Issue 101

Everything you wanted to know about ‘HypOgonadism’ but were reluctant to ask...

‘Professional MMA fighter’ and ‘low testosterone’ aren’t words you’d normally expect to hear in the same sentence, but that might change thanks to the latest twist in the tale of Chael Sonnen’s failed title shot against Anderson Silva.

Sonnen’s defense against allegations of PED abuse centered on testerone-replacement therapy that he’s been taking for his hypogonadism – or low testosterone – since 2008.

The interesting bit for other fighters is that Sonnen, who had his suspension halved to six months, hasn’t been approved for the treatment by the Nevada commission but two former UFC fighters have: Todd Duffee and Dan Henderson.

It’s actually surprising that the number isn’t higher: severe weight-cutting and calorie restriction, common practices among high-school wrestlers, have both been linked to low testosterone, and doctors are usually happy to prescribe TRT.

The only trouble? It’s also linked to steroid use, so unscrupulous fighters could actually benefit from a condition that they’ve brought on themselves. More clear-cut rules could be a necessity in the very near future.