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Our Quality Control and Drug-screening Programme
Maximuscle is the UK's leading sports nutrition company, totally committed to helping dedicated sports people and gym users exceed their personal performance goals. We have the most comprehensive range of products to help you increase your sporting performance and reach your physique goals.
Integrity is key to our growing success - our products work and are used by some of the top sports clubs, elite athletes and gym users in the UK. We ensure that all of our products conform to the highest standards. All our products are made in accordance with strict Quality Control procedures to ensure they are consistent, safe and effective. They are also tested by an independent laboratory to ensure what is on the label is in the bottle.
Maximuscle has always been committed to using specialist manufacturers and suppliers of raw ingredients in Europe, Australia and the United States, who produce high quality food products for some of the largest food brands in the world. A good example is our unique Biomax whey protein, an excellent source of protein in many of our products. Whey starts its life as milk or cheese and goes through a number of specialised processes to refine it into the highest, most biologically active protein for people looking to improve their sporting performance or enhance lean muscle mass and strength. There are many types of whey and the whey found in our products are carefully formulated with our customers' goals in mind. Naturally you would not consider drug screening the milk you have on your cereal in the morning for steroids or stimulants.
There is a lot of concern about drugs in sport, positive drug tests for competing athletes, drug cheats and whose 'fault' it is. So, to help alleviate any concerns about Maximuscle products we have developed and pioneered the world's first ISO17025 certified and UKAS approved sports nutrition testing programme with a UK accredited laboratory. For your peace of mind we test each and every batch (* see bottom of page for exceptions) for the following problematic banned substances (banned for competing athletes): -
As of 19th February 2007 the test meets the following criteria -
- GCMS - At or above 10ng/g
- 4-estrene-3ß, 17ß-diol (19nor-4-androstene-3ß, 17ß-diol)
- 4-androstene-3ß, 17ß-diol
- 5a-androstane-3ß, 17ß-diol
- 5(6)-androstene-3ß, 17ß-diol
- 5(10)-estrene-3ß 17ß-diol
- Dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA)
- 5a-androstane-3, 17-dione
- 5(10)-estrene-3, 17-dione (19-nor-5(10)-androstene-3, 17-dione) and/or 4-estrene-3, 17-dione (19-nor-4-androstene-3, 17-dione) and/or 5(6)-estrene-3, 17dione (19-nor-5(6)-androstene-3,17-dione)
- Nandrolone (19-nor-4-androstene-17ß-hydroxy-3-one)
- 1,4-androstene-3,17dione
- 5(6)-androstene-3, 17-dione and/or 4-androstene-3, 17-dione
- Testosterone
LCMS - At or above 10ng/g - Gestrinone
- Stanozolol
- Tetrahydrogestrinone (THG)
At or above 100ng/g - MDMA (Ecstasy)
- Salbutamol
- Strychnine
- Clenbuterol
- Amphetamine
- Cathine (Norpseudoephedrine)
- Cocaine
- Ephedrine
- Methylephedrine
- Terbutaline
Tetrahydrogestrinone (THG) is a good example of the issues we face in supplying sports nutrition products for drug tested sports people. THG is a designer steroid, which means that someone has gone into a laboratory to develop a steroid, which at the time could not be detected by the methods available. Athletes could then use this designer steroid without fear of being caught, knowing that they had an unfair competitive advantage, which goes against the whole ethos of testing in the first place. Fortunately a concerned coach sent a sample to the labs and we are now able to start testing athletes for this steroid and stop these drug cheats in their tracks, and at the same time stop them from pointing the finger at sports nutrition.
So is it possible for THG to find its way into your food or sports nutrition products? - absolutely not, in the same way that cocaine could not, unless someone intentionally put it in there, which is also very unlikely. However, we have included these items in our drug screening programme as athletes have tested positive for them in the past and to take positive and pro-active steps for all tested athletes. It is our goal to ensure all athletes can compete on a fair playing field, whilst having the option and benefit to use safe and effective sports nutrition products.
It is important to note, the majority of our products are classified as foods, we use the same ingredients as found in many food products and share the same raw ingredient suppliers and specialist manufacturers. We do not test our products because they are 'sports nutrition' products, we test them because elite athletes choose to use them. This is Maximuscle's commitment to people whose careers depends on the safety of knowing what they are ingesting.
Maximuscle go far beyond all legal requirements for food and pharmaceuticals, by testing each and every batch for the lowest levels of contamination, that modern testing machines can detect. It is for this reason that Maximuscle has become a respected brand within elite sport today, with more top rugby and football clubs and elite athletes choosing to use the Maximuscle brand. To name but a few we supply:
* Each and every batch of MAXI-EFA and CLA-1000 are produced in accordance to the highest quality procedures. Even though these products do not contain any banned substances, due to the complex fatty acid structures of CLA and Maxi-EFA, these products cannot pass through our drug screening programme. Each and every batch of Guggul Complex is produced in accordance to the highest quality procedures. Even though this product does not contain any banned substances, due to the complex alkaloid structures of this product, it cannot pass through our drug screening programme. For more information contact drugscreening@maximuscle.com
Coventry City FC 
Fulham FC 
Hull FC
London Irish RFC
London Wasps RFC
The British Lions
For a more complete list, visit our "Who We Support page"
We extensively researched the sports nutrition market for the 2005 Lions and Maximuscle provided the best range of products, the best level of safety assurance and the highest quality of support available in the market.”Dave ReddinStrength & Conditioning Coach, British & Irish Lions 2005
As well as individuals such as;
- Josh Lewsey
- England rugby player, World Cup winning team
- Gavin Henson
- Welsh rugby player, Grand Slam winning team
- Sarah Bailey
- Para-Olympic swimmer
- Michelle Dillon
- Triathlete No 5 in the World
Note: Unless a company is testing each and every batch to UKAS and ISO17025 levels for the problematic steroids and stimulants listed above, you should be cautious of their 'drug-free' claims. ISO compliance is a good quality process, but it does not involve or require drug contamination testing of any kind. Even though Maximuscle manufacture all products using HACCP,GMP and ISO9001/2 processes (as do several quality supplement/sports nutrition brands), we still drug screen as an additional reassurance for our elite customers.
Maximuscle operates a totally transparent testing programme. It holds evidence of all testing certificates for all batches.
We are always happy to invite registered coaches, officials or journalists to the Maximuscle Head Office in Watford to show you evidence of our unique testing programme, likewise we can supply Certificates of Analysis for any product on sale in the UK, for any drug tested clubs or elite athletes who request them, just e-mail kpeters@maximuscle.com with your full name, company or club name and address, as well as you contact phone number and we will send you the relevant information.
Update: Maximuscle drug screening can now detect all problematic special fatty acids or specific herbs, such as CLA and Tribulus, ensuring all our products have a drug screening certificate.
This article is copyright protected by Maximuscle 2006. No part of it may be used in isolation. The Article can only be used in its entirety. If you choose to quote it, you must only do so, if the link: http://www.maximuscle.com/drugtesting is clearly and accurately included in your letter or article. Maximuscle will take strong action for incorrectly quoted articles or letters on this important subject.
