Patrick Arnold
Encyclopedia
Patrick Arnold is an American
organic chemist responsible for creating the designer steroid tetrahydrogestrinone
, also known as THG and "the clear". THG, along with two other anabolic steroids that Patrick Arnold manufactured (norbolethone
and desoxymethyltestosterone
(DMT)), were drugs at the heart of the BALCO
scandal. At the time of their creation, they were not on any banned substance list. BALCO distributed these worldwide to world class athletes from a wide variety of sports ranging from track and field to professional baseball and football.
Patrick Arnold also reintroduced Methylhexanamine into the market as a dietary supplement
under the mark Geranamine, a substance that has gained popularity.
Arnold who is also an amateur bodybuilder, initially gained notoriety as "the Father of Prohormones."
. At age 11 he started working out after his father gave him a set of weights. During the late 1970s, despite following protein diets, he grew frustrated with his inability to put on much muscle mass. According to his version of events, Arnold's first contact with steroids happened when "a guy in a gym got him a cheap counterfeit steroid that contained just enough methyltestosterone
that it added 10 pounds of muscle in all the right places." This sparked his interest in chemistry, and in 1990 Arnold graduated with a bachelors degree in chemistry from the University of New Haven
.
After graduation Arnold took a lab job in New Jersey that allowed him enough free time to research performance enhancers. He also took classes on organic synthesis
at the University of Connecticut
and Montclair State, and "devoured" books on supplements and steroids, studying both approved and unapproved Western drugs and those used by the East Germans in their doping heyday.
In 1996 he befriended Dan Duchaine
, who introduced Arnold to Stan Antosh, the owner of Osmo Therapy, a supplement company then based in San Francisco. Antosh persuaded Arnold to move his research to a small company in Seymour, Illinois
, called Bar North America, which was owned by Ramlakhan Boodram. In Seymour, Arnold reviewed old patents looking for drugs that had never made it to market or were used only briefly. Later that year he introduced androstenedione
to the North American market, which became successful after Mark McGwire
was found using it. But because their company didn't sell andro directly to consumers — but only as an ingredient to other supplement makers — Arnold missed out on a financial windfall.
In 2001 Arnold's company introduced the prohormone 1-Androstenediol, under the marketing name 1-AD. Like andro, 1-AD is a prohormone that is easily converted by the body into 1-testosterone, and it sold well. But the boom was short-lived. In January '05 an amendment to the federal Controlled Substance Act banned prohormones. The company lost 60% of their sales, and became unprofitable.
According to Arnold, Victor Conte
contacted him in 2000 seeking undetectable drugs. Arnold offered norbolethone
, which he had synthesized in 1998. About this new venture Arnold recalls "I didn't feel I was jumping into anything more than [a potential problem] with a sports governing body," and motivates his involvement with his curiosity about the responsiveness of well-trained athletes and a little pride in his own work. In 2001 Arnold switched to providing Conte with tetrahydrogestrinone
after norbolethone started to draw scrutiny from drug testers.
androstenedione
(more commonly known as 'andro') to the market in 1996. In 1998, Mark McGwire
of the St. Louis Cardinals
was found by a reporter to have a bottle of androstenedione in his locker, which led to controversy regarding the status of the supplement as an unfair performance enhancer.
Patrick received a degree in chemistry from the University of New Haven
in 1990. In the early 90's he worked in the chemical industry at companies such as Uniroyal Chemical and ISP Technologies as well as attended graduate school. Patrick left the industry to join the nutritional supplement industry in 1996 when he traveled to Illinois from Connecticut to start LPJ Research with Ramlakhan Boodram of Champaign. In 2003, Boodram and Arnold changed the name of the company to Proviant Technologies. Proviant markets sports nutrition supplements under the brand name Ergopharm. In 2009, Arnold split from Ergopharm and now markets his supplements under the brand names E-Pharm and Prototype Nutrition.
for his role in the BALCO incident.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
organic chemist responsible for creating the designer steroid tetrahydrogestrinone
Tetrahydrogestrinone
Tetrahydrogestrinone is an anabolic steroid developed by Patrick Arnold. It has affinity to the androgen receptor and the progesterone receptor, but not to the estrogen receptor...
, also known as THG and "the clear". THG, along with two other anabolic steroids that Patrick Arnold manufactured (norbolethone
Norbolethone
Norbolethone is an anabolic steroid. It was first developed in 1966 by Wyeth Laboratories, and tested for use as an agent to encourage weight gain and for the treatment of short stature, but was never marketed commercially because of fears that it might be toxic...
and desoxymethyltestosterone
Desoxymethyltestosterone
Desoxymethyltestosterone is an anabolic steroid. It was one of the first "designer steroids" to be marketed as a performance-enhancing drug to athletes and bodybuilders...
