| | | | | performance-enhancing drugs quickly made their mark |
| Recently, two top professional mixed martial arts | | | | on the sport. |
| (MMA) fighters were banned for using Nandrolone | | | | Most MMA fighters who do use choose Halotesten |
| Metabolite and Drostanolone. This news brought to light | | | | and/or Mibolerone. These substances create feelings |
| what many in the MMA world knew already – | | | | of aggression and strength increases, without water |
| performance-enhancing drugs are very prevalent in | | | | retention or weight gain. Strikers often prefer Winstrol |
| the fighting ring. | | | | and Trenbolone. Testosterone and human growth |
| Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) emerged in the 1990s as an | | | | hormone are beginning to get a foothold in the sport. |
| underground sport, which integrated fighting styles from | | | | These two compounds are very expensive, tightly |
| striking to grappling, into one unique sport. Originally | | | | controlled, and often only available to top athletes in |
| considered barbaric and dangerous, it was banned in | | | | sports like football and baseball. A physician typically |
| many circles. By the early 2000s, the underground | | | | prescribes testosterone, and human growth hormone |
| sport began to gain more and more visibility, and | | | | is hard to obtain, even from a doctor. |
| therefore, credibility. New standards for fighting were | | | | As with other sports, the decision of a fighter to use or |
| introduced to improve viewing pleasure and ensure | | | | not use is a personal decision. The rules of every |
| fighters were protected from unnecessary injuries. | | | | major professional fighting organization forbid the use |
| The sport gained corporate interest, took on sponsors, | | | | of steroids, as well as many stimulants. Testing is very |
| and soon began staging pay-Per-View television | | | | expensive and often only implemented at the top |
| events. | | | | levels, where prize money and sponsorship dollars |
| As with most sports, the moment a great deal of | | | | allow for this option. Are steroids cheating if many of |
| money is infused, two things happen. First, the level of | | | | the top competitors are using them? That’s a |
| performance increases greatly as many new athletes | | | | tough question to answer. What we do know is that |
| join the sport. Second, drug use becomes more | | | | with continued success of the sport - worldwide |
| prevalent as no longer are fighters fighting for a $2k | | | | television coverage and millions of sponsorship dollars |
| check and a trophy. Suddenly, fighters are competing | | | | – the level of competition, and subsequent steroid |
| for hundreds of thousands of dollars. With that kind of | | | | use to compete, will continue to rise. |
| money on the line, and the level of competition, | | | | |
