World class athletes heading to the London Olympics in 2012 have been warned by the United Kingdom Anti-Doping Association to avoiding eating Liver. According to the agency the food may cause athletes to test positive for the anabolic agent clenbuterol.
Speaking about the liver warning the Food Standard Agency, a British government agency that acts much in the same was as the Food and Drug Administration ( FDA ) in the United States warned athletes:
The FSA cannot rule out the possibility that if a large portion of liver is consumed containing clenbuterol at permitted residue limits, urine collected shortly after consumption may contain detectable levels of clenbuterol. This depends on many factors including the amount consumed, the timing of the urine test and the analytical methods used.
The warning comes after various food related excused have been made after positive drug tests in the past including China weightlifting gold medalist Tong Wen who blamed their failed drug test on pork chops and Spanish cyclist Alberto Contado who blamed steak on their own positive clenbuterol test.
At least in the case of Liver the agency is recommending that athletes avoid a food that most people would pay not to eat.
In the meantime athletes are free to eat burgers, steak, fish and plenty of other actually delicious tasting foods in preparation for their chance at Olympic gold glory for their respective countries.
Are you surprised to learn that a once common food such as liver can actually cause positive drug testing results on a professional level?
