No one knows for sure how many MMA fighters are using Testosterone Replacement Therapy to ‘keep their levels up’, but one guy who’s treatment is out of the bag is Dan Henderson. With Chael Sonnen and Nate Marquardt popping for the same thing, it’s become an interesting topic of conversation and Dan spoke a few words with ESPN about it:

“My levels were so low they were off the charts,” Henderson told ESPN.com. “I was always tired and getting sick a lot.

“I couldn’t even tell you [how to abuse it]. I’ve never gone above normal ranges. All I know is that I’m not as tired and I don’t get as sick as I used to.”

According to Henderson’s understanding of the treatment, a patient of TRT typically never exceeds “normal” testosterone levels, as was the case with Marquardt in Pennsylvania.

Although he’s not officially required to monitor his testosterone levels when not in competition, Henderson says he does to regularly as a precaution.

“I always do it on my own just to cover my own ass,” Henderson said.
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Even though Henderson monitors his own levels, never, he says, has the commission randomly tested him away from a fight.

“The only time people get monitored now is at the fights,” Henderson said. “I think it might be good to have stricter monitoring where people are getting tested throughout the year.”

Stricter monitoring from New Jersey is how they caught Marquardt above the acceptable limit, so it’s nice to know some commissions just aren’t going to rubber stamp the procedure. A TRT exemption is basically carte blanche to inject steroids and if no one is testing except on fight night there’s no way to know how juicy shit is getting between fights.