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By: Frank Hyden, MMATorch contributor
Vitor Belfort used testosterone replacement therapy (TRT) leading up to his bout with Michael Bisping at UFC on FX 7. He had a doctor's prescription for it, and that's the problem. I speak only for myself on this issue, and no one else. For all I know, everyone else here at MMATorch.com uses TRT and thinks it's great. That's a non-issue to me because they're not professional athletes.
I find it ridiculous that TRT isn't banned from the UFC. The reason that a man is supposed to be on TRT is that he's getting older and his testosterone levels aren't what they used to be. That's all well and good, but the problem lies with a couple of points.
The first problem is the doctors. There are simply too many doctors out there who are willing to work with fighters on obtaining testosterone treatment just because the guy is famous. There's no easy solution to this because there will always be that doctor who's willing to write a prescription to a guy regardless of whether or not he really needs it. Stringent blood testing and lowering the accepted levels should help some with this.
The second problem lies with history or common sense. I find it galling that guys who were popped for PEDs in the past are allowed to apply for a testosterone use exemption. They lowered their own levels by abusing PEDs and now are allowed to raise them back up? Not only that, but they are allowed to do so with very little oversight, which may allow them to raise them ABOVE levels that the average fighter, who has never used PEDs, is at.
If you've been found to have used PEDs in the past you should never be allowed to use testosterone therapy while you're still competing. You are responsible for your own levels and what you've put in your body. You shouldn't be able to simply have a random doctor say your levels are low to be able to juice. It's insane that this is allowed to happen, and it needs to stop because it's being abused.
Comments and suggestions can be e-mailed to me at hydenfrank@gmail.com
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