The INBF's professional affiliate, the WNBF, has been doing independent research on supplements since its inception in 1990, in order to help natural athletes avoid compounds that are dangerous, ineffective, illegal or all three. Steroids have always been on the banned list, and when prohormones became a problem due to athletes failing urine tests for "legal supplements," the WNBF became the first sports federation to ban their use. This was in 1999. It took the FDA and U.S. Federal Government six years to validate the WNBF stance, when they banned androstenedione, norandro and other prohormonal products for sale. Of course, the INBF (and also the NANBF and all other WNBF amateur affiliates) followed the same rulings as the WNBF.

The ruling in the WNBF (and INBF by extension) extended to all compounds with prohormonal tendencies, including DHEA, androstenetrione, A7-E and all others. This also included 7-Keto DHEA.

HOWEVER, since March 2006 the WNBF has been doing additional investigation into the safety, fat-burning efficacy and possible steroidal tendencies of 7-Keto. After over a year of review of studies submitted by the Humanetics Corporation to the FDA and State of California, as well as research by the government of Australia and independent research in the scientific community, the WNBF has determined 7-Keto DHEA will be REMOVED from the Banned Substances List. As a result, 7-Keto DHEA is ALSO REMOVED FROM THE BANNED SUBSTANCES LIST OF THE INBF.

This is due to the following reasons:

1.) The FDA has ruled on two occasions in response to applications by Humanetics, Inc., that 7-Keto DHEA is safe for consumers when used for fat-loss.

2.) Safety rulings by the State of California and the Australian Government Dept. of Health and Ageing, Office of Chemical Safety also ruled the compound as safe.

3.) The Australian Government Dept. of Health and Ageing, Office of Chemical Safety ruled in March 2007 that "Data from published literature establishes that whilst structurally related to DHEA and testosterone, 7-Keto DHEA does not have biological action at the androgen receptor. Thus this substance is not expected to produce an androgenic effect."

4.) Review of clinical research by Humanetics Medical Director Dr. Zenk shows that 7-Keto DHEA is introduced to the Metabolic Pathway in the body beyond DHEA, and does not trigger androstenedione or androstenediol production in the body. It occupies a "metabolic dead end" that doesn't cause anabolism in the body. Therefore, 7-Keto DHEA does not cause anabolic changes, nor will it trigger a urine test failure.

Dr. Zenk explains that 7-Keto DHEA triggers fat loss by a means other than increasing norepinepherine production (as does ephedra, caffeine, etc.). It instead activates three thermogenic enzymes that are required for fatty acid metabolism. By activating Acetyl CoA (a sustrate in the Krebs cycle), 7-Keto assists the body in metabolizing fatty acids, which spurs safe weight (fat) loss. 7-Keto declines with age, and is excreted in the urine. It has been studied as a weight-loss compound for more than 16 years and is non-toxic, non-anabolic and without any serious side effects.

As a result of the research presented to the INBF and studied by its INBF Amateur Executive Committee and its supplement advisors, the federation has ruled that 7-Keto DHEA is allowable for use.

HOWEVER, this ruling applies to 7-Keto DHEA (aka 7-OXO DHEA) ONLY. The fat-burning compounds sold as A7-D and A7-E (including Hot Rox and Fahrenheit) are NOT allowed in the INBF, nor are any that contain "etiochollonane" or "etiocholene" or other HORMONAL COMPOUNDS.

As always, it is up to INBF members to carefully investigate their supplement products BEFORE USING THEM. Failure to do so (which results in the use of a banned substance) will still be cause for failure and expulsion from the INBF.

– Steve Downs, C.S.C.S.
INBF Vice-President