My take on Performance Enhancing Drugs
Here’s my take on Performance Enhancing Drugs in MMA.
First I just want to say that I try really hard not to judge other people, because in order to do that, we’d have to live in their skin, experience the same exact things, and deal with the same feelings.
What is a performance enhancing drug?
I consider myself an intelligent, educated person. I took a few nutrition courses in college, but I’m not a scientist or nutritionist or doctor myself.
I take Muscle Pharm’s Amino acids cocktail and the RECON (recovery drink.) The former enhances my performance (by giving me a slight energy boost between sessions) and the latter helps me recover after training. But they are fine and legal.
What makes others bad? Umm….
Let’s see. What Anderson Silva was busted for was “dromostanolone.” Wikipedia and this other site says: “it’s an anabolic steroid used to lower cholesterol levels, treat cancers to inhibit estrogen, and used in bodybuilding (because it inhibits estrogen.) It can result in mass and strength gains.”
methyltestosterone is used to treat men with testosterone deficiency. (wiki page)
I googled “healing injuries” and found this site about how anabolic steriods can help heal injuries. website link
So….okay. I can sympathize with the training injuries. You are a fighter who’s one and only source of income for you and your wife and baby is MMA, and your leg got snapped in half and you’re in agonizing pain 24/7. You need to heal ASAP. Okay… I sympathize.
I was in Japan years ago and got a corneal abrasion. Those things hurt like the end of the world every time you blink, but thankfully, with eye drop medicine, they heal within a week. The doctor in Japan handed me two eyedrop bottles and said, “This is the antibiotic, and this is the steroid medicine.” I was like, “STEROID? OMG I can’t possibly do steroids!” He answered, “No, No, some medicines have a little bit in them and it’s totally fine.” I was like, “…..really?” So I googled it and it seemed to be true, so I took the eye drops for like 3 days to heal my cornea so I could see. (now I found out that it actually can delay healing in that case. wtf?) Anyway, I wanted to barf from the pain in my eye, so I get it. But make sure it’s not going to be illegal, I suppose?
Now. As for quick muscle gains and recovery….. that’s where I have the most issues. I wish I had more muscles. I try to lift but seem to have trouble putting on muscle. I would love to be stronger. I’m …well, not naturally athletic and muscular compared to other, more athletic fighters.
I’m also 32 years old and it takes me a long time to recover compared to when I was 20.
So I’m sitting home on a Sunday barely able to move, suffering, while other athletes who took steroids are out running and lifting and getting twice the work.
I know you have a career and babies at home, and I sympathize. But I ALSO have dreams. I also have a career and goals. All pro fighters are fighting for something important to them. It makes me really sad when I hear people are busted for PED.
Now….let’s look at the contents of what I’m taking….
hmmmm what is… L-Valine? or Chromium Polynicotinate? I do not know.
What does GoldenSeal root powder do? Or L-Leucine? I haven’t the faintest idea! But I’m pretty sure amino acids are already found in the body naturally.
HOWEVER, there’s this nifty “UFC” seal on it, so I know it’s fine. I think if people don’t know what stuff is that they’re taking, they better find out or make SURE it’s approved.
I think the UFC’s testing is a good solution – test fighters right before fights, right after fights, and way before fights, during their training camp. Look up the cycles and how long it takes for stuff to get out of the body, and try to catch fighters. This is really important because fighter’s lives are on the line here. It’s worth the risk to some people because the advantage is so great …winning or losing a big fight can change your life completely! For better or for worse! Each fight is a really really big deal to a pro fighter.…