Recently, two top professional mixed martial arts (MMA) practitioners were banned for using Nandrolone Metabolite and Drostanolone. This news brought to light what many in the MMA world knew already - performance-enhancing drugs are incredibly prevalent in the fighting ring.

Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) emerged in the 1990s as an underground activity, which integrated fighting styles from striking to grappling, into one unique sports activity. Originally considered barbaric and dangerous, it was banned in many circles. By the early 2000s, the underground sport commenced to gain more and more visibility, and therefore, credibility. New standards for battling were brought to improve seeing pleasure and be sure fighters were protected from unnecessary injuries. The sport gained company interest, took on benefactors, and soon started workplace set ups pay-Per-View tv events.

As with most sports, the moment quite a lot of money is infused, two things happen. First, the level of performance increases greatly as many new athletes join the sport. Second, drug use becomes more widespread as no longer are fighters battling for a $2k check and a trophy. Abruptly, fighters are competing for hundreds of thousands of dollars. With that kind of money at risk, and the level of competitors, performance-enhancing drugs quickly made their mark on the sport.

Most MMA fighters who do use choose Halotesten and/or Mibolerone. These substances create feelings of hostility and strength increases, without water retention or weight gain. Strikers often favor Winstrol and Trenbolone. Androgenic hormone or testosterone and human growth junk are beginning to acquire a foothold in the sport. These two compounds are incredibly expensive, tightly controlled, and often only available to top athletes in sports like football and baseball. A physician typically prescribes testosterone, and human growth hormone is hard to get, even from a doctor.

Much like other sports, the decision of the fighter to use or not use is a personal decision. The rules of every major professional fighting business forbid the use of steroids, as well as many stimulants. Testing is very expensive and often only implemented at the top levels, where prize money and sponsorship dollars allow for this option. Are steroid drugs cheating if many of the top competition are employing them? That's a tough question to answer. Exactly what we do know is that with continued success of the sport - worldwide tv coverage and thousands of sponsorship dollars - the level of opposition, and subsequent steroid use to compete, will continue to rise.