IGF-1 is a banned substance. We do test for it and anyone who tests positive for it will be sanctioned. CrossFit HQ 20 Sept 2016

So if you happen to be up on the latest and greatest in CrossFit you might also have noticed that HQ just issued sanctions to two Masters Games athletes on September 9th for testing positive for banned substances. Both athletes have been stripped of their podium finishes.

http://games.crossfit.com/announcements/jones-kemp-and-marino-sanctioned

It finally happened. Masters athletes have joined the ranks of other elite sanctioned athletes, such as Natalie Newhart and Elia Navarro Garcia. I mean, I guess it was a matter of time.

Right? If you’ve followed any of the Masters forums you’re no stranger to the discussion of what should and should not be allowed for competitive athletes over age 40, including topics such as hormone replacement therapy.We Masters are no shrinking violets when it comes to discussing every possible scenario, especially when it comes to something our trusted doctors might prescribe for our general health that might conflict with our desire to be Alpha CrossFit Badasses.

Keep in mind that this same Masters generation (Gen-X) was one of the first to dabble in steroid use in high school sports. You can argue with me all day long but at the end of the discussion, I personally remember the disappointment of having my ass handed to me by yellow-eyed track and field competitors with quads that looked like they belonged on lab frogs. I used to stomp those athletes in 1987 only to have them pass me like I was standing still in 1988 even though I’d just PR’d. So let’s just say I’m not surprised to hear that a 40+ athlete is capable of tying something that would give a competitive edge.

A competitive edge. Let that sink in…

What does that mean, exactly? Anabolic steroids? For some, perhaps. What about something less sinister? Something that sounds maybe like alternative Chinese medicine? Something from nature? Something so offbeat that it couldn’t possibly be illegal.What about the velvet from Bambi’s own antlers?

I’m not kidding.

Deer antler velvet. Have you heard about it yet? Like many amateur CrossFit enthusiasts, you might not be privy to this new wonder supplement. It’s OK. Maybe you’re still on the fence about whether to have both a Facebook AND Instagram account at the same time. #SoMuchOverhead #IDontHaveTimeForThisShit #WhatIsInstagrammar #WhatIsAHashtag?

Or maybe you actually caught the Post Show of the Live Open Workout for 16.3 featuring Master’s Games athlete Shawn Ramirez. You didn’t? You’re in luck. Scroll to 55.50 and watch as Shawn answers the question “As a 40+ athlete what do you consume pre & post workout.

“The biggest thing now for old guys is, for all you guys out there, is uh.. is you guys haven’t heard of it yet is, uh, deer antler. Guys: look it up. It’s like 40% more recovery and uh, it’s what I use and it is amazing. Deer antler and… whew!”

Shawn Ramirez isn’t the only one in on this wonder supplement. http://www.pocketwod.com/champion-athlete-shawn-ramirezs-secret-to-recovery/

When you go to the site that Shawn Ramirez was referencing, you see six testimonials from Games athletes, including comments like this:



“Hands down the best recovery and strength gains product I have ever taken!

Honestly it should be illegal because it works so fast lol!”

– Jeff Evans “2014 Games Athlete – Strong Man” “Hands down the best recovery and strength gains product I have ever taken!Honestly it should be illegal because it works so fast lol!”– Jeff Evans “2014 Games Athlete – Strong Man”

“Being a small athlete, strength has never been my strength. Since I started taking AGF consistently eight weeks ago, I have PR’d more lifts than I did the entire past year. Not only are my lifts increasing, but my strength endurance is through the roof. I feel stronger than I ever have going into the 2016 season, and the only thing that has changed in my life is the addition of AGF and RPM.”

– Sheila Barden “2014 Games Athlete”

That’s impressive (if true).

So what exactly IS Deer Antler Velvet and like Jeff Evans says, why isn’t it illegal? If you do a quick search, you’ll see that the active ingredient is IGF-1. This is from AFG-1’s site (the one with the endorsement’s above).

