Ett av de mer kontroversiella ämnena inom sporten är vad man får stoppa i kroppen för att kunna prestera under match. När det kommer till Testosterone replacement therapy eller TRT, som i dagsläget kan användas av fajters under uppsikt av läkare, så finns det olika åsikter om det är rent och skärt fusk eller om det är att ge dem med låga testosteronnivåer en likvärdig chans att tävla.
Det framgår efter UFC 144: Edgar vs Henderson att Quinton ”Rampage” Jackson nu tillhör skaran som använt sig av testosteronterapin, detta trots att han initialt var skeptisk.
”Well to be honest with you I first learned about testosterone… I don’t know about health and drugs and stuff because I don’t really deal with it. I was never really big into it. So I was like ‘testosterone? No I’m not going to do that, that’s like steroids’ but then the doctor is like ‘no, steroids is stuff mixed with testosterone or other stuff, you can get steroids that do all types of things. Steroids for your cardio, for your muscles. Testosterone is all natural, its what your body produces.’
He was saying its like age management, it will turn back the clock and help heal you up. So I talked to my team and I really wanted to fight in Japan – coz you know I did all this stuff to fight in Japan and not in Chicago – and so I couldn’t give up and miss Japan. Everyone knows I love Japanese fans, they helped me become the fighter that I am, they gave me the energy and stuff. It was a hard decision but I was like ‘you know what, I am gonna do it. It will make me young and help me fight longer, which I want to.’
So I spoke to the UFC and they were like ‘yeah, a lot of fighters are probably doing it but not telling anyone.’ Me, I keep it real, I am not doing anything wrong. Its legal and I am not abusing it and I am not going over certain levels. From what I learned about it, when I got tested my levels my levels were really low and the doctor was telling me that athletes can burn testosterone.”, säger Jackson till Fighters Only.
För Jackson blev det en stor skillnad i hur han kunde träna och vilka resultat han såg när testosteronterapin användes.
”Sure enough I did it like a week or two and…I was like a young man, back to lifting weights and stuff, running treadmill and I could run and run. I could hit pads but I couldn’t spar or wrestle until I got to Japan, like eight days before the fight. In Japan I saw the change and so I decided I am not retiring no time soon, whether I fight for the UFC or not, I am gonna heal my knee up and get back on top. I feel young again. I’m happy I did the testosterone, I wish I had known about it sooner.”
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