Immuno Assay (IA) This is whereby antibodies are used as mirror images to track down illegal cells and if they find one they bond to the molecular cell. They can also detect the metabolites which are produced when the illegal substance enters the body. The test though is only as good as the antibodies that are employed as they could ending up bonding to some other body that is not an illegal substance, but still producing a negative test result.

Such false positive results are seldom heard of in drug testing although it is now known that Certain decongestants and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs have been involved in producing such test results, so try and avoid them prior to any event which you know will be using immunoassay as a drug test.

Types of Immunoassay: The two preferred IA techniques used today are Radio immunoassay (RIA) and fluorescence polarization immunoassay (FPIA). RIA is administered in detecting certain 17-alpha-methyl, 17-alpha ethyl, and 19-nortesterone anabolic steroids. The enzyme Multiplied immunoassay technique (EMIT) is the best performer; so if you aren’t certain which of the tests will be used, then concentrate on beating EMIT. If you fail the EMIT test, then you will probably be given the very sensitive GC/MS test, just as confirmation.

PharmChek: This is a plaster like patch which you will have to wear for just over a week and whose function is to absorb your sweat and then detect any possible illegal substances that may have been in your body. The patch itself is tamper-proof and the actual accuracy of the results found is actually unknown at this moment in time.

TestCup: Few details are currently available on this. The person to be tested urinates into a specially designed cup, which has an indicator that changes colour according to the presence of illegal substances.

Beating the Most common Test -the EMIT: This is pure mathematics really as if you know which test is going to be used for a relevant drug, and knowing the period of time that can lapse before that test is not effective. You then stop using that drug in time for an event so that the level present in your body will not be detected.

Here below are the detection times for certain drugs: Drug Approx. Detection time in urine using EMI Amphetamines 2 to 4 days, Clenbuterol 2 to 4 days – detectable at 0.5ng/ml by GC/MS Nicotine No reliable data. Quite a long time as nicotine is fat soluble. Peptide hormones (like insulin, g/hormone and IGF-1), non detectable Anabolic steroids Oral steroids: 2 weeks and Injectable: 1 month.

Important Note 1: These drugs are their clearance times are only rough estimates, although reasonably accurate ones, but the real time can vary on each individual according to the time it takes their system to expel the drugs.

Important Note 2: Anabolic steroids can be tested for by RIA, HPLC, and GC/MS, in addition to EMIT. In order to pass a GC/MS or HPLC test, allow yourself longer in general for the drug to clear your system than it would for an EMIT test. Any drug can be tested for by GC/MS. Remember, drug clearance times vary from person to person.

Important Notes 3/4 DREADED DECA!! The anabolic steroid Deca-Durabolin can be detected by the presence of its breakdown products in your body up to 18 months after you last took a shot of it! There is currently no test for the illicit use of growth hormone or insulin in athletic competition. Therefore, these can be used right up to the day of contest without fear of being caught out in a test.

One way to speed up the removal rate of any drug from your system is easy. You just have to speed up your metabolism by training harder with weights so you end up killing 2 birds with one stone to get stronger. If it’s fatty soluble drugs that you need to dilute quicker you should train harder with aerobic type exercises which will increase the breakdown of fats in the body, removing the stored drugs from their fatty stores.

You should also try and take on more calories by introducing additional daily meals to increase your metabolism and drug clearance rate. The correct method will all depend on the drugs you have taken and what you really want to achieve at your next event. If you would like to read more have a look at the mickhartblog where you will find the very best advice for body-building related matters.