Insulin-like Growth factor-1 (IGF-1) is a prohibited substance on the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) Prohibited List. It is included in the class of peptide hormones, growth factors and related substances. IGF-1 is produced in response to physiological or pharmaceutical growth hormone (GH), and is responsible for many of the anabolic effects of GH. It can enhance the production of lean muscle as well as aid in recovery time, but when used without medical necessity, exogenous IGF-1 can cause serious harm. The WADA Prohibited List bans the use of exogenous IGF-1 at all times, both in-competition and out-of-competition. All forms of exogenous IGF-1 are prohibited at all times, and any substance containing any form of exogenous IGF-1 should be considered prohibited. For a substance or method to be included on the WADA Prohibited List, the substance or method must meet any two of the following three criteria: 1) It has the potential to enhance or enhances sport performance 2) It represents and actual or potential health risk to the athlete 3) It violates the spirit of sport So there must be some mistake, right? How can all these elite CrossFit athletes legally use a substance that is on a banned list? I decided to cut to the chase and ask CrossFit HQ myself.

To the credit of CrossFit HQ, I received a fairly prompt response. Maybe not as direct as I’d hoped, but still… better than I expected.

So I decided to ask the obvious. Is IGF-1 on the CrossFit HQ Banned list? The answer is as follows:

IGF-1 is a banned substance. We do test for it and anyone who tests positive for it will be sanctioned.

So there you have it. IGF-1 is on the CrossFit HQ banned list.There’s a little blurb about the “notion” that Deer Antler Velvet is a source of IGF-1 but that’s a whole other article. It has a lot too with alliances and marketing and approved vendors.

Imagine if Rogue products could be questioned as PEDs? You know… that Rogue box jump could possibly turn you into Letterman…with a capital T. Oh wait… is that “Capital T” an acronym for Testosterone? Are Letterman’s T-levels low?

Shit… this is suddenly ‘Less-Than-Fun.” Screw the Electric Company… and while we’re at it screw School House Rock because we have no idea what the Conjunction Function truly entails. And if you don’t have a clue what that meant (and you’re too lazy to Google), you are clearly not a Master’s Athlete and the joke is on you.

Or someone else. We’re not really sure ( there’s not much accountability here), and they may or may not be getting amped up on that gray area miracle product touted as “natural” and “safe” to play next year’s Reindeer (Velvet) Games. Many of us Masters wish we were “you” and that is why we’re willing to shell out $300+ a month to remind you that we’re still killing it.

Whatever.

Anyway, it’s official. IF-1 is a banned CrossFit HQ substance. So why aren’t all those high profile games athletes who are endorsing Deer Antler Velvet extract aware of this conflict? Is it just marketing hype that has no basis in science? Or is there really something to it all and these athletes are getting an incredible edge that the rest of us can’t enjoy unless we take it upon ourselves and try out a little Velvet Bambi?

Either way, ask yourself this: legal or not, why would you ever need to pay this kind of money to get an “edge” over your competition? If it’s a legal loophole, are you really the the type of person who feels good about prevailing competitively over another at this expense? If you really are experiencing 40% gains, is that really “you” doing the work? And if it isn’t exactly legal, why are you selling your name on something that is associated with a worldwide recognized banned substance in competition?

Know this: IGF-1 is banned in both WADA and now officially in CrossFit. If you trust the marketing behind a supplement industry that isn’t held accountable to FDA regulations, by all means enjoy your stag party.

Editor’s Note 22 Sept 2016: The founder of LuRong Living Essential has reached out to me to share information about their product, the process they went through to gain their BSCG (Banned Substance Control Group) certification and the difference between their product and Deer Antler Velvet extract. I’m looking forward to their response and answers to some of the questions and concerns raised in this post as I truly believe in the spirit of raising awareness and enabling my peers to make educated choices. Thanks for adding to the conversation, Danny. More to come soon.