(DMT)), were drugs at the heart of the BALCO
Balco
Balco can refer to:* the Bay Area Laboratory Co-operative - a controversial sports medicine/nutrition centre in Burlingame, California.* Balco balcony systems who develops, designs and manufactures balcony systems and glazing solutions....
scandal. At the time of their creation, they were not on any banned substance list. BALCO distributed these worldwide to world class athletes from a wide variety of sports ranging from track and field to professional baseball and football.
Patrick Arnold also reintroduced Methylhexanamine into the market as a dietary supplement
Dietary supplement
A dietary supplement, also known as food supplement or nutritional supplement, is a preparation intended to supplement the diet and provide nutrients, such as vitamins, minerals, fiber, fatty acids, or amino acids, that may be missing or may not be consumed in sufficient quantities in a person's diet...
under the mark Geranamine, a substance that has gained popularity.
Arnold who is also an amateur bodybuilder, initially gained notoriety as "the Father of Prohormones."
Life and early career
Arnold, grew up in Guilford, ConnecticutGuilford, Connecticut
Guilford is a town in New Haven County, Connecticut, United States, that borders Madison, Branford, North Branford and Durham, and is situated on I-95 and the coast. The population was 21,398 at the 2000 census...
. At age 11 he started working out after his father gave him a set of weights. During the late 1970s, despite following protein diets, he grew frustrated with his inability to put on much muscle mass. According to his version of events, Arnold's first contact with steroids happened when "a guy in a gym got him a cheap counterfeit steroid that contained just enough methyltestosterone
Methyltestosterone
Methyltestosterone is a 17-alpha-alkylated anabolic steroid used to treat men with a testosterone deficiency. It is also used in women to treat breast cancer, breast pain, swelling due to pregnancy, and with the addition of estrogen it can treat symptoms of menopause...
that it added 10 pounds of muscle in all the right places." This sparked his interest in chemistry, and in 1990 Arnold graduated with a bachelors degree in chemistry from the University of New Haven
University of New Haven
The University of New Haven is a private university that combines a liberal arts education with professional training. The university comprises five colleges: the College of Arts and Sciences, the College of Business, the Tagliatela College of Engineering, the Henry C...
.
After graduation Arnold took a lab job in New Jersey that allowed him enough free time to research performance enhancers. He also took classes on organic synthesis
Organic synthesis
Organic synthesis is a special branch of chemical synthesis and is concerned with the construction of organic compounds via organic reactions. Organic molecules can often contain a higher level of complexity compared to purely inorganic compounds, so the synthesis of organic compounds has...
at the University of Connecticut
University of Connecticut
The admission rate to the University of Connecticut is about 50% and has been steadily decreasing, with about 28,000 prospective students applying for admission to the freshman class in recent years. Approximately 40,000 prospective students tour the main campus in Storrs annually...
and Montclair State, and "devoured" books on supplements and steroids, studying both approved and unapproved Western drugs and those used by the East Germans in their doping heyday.
In 1996 he befriended Dan Duchaine
Dan Duchaine
Daniel "Dan" Duchaine was a former American bodybuilder, author, and two time convicted felon. Nicknamed the steroid guru, Duchaine gained worldwide notoriety due to his outspoken opinions on the use of performance enhancing drugs, and made numerous television appearances discussing the subject...
, who introduced Arnold to Stan Antosh, the owner of Osmo Therapy, a supplement company then based in San Francisco. Antosh persuaded Arnold to move his research to a small company in Seymour, Illinois
Seymour, Illinois
Seymour, Illinois is a census-designated place in Champaign County, Illinois, United States. At the 2010 census, it had a population of 303. Its zip code is 61875 and it is part of the Mahomet-Seymour school district It is also home to well known meth-addict Josh Black and local celebrity Calvin...
