Testosterone replacement therapy in MMA
Testosterone replacement therapy is a treatment that fighters may choose to undergo if they have a testosterone deficiency.
Fighters can currently obtain a therapeutic use exemption (TUE) that must be approved by the Athletic Commission of the district that they will be fighting in, for example a testosterone replacement therapy TUE approved in Brazil will not be applicable in a district under the jurisdiction of the Nevada State Athletic Commission and vice versa.
List of fighters currently using testosterone replacement therapy
This is a list of current fighters that have been granted a TUE.
- Vitor Belfort – approved in Brazil, but not by the Nevada State Athletic Commission
- Dan Henderson – approved by Nevada State Athletic Commission
- Chael Sonnen – approved by Nevada State Athletic Commission
- Frank Mir – approved by Nevada State Athletic Commission
- Forrest Griffin – approved by Nevada State Athletic Commission
- Todd Duffee – approved by Nevada State Athletic Commission
Controversy
Currently TRT is a controversial subject, with many calling TRT equivalent to using Performance-enhancing drugs including notable figure Dana White, president of the UFC. He has been quoted saying:
"TRT is legal. I told you guys that I don't like it, there's people out there that are cheating on it and I'm going to do everything I can to lobby against TRT and see if we can get athletic commissions to change their position on it."
Another notable person to claim TRT is an unfair advantage is Jon Jones, the UFC's Light Heavyweight Champion. Jones' argues that fighters being able to 'super-enhance yourself back to where you were in your 20′s' is unfair to those who do not, or cannot, use TRT. Before Jones' fight at UFC 159 against Chael Sonnen he said:
"I think it’s terrible (TRT usage by fighters). I think it’s absolutely terrible if you’re going to consider yourself an athlete. TRT would be perfect for Chael Sonnen if he wasn’t competing in one of the toughest sports in the world."