(NaturalNews) According to a recent report by CBS New York, NFL player Duane Brown managed to have a suspension overturned by proving that he had eaten contaminated meat while in Mexico. Brown still had his receipts from various eateries in the country, and these were provided as evidence of why the player tested positive for clenbuterol.

Brown plays for the Houston Texans, and the NFL Players Association was fortunately able to prove to the league that the clenbuterol in his system came from consuming too much meat during his trip – around 10 burgers and two steaks. The league has also issued a warning to all players that consuming too much meat in countries such as China and Mexico could trigger a failed drug test.

Brown was facing a 10-game suspension, and the league have stated that, "Players are warned to be aware of this issue when traveling to Mexico and China. Please take caution if you decide to consume meat, and understand that you do so at your own risk."
 

Clenbuterol

Clenbuterol is a powerful steroid that is used to treat breathing disorders such as asthma, according to Steroid. Whilst it is successfully used to treat the condition in various countries worldwide, the drug has never been approved by the U.S. FDA, and so is not prescribed in the U.S. Aside from its use to treat breathing problems, clenbuterol is also used for fat loss and commonly (illegally) used by bodybuilders to create lean muscles.

In countries like China and Mexico, clenbuterol is given to animals to produce lean meat. In fact, until 1991, it was used illegally in the U.S. to gain competitive advantage in some show animals such as calves, lambs and pigs, as described by the Food Safety and Inspection Service. The illegal use of the drug was thought to be a public health concern if these animals were slaughtered for human food, as residues of the steroid remain in the muscle tissue.

In Europe, there have been several outbreaks of illnesses related to ingesting meat laced with clenbuterol, and the steroid can affect lung and heart function in people who have been exposed to contaminated meat. And this isn't the first time that athletes have been affected by consuming meat containing clenbuterol.

According to Drovers, in 2011, more than 2,000 athletes from at least 181 countries that were due to compete in the 14th FINA World Aquatics Championships in Shanghai were avoiding eating Chinese beef or pork due to the continued problem of clenbuterol use in livestock. This happened in spite of the fact that China had already outlawed the drug and its usage in livestock in 2002. The illegal use of the drug continues to be a huge problem.