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[Sakara=Excitement]

Rich Franklin Admits Interest in TRT Use: 'Yeah, I've Kicked Around That Idea' - MMA Fighting

Jun 11, 2012 - It was about two or three years ago when Rich Franklin started being asked about retirement. At the time, the question took Franklin by surprise. He was still in his mid-30s -- not young but not old -- and still performing well, but the query started seeping into interviews until the point came when not a single one would go by without it coming up.

It is so prevalent in these kinds of conversations, he says, that it's conditioned him to understand that when it comes to his days in the octagon, he's down to his final ones. That realization often causes athletes to look for ways to extend their careers, and Franklin is no different.

In fact, on Monday's edition of The MMA Hour, the former UFC middleweight champion admitted that he has looked into the controversial testosterone replacement therapy (TRT).

In response to a question by host Ariel Helwani about prolonging his fighting days with the help of TRT, Franklin offered this response:

"Yeah, I've kicked around that idea and everything, and actually I’ve talked to doctors that work with the UFC and the athletic commission in Nevada and all that kind of stuff," said Franklin, who takes on Wanderlei Silva at UFC 147 later this month. "And at 37, my count obviously is not what it was when I was 25, and I’m a candidate for that kind of stuff. I haven’t started yet.

According to the guidelines of various state athletic commissions that offer TRT therapeutic use exemptions, an athlete must be able to prove that his testosterone level is below normal. Franklin's statement seems to indicate his levels are normal for his age, just not quite as high as they used to be, so while his candidacy for TRT might be contradicted by his statement, it must be noted he has not used the treatment.

If this appears to be another case of an athlete considering gaming the system, given Franklin's voluntary candidness on the topic, it also might be an instance where he is simply gathering information on a treatment that has seeped into popular culture in the last two years.

Either way, the interest in TRT seems to be picking up steam in MMA circles, ramping up attention and setting the stage for those in regulatory positions to more forcefully execute their duties and enforce fair play. Until then, TRT and other treatments are an avenue that even Franklin admitted will continue to be explored by fighters looking for an edge.

[MIZjitsZOU]

I like Franklin. He seems genuine and always comes off as likable.

[Sniggles]

"I'm sure that there are people that find ways around things, and cheating and all that kind of stuff but that’s just a natural thing,"

Anything that involves needles is not natural.

[mmawolverine]

is that really how it works, once you take synthetic trt you cant produce any naturally?

[carbondioxide830]

rich is truly one of the few honest guys in this sport. on top of that, he's obviously educated having worked in that field. and while i am still not a proponent of trt, i'm sure rich knows more about this subject than any of us.

[GangGreenWarrior]

Originally Posted by mmawolverine

is that really how it works, once you take synthetic trt you cant produce any naturally?

Yup, it's pretty much that way with anything synthetic you put in your body that the body can produce naturally. The general rule is that the more you take the less you make. Google negative feedback loop and it will give you some great examples of it. Basically your body finds out that it's got too much of X (example: testosterone) in the body so it responds by telling the part of your body that produces testosterone to make less of it to compensate. Since it's not your testes that are producing the testosterone, your body signalling it to make less doesn't reduce the level of testosterone so the body again tells your testes to make even less testosterone. Over time, your body will pretty much shut down all testosterone production.

It's not only testosterone that this system applies to. Taking thyroid hormone, sleep medication, prednisone, etc. for long periods can seriously fuck up your body. In most instances, the damage can be irreversible. It is very hard for your body to turn something back on once it has turned it off.

[Badluck33]

Originally Posted by GangGreenWarrior

Yup, it's pretty much that way with anything synthetic you put in your body that the body can produce naturally. The general rule is that the more you take the less you make. Google negative feedback loop and it will give you some great examples of it. Basically your body finds out that it's got too much of X (example: testosterone) in the body so it responds by telling the part of your body that produces testosterone to make less of it to compensate. Since it's not your testes that are producing the testosterone, your body signalling it to make less doesn't reduce the level of testosterone so the body again tells your testes to make even less testosterone. Over time, your body will pretty much shut down all testosterone production.

It's not only testosterone that this system applies to. Taking thyroid hormone, sleep medication, prednisone, etc. for long periods can seriously fuck up your body. In most instances, the damage can be irreversible. It is very hard for your body to turn something back on once it has turned it off.

Find me one account and that is NOT a rumor that someones Thryoid hormone shut down from taking something.

There are also PCT's that will allow your testosterone to come back naturally if taken right.

[jody]

Originally Posted by Sniggles

"I'm sure that there are people that find ways around things, and cheating and all that kind of stuff but that’s just a natural thing,"

Anything that involves needles is not natural.

I took it to mean that it's natural to have cheaters in sports.I'm not sure I agree with his choice of words,as maybe it's more expected or typical than natural.

[popsicle]

Originally Posted by GangGreenWarrior

Yup, it's pretty much that way with anything synthetic you put in your body that the body can produce naturally. The general rule is that the more you take the less you make. Google negative feedback loop and it will give you some great examples of it. Basically your body finds out that it's got too much of X (example: testosterone) in the body so it responds by telling the part of your body that produces testosterone to make less of it to compensate. Since it's not your testes that are producing the testosterone, your body signalling it to make less doesn't reduce the level of testosterone so the body again tells your testes to make even less testosterone. Over time, your body will pretty much shut down all testosterone production.

It's not only testosterone that this system applies to. Taking thyroid hormone, sleep medication, prednisone, etc. for long periods can seriously fuck up your body. In most instances, the damage can be irreversible. It is very hard for your body to turn something back on once it has turned it off.

I actually had a conversation with an endocrinologist about this last week. He has been practicing endocrinology for approximately 30 years, and has extensive experience with treating people with TRT. He stated that if the synthetic testosterone keeps a person near the middle of the normal range that it will not inhibit the body from producing testosterone naturally once the treatment stops. However, if someone where to elevate their levels past the normal range for somebody their age then it will shock the system, and the person could likely have a deficiency for the rest of their life. He said this is common in people who use steroids or abuse TRT, and can lead to a number of long term problems.

I am not saying you are wrong because I am not a doctor, but just passing along a conversation I had with one last week.

[zana1126]

The UFC must stop this shit before everyone start abusing of this "privilege".