Recently, WWE and UFC superstar Brock Lesnar failed a drug test given to him by the United States Anti-Doping Agency for his fight at UFC 200. The results did not come back before Lesnar competed. The actual substance that Lesnar had in his system has not been officially identified, but a source has told ESPN that Brock Lesnar tested positive for the drug clomiphene.
Clomiphene is a drug that acts as an estrogen blocker. It is the most popular drug of choice for steroid users after they come off their testosterone cycle. This drug also happens to be the same substance that Jon Jones tested positive for, eliminating him from competing at UFC 200. Lesnar even reacted to the news of the failed drug test by Jon Jones. You can see the video below.
What Is Clomiphene And How Does It Work For Steroid Users?
First off, it is important to know that males have estrogen in their body produced naturally just like females produce testosterone.
As a prescribed drug, clomiphene is prescribed to women as a medication to aid in fertility. In females, the drug allows the brain to go through the process of forcing an egg to be released. With an egg being released, the potential for fertilization to occur increases.
Why Would Steroid Users Need To Use A Fertility Drug For Women?
Steroid users artificially create an increased amount of testosterone in their body. The male body can only produce a certain amount of natural testosterone. Testosterone production decreases as the male reaches his mid-30s and beyond. When artificial testosterone is put in the body, the body stops producing its own testosterone naturally. This is what causes the testicles in steroid users to shrivel up.
Obviously, steroid users cannot inject themselves with artificial testosterone forever. They cycle its use. It is when they are done with their steroid cycle is when clomipheneis introduced in their system. For men, clomiphene acts as an estrogen blocker. Since testosterone is no longer being put into the body, the testosterone/estrogen balance is skewed in favor of estrogen. It takes time for the body to begin to produce testosterone naturally after a steroid cycle has ended. Clomiphene kick starts the process.
By blocking the estrogen in the body, the body begins the process of making testosterone. This is vital because at this time, if testosterone levels are not brought back to normal, the steroid user will rapidly lose the muscle mass and strength that they gained while on the steroid cycle. This all happens due to the hormone known as cortisol.
Cortisol dominates the body while testosterone production is stopped. If testosterone levels are not rapidly brought back to a normal state, cortisol begins to go through a process that essentially eats the muscle that was gained. Steroid users who cycle on to clomiphene will typically use it for up to six weeks. By then, testosterone levels are back into the person’s normal range. This will also increase the size of the testicles around to or back to normal size for the person.
Clomiphene is considered a safe drug to use for steroid users with manageable side effects. Side effects include hot flashes, nausea, dizziness, headaches, and temporarily blurred vision. Interestingly enough, these side effects rarely are seen by male users.
Does the use of this drug confirm that Brock Lesnar is a steroid user? What will the United States Anti-Doping Agency fine Brock Lesnar for the two failed drug tests? In the WWE, Brock Lesnar is slated to face Randy Orton at SummerSlam . SummerSlam is considered to be the second biggest PPV of the year and all of WWE’s big draws will be expected to compete. It will be interesting to see if Brock Lesnar is suspended or fined by WWE for the UFC failed drug test even though Brock did not fail the test while he was a competitor for the WWE.
[Image Via AP Photo/John Locher]