis, seizures (fits), agitation, tremor, insomnia (difficulty sleeping), abdominal pain and vomiting, as well as causing underlying sleep or mental health conditions to not be diagnosed or managed appropriately.
Phenibut is a Schedule 9 (prohibited) substance in Australia. The sale, distribution, use, manufacture and possession of Phenibut is prohibited except in certain circumstances such as approved medical or scientific research.
Find out more on the Therapeutic Goods Administration website
Clomifene
Clomifene is a prescription only (Schedule 4) medicine used to treat female infertility. Clomifene works by inhibiting the effects of estrogen in the body and is often used to counteract the estrogenic effects of anabolic steroids in men, such as over-growth of breasts (gynecomastia).
Common names
Clomifene is also known as clomiphene and Clomid.
Health effects
As with all prescription medicines, clomifene should not be used without medical supervision. Serious side effects reported in females following infertility treatment include vision changes and rarely ‘ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome’ which can be life- threatening. In males, long term safety has not been determined and clomifene has been associated with an increased risk of heart disease, stroke and liver damage. Clomifene is unsafe for people who have liver disease, hormone-sensitive tumours, and in women with ovarian cysts, abnormal uterine (womb) bleeding or who are pregnant.
Find out more on the National Prescribing Service (NPS) Medicinewise website.
L-dopa
Levodopa is a prescription only medicine (Schedule 4) which is used in combination with other medications to treat Parkinson’s disease (a disorder that affects movement).
Common names
L-dopa is also known as levodopa.
Health effects
As with all prescription medicines, l-dopa should not be used without medical supervision. Serious side effects of l-dopa include uncontrollable movements of the face or limbs, a sudden drop in blood pressure when standing causing dizziness, irregular beating of the heart, drowsiness and hallucinations. Other side effects include severe or persistent nausea or vomiting and unusual changes in mood.
People who have angle-closure glaucoma, a history of melanoma or who have suspicious undiagnosed skin lesions should not take l-dopa. Conditions such as heart disease, irregular heart rhythms, peptic ulcer disease (a condition that affects the stomach lining) and psychiatric disorders can be aggravated by l-dopa. L-dopa can interact with a number of medications.
Find out more on the National Prescribing Service (NPS) Medicinewise website.
DHEA
DHEA can cause higher than normal levels of female and male hormones in the body. It is not known whether DHEA is safe for long-term use. It may increase the risk of breast cancer, prostate cancer, heart disease, diabetes and stroke. Other side effects include liver disease, an abnormal heart rhythm, acne, and unusual mood changes.
Common names
DHEA is also known as dehydroepiandrosterone or prasterone.
Health effects
People with abnormal heart rhythms, blood clotting disorders, liver disease, diabetes, cholesterol problems, depression and mood disorders and women who are pregnant or breastfeeding should not take DHEA. DHEA may interact with other medications.
DHEA is a Schedule 4 (prescription only) medicine. It is illegal for supplements containing DHEA to be supplied by supplement stores. It is also illegal for consumers to possess these products without a prescription. At present, there are no registered products containing DHEA available in Australia for medical use.
Find out more on the Therapeutic Goods Administration website.