, called Bar North America, which was owned by Ramlakhan Boodram. In Seymour, Arnold reviewed old patents looking for drugs that had never made it to market or were used only briefly. Later that year he introduced androstenedione
Androstenedione
Androstenedione is a 19-carbon steroid hormone produced in the adrenal glands and the gonads as an intermediate step in the biochemical pathway that produces the androgen testosterone and the estrogens estrone and estradiol.-Synthesis:Androstenedione is the common precursor of male and female sex...
to the North American market, which became successful after Mark McGwire
Mark McGwire
Mark David McGwire , nicknamed "Big Mac", is an American former professional baseball player who played his major league career with the Oakland Athletics and the St. Louis Cardinals. He is currently the hitting coach for the St...
was found using it. But because their company didn't sell andro directly to consumers — but only as an ingredient to other supplement makers — Arnold missed out on a financial windfall.
In 2001 Arnold's company introduced the prohormone 1-Androstenediol, under the marketing name 1-AD. Like andro, 1-AD is a prohormone that is easily converted by the body into 1-testosterone, and it sold well. But the boom was short-lived. In January '05 an amendment to the federal Controlled Substance Act banned prohormones. The company lost 60% of their sales, and became unprofitable.
According to Arnold, Victor Conte
Victor Conte
Victor Conte is a former musician with Tower of Power and founder and president of BALCO, a sports nutrition center in California. He served time in prison in 2005 after pleading guilty to conspiracy to distribute steroids and money laundering....
contacted him in 2000 seeking undetectable drugs. Arnold offered norbolethone
Norbolethone
Norbolethone is an anabolic steroid. It was first developed in 1966 by Wyeth Laboratories, and tested for use as an agent to encourage weight gain and for the treatment of short stature, but was never marketed commercially because of fears that it might be toxic...
, which he had synthesized in 1998. About this new venture Arnold recalls "I didn't feel I was jumping into anything more than [a potential problem] with a sports governing body," and motivates his involvement with his curiosity about the responsiveness of well-trained athletes and a little pride in his own work. In 2001 Arnold switched to providing Conte with tetrahydrogestrinone
Tetrahydrogestrinone
Tetrahydrogestrinone is an anabolic steroid developed by Patrick Arnold. It has affinity to the androgen receptor and the progesterone receptor, but not to the estrogen receptor...
after norbolethone started to draw scrutiny from drug testers.
Notoriety
Patrick Arnold first gained notoriety for bringing the prohormoneProhormone
A prohormone is a substance that is a precursor to a hormone, usually having minimal hormonal effect by itself. The term has been used in medical science since the middle of the 20th century. The primary function of a prohormone is to enhance the strength of the hormone that already occurs in the...
androstenedione
Androstenedione
Androstenedione is a 19-carbon steroid hormone produced in the adrenal glands and the gonads as an intermediate step in the biochemical pathway that produces the androgen testosterone and the estrogens estrone and estradiol.-Synthesis:Androstenedione is the common precursor of male and female sex...
(more commonly known as 'andro') to the market in 1996. In 1998, Mark McGwire
Mark McGwire
Mark David McGwire , nicknamed "Big Mac", is an American former professional baseball player who played his major league career with the Oakland Athletics and the St. Louis Cardinals. He is currently the hitting coach for the St...
of the St. Louis Cardinals
St. Louis Cardinals
The St. Louis Cardinals are a professional baseball team based in St. Louis, Missouri. They are members of the Central Division in the National League of Major League Baseball. The Cardinals have won eleven World Series championships, the most of any National League team, and second overall only to...
was found by a reporter to have a bottle of androstenedione in his locker, which led to controversy regarding the status of the supplement as an unfair performance enhancer.
Patrick received a degree in chemistry from the University of New Haven
University of New Haven
The University of New Haven is a private university that combines a liberal arts education with professional training. The university comprises five colleges: the College of Arts and Sciences, the College of Business, the Tagliatela College of Engineering, the Henry C...
in 1990. In the early 90's he worked in the chemical industry at companies such as Uniroyal Chemical and ISP Technologies as well as attended graduate school. Patrick left the industry to join the nutritional supplement industry in 1996 when he traveled to Illinois from Connecticut to start LPJ Research with Ramlakhan Boodram of Champaign. In 2003, Boodram and Arnold changed the name of the company to Proviant Technologies. Proviant markets sports nutrition supplements under the brand name Ergopharm. In 2009, Arnold split from Ergopharm and now markets his supplements under the brand names E-Pharm and Prototype Nutrition.
Time in prison
Arnold was sentenced to three months in prison at Morgantown Federal Correctional Institution in West VirginiaWest Virginia
West Virginia is a state in the Appalachian and Southeastern regions of the United States, bordered by Virginia to the southeast, Kentucky to the southwest, Ohio to the northwest, Pennsylvania to the northeast and Maryland to the east...
for his role in the BALCO incident.