AUTHOR=Schulze Jenny J. , Mullen Jenny E. , Berglund Lindgren Emma , Ericsson Magnus , Ekström Lena , Hirschberg Angelica Lindén 

TITLE=The Impact of Genetics and Hormonal Contraceptives on the Steroid Profile in Female Athletes

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Endocrinology

VOLUME=5

YEAR=2014

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/endocrinology/articles/10.3389/fendo.2014.00050

DOI=10.3389/fendo.2014.00050

ISSN=1664-2392

ABSTRACT=<p>The steroid module of the Athlete Biological Passport, the newest innovation in doping testing, is currently being finalized for implementation. Several factors, other than doping, can affect the longitudinal steroid profile. In this study, we investigated the effect of hormonal contraceptives (HC) as well as the effect of three polymorphisms on female steroid profiles in relation to doping controls. The study population consisted of 79 female elite athletes between the ages of 18 and 45. HC were used by 32% of the subjects. A full urinary steroid profile was obtained using World Anti-Doping Agency accredited methods. In addition all subjects were genotyped for copy number variation of <italic>UGT2B17</italic> and SNPs in <italic>UGT2B7</italic> and <italic>CYP17</italic>. Subjects using HC excreted 40% less epitestosterone as compared to non-users (<italic>p</italic> = 0.005) but showed no difference in testosterone excretion. When removing individuals homozygous for the deletion in <italic>UGT2B17</italic>, the testosterone to epitestosterone (T/E) ratio was 29% higher in the HC group (<italic>p</italic> = 0.016). In agreement with previous findings in men, copy number variation of <italic>UGT2B17</italic> had significant effect on female urinary testosterone excretion and therefore also the T/E ratio. Subjects homozygous for the T allele of <italic>CYP17</italic> showed a lower urinary epitestosterone concentration than the other <italic>CYP17</italic> genotypes. It is of great importance that the athlete’s steroidal passport can compensate for all possible normal variability in steroid profiles from women. Therefore, considering the large impact of HC on female steroid profiles, we suggest that the use of HC should be a mandatory question on the doping control form.</p>