Vitor Belfort, the legendary MMA fighter, used testosterone replacement therapy (TRT) for several years under a therapeutic use exemption (TUE) to treat diagnosed hypogonadism. He received heavy criticism for his TRT use, as many felt it gave him an unfair advantage in the octagon.
After the Nevada State Athletic Commission (NSAC) banned TRT exemptions in 2014, Vitor chose to get off TRT altogether. He made this decision for several reasons:
- The NSAC's ban on TRT TUEs meant he could no longer legally use it for MMA fights in Nevada
- He wanted to silence his critics and prove he could still compete at an elite level without TRT
- He expressed a desire to live a "clean and healthy" lifestyle
Vitor came off TRT in 2014, in the lead up to his scheduled middleweight title fight against Chris Weidman at UFC 173. In (/2014/3/6/5478234/vitor-belfort-laments-loss-of-trt-but-says-hes-focusing-on-the), he stated:
"I'm off TRT now. No more TRT."
"It was my decision...to get off this. No more TRT."
"The new era is here. No excuses."
Unfortunately, Vitor (/2014/2/7/5391706/vitor-belfort-fails-ufc-173-random-drug-test-needs-commission-approval-chris-weidman), detecting elevated testosterone levels. This test was likely performed while he was still on a tapering regimen to safely come off TRT.
The NSAC (/2014/5/24/5744716/vitor-belfort-absolutely-heartbroken-he-s-out-of-ufc-173) for the Weidman fight due to the failed test. After some disputes over whether to ban him entirely, Vitor took some time off from MMA.
Since returning from his layoff in 2015, Vitor has competed clean without any TRT use. Highlights since then include:
- Knockout wins over (/2015/11/7/9691338/vitor-belfort-knocks-out-dan-henderson-in-first-round) and (/belfort_souza3)
- A 2016 rematch with Gegard Mousasi, losing a hotly contested decision
- Challenging Kelvin Gastelum in early 2017, where he was KO'd in the first round
While the post-TRT version hasn't had the same success as his earlier reign of dominance, the 40 year old Vitor has proven he can still compete and win without relying on testosterone use.
Many fans and pundits point to his TRT-free campaign as vindicating Vitor against accusations that he was a "drug cheat." He's been tested extensively under USADA testing since 2015 and has passed all his screenings.
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In summary, while details remain scarce, it appears
Vitor stopped using TRT in early 2014 after the NSAC banned TRT TUEs. Despite this abrupt change late in his career, he has adapted well and continues fighting into his 40s - proving himself capable even in his "natural" state.
